My perception of what I see around me is that golfers fall into two categories. Maybe the new Golfworks KE4 can play like the originals but for cost these keep me in the 80 range on the scorecard. Within minutes a graphics designer at Yarn-Way had downloaded the logo from the TaylorMade shaft onto a computer screen and was making minor design and color alterations to it. Sorry bub. Whats best for me wont be whats best for you. You might also find it surprising that these clone designs are often approved by the name brand manufacturers before they are released. Ping, TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike, etc. The rest (save for some Ping), come from Japan. Its almost laughable to make those type of statements! Irons: 3-PW Mizuno MP37, Recoil Proto 125 F4 (reshaft in progress, slowly); 1i &3-PW Golden Ram TW276, NV105 S; 2-PW Golden Ram TW282, RIP Tour 115 R The shape is cleaner, the graphics are more polished (dare I say professional), and the paint quality is clearly superior (our clone is already starting to show some wear in the middle of the crown, well away from any impact zone). Why? OK, dianond tours own shaft in smoke is just gorgous,and cheap,(deep smoke,or gold) DTs heads, and winn grips. KZG couldnt afford them. Roger Hatcher, PGA Lead Fitter, InstructorTitleist Master FitterRogers passion and knowledge of proper fitting are legendary in the DC Metro area. There are different levels of counterfeiting, says Debra Peterson, a U.S. customs official who was involved in Project Teed Off. The grib and weight had to translate into a mental file. Copyright 2022 MyGolfSpy This is a topic Im always interested in. As many manufacturers of goods will attest, conducting site visits and monitoring factories in China, is a difficult and costly task. I have a mixed bag of Name brands and clubs from Giga Golf. Learn how your comment data is processed. They make their own designs. 5,6,7@ one length and 8-gw @ a shorter length) a year ago. Oh and I like their hybrid and fairway wood models. I dont play clones because I cant afford the name brands. That would tell us all something about OEM vs non OEM in general this test didnt do that. I bought a pickup truck bed worth of components from the estate of a mom/pop club builder. (LOVE THE MILITARY CAMO BAG THEY HAVE only $59 too ;). An excerpt from Pssst . It may be understandable that we as consumers can be fooled by Counterfeits/Copies (Illegal), but there is no way anyone of us could not identify a Clone/Knock-Off (Legal). Callaway threatened to sue Kent Graphtec over its Big Bursar driver, alleging patent, trademark and trade dress (trademark-design) infringement. Id also love to see more articles on component manufacturers. What condition are your used clubs? Not the muscle blade. Counterfeit/Copy Golf Clubs: Are direct copies of OEM equipment. .every year get fever,and build a new set of irons,..its a lot of joy, looking at sites,picking the pieces, then having them built just for me. Good, original component brands have been slightly better on average for me, but not by much. They are good components and last as long as other components, I have bought. The guys whose clones (similarly designed recreations of clubs from the big golf companies) rattle proudly in their bags, and there are the guys that wouldnt dream of playing something that wasnt made by a name EVERYBODY knows. Branded products are made with higher quality control, but mistakes still happen even with tighter controls, just not nearly as often. I wish you would have also tested the stock shaft on that clone driver. It would seem Value Golf is where the Pinhawk clubheads originated. Almost every golfer has an opinion about the topic when askedso we felt it would make for a great labs article. Kent Graphtec dealt primarily in knockoff clubs, products with names such as King Snake and Big Bursar, simulations of the popular clubs King Cobra and Big Bertha. Apart from obvious esthetic differences, one noteworthy point of differentiation is that the Tour Burner takes a .350 tip shaft, where as the clone (the Heated), takes a .335. It appears that you are debating the way he phrased the sentence. Don't know if one is better than the other, both are good . You will get more than your money's worth, in my opinion. Does anyone have any experience with any of the clubs, components, or company found at Hireko golf? On average the apex of each shot was justslightlyunder 2.5 yards higher with the Burner, which along with higher ball and club head speeds explains the difference in carry yardage between the clubs. A lot of people eventually got in trouble for it too. I am only new to golf but got a set of clones from giga golf for a bargain price. Wanna buy some clubs? Giga provides a great club for the average golfer at an affordable price. Counterfeits or a Copy, are much harder to tell and that is why the Golf manufacturers are in fact going after these factories. I think what is more interesting is that you missed the fact that I stated in the sentence those companies are both clone and component makers: DIRECT QUOTE: Of course, this is my individual experience. The long irons are 5i length and the mid and short irons are 8i length. You were basing most of your information on PssstWanna buy some clubs?, which only talks about Integra and Trophy Sports (owned by the same family). Couldnt make up my mind as to which one I liked best. $249.99. Lets go back to Hickory shafted clubs, even then there were manufacturers inserting steel shafts inside. However: the result you provided does tell us that one club seems not twenty-five percent better to justify the cost difference, but as with a new suit, cost is a factor to most people some believing the lower cost buys the good-enough quality and some believe they deserve the best, and humans equate best with price. How about paint quality? The 2nd tier often makes some of the mid-size golf companies that a lot of you play but they also make some of the top components and clones for companies like. Funny how the name brand club manufacturers try to bury information that might hurt their status and sales. 