proffessional clone clubs?

[ihsgolf08]

what do you guys think of the clone clubs. My uncle just got set of Nike clones that are exactly like the real ones. They weigh the same, look the same and have the same shafts. I used them at the range the other day and kinda like them. Any opinions?

[RickinMA]

clones are crap - you should save your money and buy original designs

[mddubya]

You generally get what you pay for. Even though they may look, feel and weigh the same, I'll guarantee they aren't made with anywhere near as good of materials. Your much better off buying a used set of name brands from Global Golf or off Ebay.

[LyleG]

Lets not confuse clones with components here.

Quality components are every bit as good as OEM gear. Clones are usually cheaply made copies of an original design. Do not confuse the two as they couldnt be any more different.

[ihsgolf08]

how do you know if they are components or clones?

[warbirdlover]

You generally get what you pay for. Even though they may look, feel and weigh the same, I'll guarantee they aren't made with anywhere near as good of materials.

mddubya

And you can't know the materials used in clones.

Components, which like Lyle stated, are good and usually don't try to copy others visual shape or graphics. They also are proud of their brand names. Some good ones are Golfsmith, Maltby, Bang, Wishon, TourSwing, and many others. The materials they use are equal to or better then then the OEM's.

[eclark53520]

I dont want to offend anyone here as i know the general consensus around here is Clone = bad BUT,

Personally, if i am buying clubs and i can spend half to a quarter or even an eighth in some cases on clubs that hit the ball just as well...i dont care what name is on them. If someone can produce the same exact club(type of metal and everything) and sell them for less money...thats what i am going to buy.

I dont agree with illegal copying of copywrited products however, if these companies were infringing on copywrites, you can bet youre A$$ NIKE, or Callaway, or whoever they were copying would be all over them...Sueing them for more than their company is worth and shutting them down

Lets turn it around...NIKE comes out with a new line, that looks exactly like one of the smaller(almost unknown) companies clubs(Because they stole the design)...and is selling these clubs like crazy at double or triple the price of the lower brand clubs...does anyone care about that? I am willing to bet, it happens more than people think. The little companies just dont have the time/money/man power to take on these big companies.

[ihsgolf08]

thats what im thinking too. Ive hit real nike slingshots and their clones and I really didnt feel a huge difference, if any difference at all. I dont know maybe Ill try the clones for a little. All I know is I would save almost 6 or 7 hundred bucks.

[Rockford35]

With clones, you get what you pay for. That's all the advice anyone needs.

When your 4 iron snaps at the hosel because it's made out of the same metal that the dashboard of a Ford Fusion is made from, you'll know why.

And when you grips wear out and you change them and the inside of the shafts are rusted, you'll know why.

And when the paintfill falls out in 6 months, you'll know why.

Clones are shit. They are meant to fool the average golfer into thinking that they are "the same" when they are far from it.

Do yourself a favour and buy a used set from Global or E-bay for 1/4 the price and play some real golf.

R35

PS....good luck on getting warranty work from Shingiro, China's reputable "Western Fake Goods Company Inc".

[ihsgolf08]

lol well you definately are not a fan of clones

[RickinMA]

I'd like to apologize to ihsgolf - when i saw "clone" and first post I assumed this was spam
having that out of the way, the quality of the clones is a huge question mark

Components are a different animal all together - if a company puts money into a design and stands behind the product - you should be able to expect some level of consistency in the quality of the clubs

the guys selling "Big Bersa(just like Big Bertha)" and "King Snake (just like King Cobra)" are obviously just riding the coattails of the OEMs and aren't going to spend the money on quality assurance - they're trying to make whatever they can, as fast as they can, because the big companies will try to shut them down (which is difficult in asia)

if you buy a set of clone irons - there's a chance that they'll be all over the place for loft/lie - and there's a chance that they can't be bent to spec without snapping because of the raw materials used in production

if you buy a clone wood - you have no idea if the face design is any good - it might have a nice paint job, but do have any idea what's inside that head? is the face as hot as it can be under the rules? how about face performance on off-center hits? with clones you have no idea

if you buy the Golfsmith, Golfworks, Wishon, etc stuff - you have a pretty good idea what you're getting

used OEM is another option if you're looking to save a few dollars - lots of options, I'm just not into clones

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by ihsgolf08

lol well you definately are not a fan of clones

I played Ping Clones for about 15 years. I then switched to OEM and components and it opened my eyes to what golf clubs actually do. I gained at least 1 club in my irons and the feel is 100% unmatched.

Clones suck the big a-hole.

R35

[eclark53520]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

I played Ping Clones for about 15 years. I then switched to OEM and components and it opened my eyes to what golf clubs actually do. I gained at least 1 club in my irons and the feel is 100% unmatched.

Clones suck the big a-hole.

R35

Come on rock, dont sugar cote it...tell us how you really feel!

[SilverUberXeno]

"Component" by general definition, not relating specifically to golf, is a necessary part. Component golf items, like iron heads, are usually bought just as the head, without a shaft/grip. They're cheaper, and you have the added benefit of being able to buy a set of shafts of your choice to put in them. Component manufacturers are less known because the VAST majority of golfers don't want to "waste time" with specifications that would help their game. Not to mention that Wishon and the like do not advertise on a large scale.

Clones, as was was, can look and weigh the same. But the difference between titanium and steel, or steel and aluminum, is a lot greater than you'd think. Can you tell the difference by looking at them?

If you shop in the right places, or go the component route (which is a fine route, if you use reputable components), you can get an entire set of irons for a LOT less than off-the-shelf OEM (callaway, nike) stuff, and it'll be much more closely tailored to your needs.

[mddubya]

When I took golf back up I was of the same thought process, "they look just like them, and are so much cheaper". So I bought a set of Acuity Callaway knockoff/clones. I played with them for a couple of months and couldn't figure out why my shots were so inconsistent. I finally broke down and bought a set of Cleveland HiBores and couldn't believe the difference. An even better example, I bought a driver,(a clone of the Nike Sumo), that was listed as illegal for USGA play because the face was too HOT. My Cleveland HiBore XL out drives it by a mile distance wise and accuracy wise both.