According to the salesman at Dicks Sporting Goods.. the Tern is replacing the Teebird

[Shipley]

Yep...you were a d*ck!

 

[Jimb]

If every disc he's ever thrown flies exactly the same, that probably means... He's played once and, of course, every disc he picked turned out to be a meathook for him. When my wife bought me my first three disc starter set off of ebay, it included in DX plastic: an Aviar P&A, Roc and Valkyrie. Guess what... for the first couple of days they all flew exactly the same for me, too. RHBH, hard left, crash and burn.

So he had probably thrown a Groove, a dyed Starfire, and who knows what else from Dicks, all with the same results.

I ran across a very similar situation while checking out discs at the Shawnee S.P. "boat house" that sells discs, too. A really nice teen was telling me how the Beast had just set the new world distance record. Of course, there were several available for purchase.

 

[eegor]

Seriously? Dick's or Academy for "advise" on disc golf equipment?

You know where you are when you walk in. Advise isn't what you should be looking for at a "big box" sporting goods store. It's a place to buy, not ask.

I purchase archery equipment and firearms at these stores too, but I wouldn't ask for advise for either from them. They're discount stores, nothing more.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Honestly, it sounds like a car salesmans' pitch. While my less-than-a-year-old Ranger was getting fixed at Ford: "How about the new model? Push-button 4x4!" A buddy of mine bought said model a few months later. It locked in 4x4 reverse, on the way home from a bar.
Really, would you give up a Thunderbird for a Fiero?

 

[HeavyCritters]

I'm fairly certain that the clerks at Dick's don't work on commission, he was probably honestly trying to be helpful and just knew nothing about the sport.

I'm guessing this is the case as well.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Seriously? Dick's or Academy for "advise" on disc golf equipment?

You know where you are when you walk in. Advise isn't what you should be looking for at a "big box" sporting goods store. It's a place to buy, not ask.

I purchase archery equipment and firearms at these stores too, but I wouldn't ask for advise for either from them. They're discount stores, nothing more.

Not saying you can't get a decent deal there (if something's on sale, perhaps), but I wouldn't call them a discount chain. I've found their everyday prices on most sporting goods to be fairly high. What Dick's offers is selection, variety, and plenty of instore inventory on a wide variety of sporting goods, moreso than discounts. Places like that are for one-stop shopping and convenience. Whatever it is, chances are they have it.

 

[scarpfish]

To be fair, disc golf isn't likely the only sport the folks at Dick's don't know squat about. I'd honestly hate to shop for a firearm or crossbow there.

And experiences like the OP's are precisely why I despise salespeople who think they have big game because they took some $2000 a seat sales seminar (idiots!), and demonstrate in their sales pitches that they have absolutely no game explaining a product that they know a hell of a lot less about than most of their customers.

 

[astomps]

you sure learned em man. good story

 

[AlexD243]

hahahahahaha for me they are pretty much exact opposites

 

[JoakimBL]

If he thinks every disc flies exactly the same, why would anyone need to replace their Teebird with a Tern that flies the exact same?

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

While I'm happy that we've arrived at a time when regular stores carry Golf Discs (back in my day, the only place to get them was by visiting the guy's house who designed the first course in our area and is PDGA #315...), I simply don't understand why the Disc companies stock the shelves at these places with so much stuff that essentially only pros have the arm to throw.

There should be a ton of Stingrays, Leopards, etc., and maybe a slot or two of more advanced Discs, and a clear explanation to beginners that for the first month for most people, everything except for Stingrays and Stratuses (Strati?) will "meathook" until they learn how much arm speed is needed beyond their play-catch Frisbees.

I remember in about 2000 seeing a newbie at Oshtemo TWP Park with his first Disc, a Discraft Extreme, and was clearly frustrated. Apparently little has changed since that time when Discs started being available in regular stores...how does this help Innova, Discraft, etc., get return customers and grow the sport?

That PDGA #315 guy, by the way, in 1989? He brought out Stingrays in varying weights and invited me to throw them in his front yard. I chose 172, yellow. Wish I still had it...

 

[smokfraglerock]

I work at a PIAS and I think I have the answer to why big box stores get high speed drivers almost exclusively. They sell. People want to buy high speed drivers because, "they will go farther, right?" Try selling a new player on a speed six driver, mid-range, and a putter. They don't want them. I count a new player getting a destroyer and a putter for their first round ever as a win.

It is funny to see the same person come back to the store and seek me out because the superfast overstable driver flew exactly like I said it probably would. The next time those guys walk out of the store its usually with a leo, XL, etc. Oh yeah, and a Roc.

 

[_MTL_]

One of the beginner box sets that Innova does has a picture that I was in on the box.....

I was at an REI looking at discs (I always check out discs at places that sell them - never know what they might have that is OOP or something crazy) and a guy asks me if I needed help. I let him know that I did not but then he said something like "oh but you are looking at the pro rhyno (I was picking it up to see if it was one of the originals or one of the newer flight number ones) so you obviously need help with your putting. One thing that works for me is to aim right because the disc goes left."

I said "naw, just looking at what you have."

He then proceeds to tell more stuff like this and finally after about 10 comments I picked up one of the beginner boxes and said "see who I'm pointing to...that's me. I don't need any help."

I think he got the picture (pun intended) then.

 

[mfcastillo17]

This dude had nothing to gain by trying to sell you the disc. I used to run the golf shop at a Dick's. You do not make commission on anything except warranties on bags and crap like that. They also do not give the employees training on anything that they are supposed to sell. Dude was just trying to do his job. Most people that are buying discs at Dick's are noobs anyway who wouldn't know the difference. Same with the ball golf section, noobs dropping cash on something that they think can make them better without practicing.

 

[MrGlass01]

Dude was just excited to help. At lower power all discs fly the same. You were not a jerk. He was just trying to help spread the love of the game and ran into someone that knew more.

 

[tbird888]

This dude had nothing to gain by trying to sell you the disc. I used to run the golf shop at a Dick's. You do not make commission on anything except warranties on bags and crap like that. They also do not give the employees training on anything that they are supposed to sell. Dude was just trying to do his job. Most people that are buying discs at Dick's are noobs anyway who wouldn't know the difference. Same with the ball golf section, noobs dropping cash on something that they think can make them better without practicing.

By that logic, he was being a good employee. Sell someone the wrong disc so they'll come back in a couple weeks/months when someone gives them better advice to buy another disc.

Dick's employees...mindless drones or evil geniuses?!?!

 

[Monkeypaws]

I wonder if you had said you threw a Valkyrie, or a Banshee, if he wouldn't have said the same thing.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

after about 10 comments I picked up one of the beginner boxes and said "see who I'm pointing to...that's me. I don't need any help."

I think he got the picture (pun intended) then.

FTW!

 

[teemkey]

I'd say roughly 50% of new drivers are longer teebirds for somebody.

 

[TylerM]

One of the beginner box sets that Innova does has a picture that I was in on the box.....

I was at an REI looking at discs (I always check out discs at places that sell them - never know what they might have that is OOP or something crazy) and a guy asks me if I needed help. I let him know that I did not but then he said something like "oh but you are looking at the pro rhyno (I was picking it up to see if it was one of the originals or one of the newer flight number ones) so you obviously need help with your putting. One thing that works for me is to aim right because the disc goes left."

I said "naw, just looking at what you have."

He then proceeds to tell more stuff like this and finally after about 10 comments I picked up one of the beginner boxes and said "see who I'm pointing to...that's me. I don't need any help."

I think he got the picture (pun intended) then.

That's funny right there.