Clone vs. name brands

[Honeyboy]

Sorry if this has been discussed before, I'm new to the forum, but I was wondering if a good set of custom fit clone clubs is as good as an off-the-shelf set of name brands. I'm considering new clubs and I just can't seem to justify spending all that money. Even if they aren't 100% comparable, spending 1/5 the price would seem to be something to consider. Especially if they have a money back guarantee.
Thanks for y'alls help.

 

[nsherman2006]

it's b een discussed before, try using the search function

my personal opinion is buying used name brand clubs is the best route, as you save money and the resale value is great

 

[Silver]

how good of a golfer are you? do you plan on reselling? do you play enough that you could potentially notice a difference?

all considerations...

 

[Don]

There are some really good copies of the name brand clubs that you can get for 1/3 or less of the price you'd pay for the name brands. Check out www.csggolf.com and look at the LX2 irons. I have played a set for two years and they are just as good as the Callaway X-16's that they look like. I just built a Turbo Power Ti700 driver, which is a copy of the TM R7 Quad. I hit it yesterday and there's nothing wrong with it at all. I showed it to two guys Wednesday and they both said it was a r7 Quad, I had to tell them both that they were wrong. They had to re-read the name on the head to see it wasn't a TM, and one of the guys was playing a Tm580XD. He hit my driver one time and out drove his 580XD. I'd recommend a good set of copy irons any time over name brand, even used one. You can save enough that the resale value becomes meaningless. Some of the clone companies online do offer a money back offer it that makes you feel better. I also built a 3 wood copy of the R5 for a member of this site, and it's now his favorite club in his bag. Gained 20 yards over his name brand wood and he hits it better also. Good luck with the game.

 

[obagain]

Don,

Good points but to be fair you need to say what driver he was using. If he was going from a big bertha to a 400 cc ti driver then 20 yards is expected. If he was using a taylor 360 and gained 20 that is impressive.
Rule of thumb is if you are going to keep the same clubs for about 2 years the clone with a good shaft is a way to save money. If you change all the time the pro line is the better way to go.

 

[LottaBalata]

Don actually built me a 3wood recently. It's an R5 knockoff that goes with the Ti700 Driver. The shaft was SST pured. This is THE MOST solid feeling and sounding club I've ever hit. Better than any T.Made driver I've had (and I've had 4 or 5). This is an awesome club. And as far as re-selling, if you find a club you hit well and really like, why worry about how much you can re-sell it for?

Just my opinion, but I'm a firm believer in having a great set of clones built for you. I wish I had NOT bought the Hagens I bought a few months back and just had Don build me a set. I do understand the re-sell value problem. The Hagens I bought will have a poor re-sell value if I ever go that route since they are the Dick's S.Goods house club.

 

[Don]

Obagain: It was a 3 wood, not a driver, so I doubt the size was a big factor in the extra distance.

As for value, I have to wonder just how much of the price you pay for new clubs, you are going to get back on a trade in or re-sale. From what I've seen here in Colorado, you don't get that much for used clubs. And if I can build a new driver, with a better shaft for me, and I can do it for less than half the price of a new name brand driver, I figure I'm way ahead on the deal. It's not easy to get more than half of what you paid for a driver when you want to sell it, so how am I losing money with the clone? Last year, I had a used set of Callaway X-16 pro series irons to sell, less than 6 months old. I was offered 35 percent of the current going price for them. They were selliing for $899.00 with graphite shafts, and I was offered $315.00. That's a pretty good size hit in the wallet, buying a name brand club and selling them for that much less. It would seem to me, if I can get a clone set for less than half the price, I could afford to throw them in the trash when I want a new set and still come out ahead on the deal.

And this is another point I'd like to make. If you are correct about those that change clubs every few months, as you suggested going with name brands, let's just say they would save money, just for this minute. HOW MANY GOLFERS DO YOU KNOW THAT CHANGE CLUBS THAT OFFEN, AND ARE ANY GOOD AT THE GAME? My guess is that if someone changes clubs that often, they aren't very good golfers, and another new set of clubs isn't going to make them any better. As SnapHooker stated, IF YOU FIND A GOOD SET OF CLUBS AND YOU PLAY WELL WITH THEM, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO SELL THEM? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Any time you buy new clubs, it takes time to get used to them, time better spent practicing with the set you had. Bottom line, IT'S NOT THE TOOL THAT MAKES THE CARPENTER, IT'S THE SKILL OF THE ONE SWINGING THE HAMMER, OR WHAT EVER TOOL IT MAY BE. A friend of mine once told me, "I never worry when I see someone with a brand new set of high priced clubs in his bag, what worries me is when he has a well worn set of clubs that he hits well".

 

[obagain]

Well, you asked the wrong person how many people I know that change clubs often. I own a shop that sells used clubs so I know quite a few

It also lets me see what clubs sell for.
Yo pay 899 for a set of callaway and are offered 300 later. You have 300 in your pocket.
You pay 200 for a clone set and you throw them away. You have lint in your pocket.
Call me stupid but 300 is better than nothing.
3 wood or driver dosen't matter. You still have to compare apples to apples. I can take anyone that is playing clubs that are steel heads and give you a club that will add 20 yards.

 

[Don]

Yes, $300 in your pocket is better than nothing, I agree.

But, if you take $899 out of your pocket to buy the clubs, and then only put $300 back when you sell them, your pocket is down $599. If you take $200 out to buy the clones, and put nothing back in, you're still only down $200. Which I think you have to agree is better than being down $599.00.

