Key Takeaways
- A $299 charge from Performance Golf almost always means a free trial – most commonly for the PG1 Membership or Champions Pass – automatically converted to a paid annual subscription or a one-time payment for lifetime access.
- Performance Golf sells two completely separate things: physical golf equipment and digital instruction subscriptions. The confusion between them is where the billing surprises happen.
- Canceling before the trial period ends is the most important step – contact Performance Golf at support@performancegolf.com or 1-833-PG1-GOLF and get written confirmation.
- If a charge has already posted, a credit card dispute is a viable path – especially if automatic renewal terms weren’t clearly disclosed at checkout.
- There’s a way to buy the RS1 Putter without touching the subscription funnel at all – more on that below.
That Unexpected Charge Isn’t for Your Putter
A charge from Performance Golf shows up on the credit card statement – sometimes labeled “PGZ* PERFORMANCE GOLF” or “PERFORGOLF” – and the amount doesn’t match the putter price. It’s $299. Or $19. Or $30. And nobody remembers signing up for anything beyond the club itself.
This scenario has played out for hundreds of golfers. Performance Golf has accumulated over 700 Better Business Bureau complaints in recent years, with the overwhelming majority describing exactly this situation: a digital subscription charge they didn’t expect, tied to a free trial they may not have fully registered accepting. The RS1 Putter – the physical club – has nothing to do with it. The product is well-reviewed. The confusion lives entirely in how Performance Golf’s checkout process blends physical equipment sales with digital subscription enrollment.
Understanding the difference between those two things is the fastest way to protect a purchase. Fairway Tips and News has put together a full breakdown of Performance Golf’s billing practices, trial model, and the cleanest ways to buy the RS1 without subscription risk – but the essentials are all here.
One Company, Two Product Types: Physical Equipment and Digital Subscriptions
Physical Equipment vs. Digital Subscriptions
Performance Golf operates two distinct business lines. The first is physical golf equipment – the RS1 Putter, the ONE wedge series, and other clubs. These are one-time purchases. The second is digital golf instruction: the PG1 Membership, Scratch Club, and VIP Coaching packages. These are subscription products, delivered online, billed on a recurring basis.
The RS1 Putter has received genuinely positive reviews from independent platforms like Breaking Eighty – not affiliated with Performance Golf. The complaints filed with the BBB almost never involve the club itself. They involve the subscriptions.
Where the Confusion Happens at Checkout
When buying the RS1 through Performance Golf’s website directly, the checkout funnel presents digital subscription trials alongside the physical product. These offers appear as upsell pages between checkout steps, post-purchase pop-ups, or follow-up emails after the order is confirmed. They’re easy to conflate with free bonuses or add-ons. Many customers report accepting what felt like a complimentary extra – without realizing a paid subscription with an automatic renewal clause had just been activated.
How a Free Trial Becomes an Unexpected Bill
Trial Lengths Vary by Subscription Type
Different Performance Golf digital products carry different trial windows. The Scratch Club program typically offers a 14-day free trial that converts to a recurring monthly charge of approximately $19-$30. The PG1 Membership and Champions Pass trials typically run for 30 days before converting to a charge – most commonly $299 – for either an annual subscription or a one-time payment for lifetime access. Performance Golf’s own terms of service confirm that all trial subscriptions continue on their billing cycle unless actively canceled before the renewal date.
Why the Charge Feels Unexpected
The trial period is the gap between the original putter purchase and the billing conversion. For a 14-to-30-day window, most customers have mentally closed the book on the transaction long before the charge hits. BBB complaints consistently describe the same experience: the only mention of the trial’s automatic renewal was buried in fine print, and the charge arrived weeks later with no reminder. Consumer protection attorneys have taken notice – legal investigations are currently examining whether Performance Golf’s automatic renewal practices comply with state consumer protection statutes and federal law.
Cancel Before the Trial Converts
Find Your Trial End Date First
Check the email inbox used during checkout. Look for confirmation messages from Performance Golf referencing PG1 Membership, Scratch Club, VIP Coaching, or any free trial enrollment. Those emails should contain the trial end date. If nothing is found, contact Performance Golf’s customer service directly to confirm whether any active trials exist on the account – and when they expire.
Contact Details to Use
- Email: support@performancegolf.com
- Phone: 1-833-PG1-GOLF (1-833-741-4653). Note: An additional customer service number, 1-800-523-5760, is also listed on some Performance Golf resources and BBB pages.
Customer service operates Monday through Friday during standard Eastern business hours. If the trial end date falls on or near a weekend, send a cancellation email immediately and follow up by phone first thing Monday morning. Don’t wait.
Get Written Cancellation Confirmation
This step matters more than the call itself. Request an email confirmation stating that the trial has been canceled and that no charge will be processed. Keep that confirmation permanently. If a charge appears on the statement despite that confirmation, the documentation turns a frustrating situation into a straightforward credit card dispute – one that is very likely to be resolved in the cardholder’s favor.
After canceling, monitor the card used for the original purchase for 30 to 60 days to verify that no charge has gone through.
Already Charged? Here’s Your Path to a Refund
Seek a Refund from Performance Golf, Then Dispute if Necessary
For a charge that has already posted, the first step is contacting Performance Golf directly. Reach out by email at support@performancegolf.com or by phone at 1-833-741-4653. Be specific: state the charge amount, the date it posted, and that the subscription was not intentionally activated. Request both cancellation going forward and a full refund of the charge.
Use email rather than phone when possible – a written record strengthens any follow-up dispute. Some BBB complaints show that Performance Golf has issued full $299 refunds when customers contact them promptly, acknowledging that no cancellation request was received before the trial expired.
If Performance Golf’s response isn’t satisfactory, escalate to the credit card issuer and initiate a formal dispute. Automatic renewal charges that weren’t clearly disclosed at checkout are frequently upheld in the cardholder’s favor. Bring documentation of all communications with Performance Golf to support the claim. Filing a BBB complaint at bbb.org is also worth doing – it creates an accountable record and Performance Golf does respond to those filings.
Buy the RS1 Without the Subscription Risk
The cleanest path to owning the RS1 Putter without any subscription entanglement is purchasing through an authorized third-party retailer rather than directly through Performance Golf’s website. That transaction is a straightforward one-time purchase – no upsell funnel, no embedded trial offers, no digital subscription enrollment at any point in the checkout.
The trade-off is worth knowing upfront: buying through a retailer means no access to Performance Golf’s digital instruction platform or PG1 Membership content. For golfers buying the RS1 specifically for its Forward Axis Weighting technology rather than the accompanying digital training, that’s not much of a trade-off at all. The manufacturer’s 365-day money-back guarantee on the physical club applies regardless of where it’s purchased – just retain the purchase confirmation as proof of the purchase date.
Act Fast – Trial Windows Close Without Warning
There are no automatic reminders before a Performance Golf trial converts. No email warning that billing is 48 hours away. No grace period after the charge posts. The trial window opens, it closes, and the annual or monthly charge processes – quietly, on the card that was already on file.
If there’s any chance a trial was accepted during the RS1 checkout process, check email now, identify the end date, and contact Performance Golf before that date arrives. Written confirmation of cancellation is the only reliable proof that the subscription won’t renew. Acting early costs nothing. Waiting costs $299.
For a full breakdown of Performance Golf’s billing model, authorized retailer options, and the complete RS1 Putter buying guide, visit Fairway Tips and News – a trusted resource for golfers looking to make smarter equipment decisions without the fine-print surprises.
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