As for the 3 wood, I don't really now what the 3 wood was that SnapHooker was useing before, but I'll try to find out. I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[Don]

Okay, I just checked, and it was an Adams Tight lies 3 wood that was replaced with the new 3 wood I built for him. I don't know if it's a better 3 wood than the Adams he had, it may just be a better fit for him. All I was trying to say is that some of the clones/copies are prettty good clubs when assembled on good shafts. I have never hit an Adams tight lie, so I can't really say for sure, but I would think that the new 3 wood and the Adams are pretty much both apples, and can be compared as such. I could of course be wrong on that, it's only my opinion. Being as how you sell used clubs and have been in the business awhile, I'm willing to listen to what you have to say. Would you consider the Adams tight lie and a new wood both apples, and can they therefore be compared as such? And, "how many golfer do you know that change clubs that often", was only the first half of the question. The second half was, "AND ARE ANY GOOD AT THE GAME?" Add in my next statement "My guess is that if someone changes clubs that often, they aren't very good golfers, and another new set of clubs isn't going to make them any better".

I have not doubt that a lot of golfer with extra cash to spend, do in fact buy lots of clubs every year. I happen to know one that's on his third driver and second set of new irons this year. But I do have to wonder if their game is better for this, or worse? As a shop owner, what do you see? Do really good players change clubs twice a year? Or are the ones buying new clubs all the time, just looking for a Quick Fix, to a game that's not that good and may never be that good? What do you see in your business? I'd be interested in hearing from a golf shop owner on this. Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[LottaBalata]

Yes, $300 in your pocket is better than nothing, I agree.

But, if you take $899 out of your pocket to buy the clubs, and then only put $300 back when you sell them, your pocket is down $599. If you take $200 out to buy the clones, and put nothing back in, you're still only down $200. Which I think you have to agree is better than being down $599.00.

As for the 3 wood, I don't really now what the 3 wood was that SnapHooker was useing before, but I'll try to find out. I'll let you know what I find out.

I'm going to have to say, I like Don's math here a little better too! Also, Don is correct, it was an Adams tight lies 3wood that I replaced with the one he built for me. The one advantage to the Tight Lies was hitting off the deck. Much easier. But I'm getting used to hitting the new 3wood off of the deck--its not a problem. To be honest, I drive off the tee with the 3 wood Don built for me more than the Redline RPM Adams driver I just purchased. A few lessons are in order, but I'm one of those that struggles with the Driver every day.

I'll just simply say, spending $300 vs. $900. And only getting back 1/3 if you go the $900 route. . .I would definitely go with the the clones.

 

[Golfbum]

Yes, $300 in your pocket is better than nothing, I agree.

But, if you take $899 out of your pocket to buy the clubs, and then only put $300 back when you sell them, your pocket is down $599. If you take $200 out to buy the clones, and put nothing back in, you're still only down $200. Which I think you have to agree is better than being down $599.00.

As for the 3 wood, I don't really now what the 3 wood was that SnapHooker was useing before, but I'll try to find out. I'll let you know what I find out.

I like your math better than the other math!
I bought a set of Tom Wishon 550C irons for $225 Cnd this summer.They looked like new, I bet the 3-4 irons had never been hit. True Temper shafts, Golf Pride V55 cord grips. Can't beat the for a set of forged irons. Now I could have bought a new set at $1000 plus tax. Played with them for two years, and maybe I would get $300 on trade. So I am down $850 on that set of irons. Big lose to swallow. Or I can play the 550C's for two years and be done $225. I like that math better!
I just accquired a used Titleist 983K, I traded two clubs I was not using. The 983 was priced at $159.00, I had less than that in the two trade in clubs.
Sure it is not the latest driver on the market, but it is still a solid driver.
I am lucky enough to live within 5 minutes of a major golf dealer, not a chain store either. The trade ins at that place come fast and furious as JOE HACKER tries to buy himself a game! His lose is my gain.
I have nothing against buying new OEM clubs, I bought a new set of TM 200 irons 4 years ago and played close to 400 rounds of golf with them. That worked out to be $2/round for those irons so they don't owe me anything now.
Dealers love guys who buy then come back 2-4 weeks later and trade for something else. CHANG CHING!
By the way I have a clone driver, if I set it down beside a 983K it is identical. My friend has a 983, he has hit mine and said it was as solid as his. I have hit his on the range and the ball went no further than it did with my clone. He paid $400 Cnd plus tax, I paid $33 tax in! CHANG CHING

 

[SiberianDVM]

You pay 200 for a clone set and you throw them away

This made me think, how many sets of clubs are sitting in attics, closets, or laying in landfills? What happens to old golf clubs when they are no longer wanted?

It's kind of sad, really. Sniff

 

[LottaBalata]

This made me think, how many sets of clubs are sitting in attics, closets, or laying in landfills? What happens to old golf clubs when they are no longer wanted?

It's kind of sad, really. Sniff

I donated my first set to the local "Hook a Kid on golf" organization. It seemed like the right thing to do. I bet your right though. TONS o' clubs just sitting around rusting and collecting dust. Clean 'em up, give 'em away!

 

[obagain]

Don't worry, old clubs always have a place to go

I have agreed that a good clone with a good shaft is just about as good as a pro line club. The problem is most people don't know the good clones and buy stuff that is cheap.
The other side of the analogy is you have the worse case with the callaway clubs, they go for 450-500 on ebay and you should shop around if you pay 899 for a new set, they can be found much cheaper.
The question you have to ask yourself is, do you want to take a chance on clones or do you want the security of pro line. After all, if a clone club breaks you pay the repair, pro line comes with a warranty.