2nd Swing offers the largest selection of In 1997 R.J. Liou reached a settlement with Callaway. I cant say Ive chased the next new thing, only last year did I move the a 460 driver, of course I had to build three. How many of them are the clubs the least of their problems? It has become rampant and that is why ACUSHNET (TITLEIST/COBRAS), ADAMS, CALLAWAY, CLEVELAND, PING, and TAYLORMADE are part of and formed the U.S. 3 golfers were asked to hit a series of 12 shots with each driver. Most golfers lump OEM Components in with clones even though these companies do their own R&D and have no intention of copying other companies. (E.M. Bigger golf companies have more money to spend on the details, and while ultimately those details many not directly impact performance, I can tell you with certainty that given two clubs with similar performance attributes, the prettier one will always sell bettereven if its more expensive. They have a 6 iron length. And while I might argue that over the last couple of years theyve taken a small step backwards in those areas, they remain largely ahead of the curve. We use cutting-edge technology (Trackman & FlightScope) together with visual analysis of ball flight to provide the most thorough fitting experience available. Its not. What I will say is that I glued together a few of their sets for buddies and lofts, lies and head weights are not spot on. But the same thing can be said about some of the name brand models as well. However, it was 72 degrees, blue skies with great company and cold beer. I agree that most component companies copy other designs. WebGolf Clubs. And, as they acquire them they would tweak the designs to what is available today. Other factors, the subjective stufflooks, sound, feel, etc. Those involved in this great game should have a certain level of ethics. Read further and you will find that the same factories involved are also producing Clone Clubs. who would do that ? And I think you might be in for quite a surprise! All of the testers agreed that in terms of sound and feel, the clone is miles behind the real deal. I think the clones would hold up very well but yeah Id love to see the hard numbers and see the results from various spots on the irons for consistency. No U.S. assembly. Keep up the great work! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I have been hitting a clone set of irons since 2008. If a component seller such as Diamond Tour wants to be fully legitimate, they need to invest fully in true component companies such as SMT, and abandon the practice of selling Clone clubs. If it was that cut and dry wed all be playing the same club. Factory heads seldom are more than 1-2 grams off specification. PssstWanna buy some clubs? Golf Digest 14 Jul 2003. Both clubs were then outfitted with Winn PCI-TL grips. A Clone or Knock off is not hard to see. The real issue is what so called reputable companies charge for their equipment. Great review! Complete junk notwithstanding its all about your swing. I have seen a few really bad Adams, Callaway, Cobra, Nike, and Ping clubs. Cool. at this price, you can keep in trunk, travel without worrying to much,..the set the year before,i tried razer clone heads,got a little rust in grooves, and diamond tour took them back, and build me an upgraded set for small little extra,.! I understand the average iron costs less than $10 to make thats head shaft and grip. . It's rather nice, spins decently, good feel. usually its the loft and lies that are way off but then you have the improper weighting/balance and the occasional head that goes flying down the range . Counterfeits and Clones from the same cloth Very generally speaking, the slower the swing speed, the more spin (and higher launch) becomesdesirable. Anyway shot an 83 at a course I never played on with clubs I never swung before. Training Aids, GPS Devices, Apps, Accessories & More! The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. I have used the big brands like TaylorMade, component brands like Golfsmith, and unbranded clone clubs. With respect to backspin the numbers are incredibly close. Okay, you somewhat mixed it up. . WebThe biggest factor in making sure the woods perform correctly when made all at the same length as each other is the head weight. They specialize. Or youre the website that would love to write an article like this, but worry about the repercussions you might feel from an OEM advertiser. With the Burner, our testers produced ball speeds that were between 2 and 6 MPH faster than with the Heated. These companies and others (Alpha, GeekGolf, KZG, etc) have very high quality, custom designed components that are just as good and in many cases better than the name brand manufactures. One of the guys on WRX built a set of XV Pros a while back, gave them a review. Yup, found that article. So if the name-brand companies are fine with it, why would anyone, that decides to save money on purchasing similar product, be doing the wrong thing? Because MyGolfSpy Labs doesnt put a score on things, rather than have our testers fill out our surveys, we simply had a discussion about the subjective aspects of our two drivers. I picked these up as a 20 HC and played them. One of the quotes from your comment is absolutely wrong. I came across them a couple times online and their prices are very competitive, but are they any good? There is a difference between Branded Merchandise and Clones, and that is largely quality control. Club Fitting & Repair - 1757 Golf Club Chances are noIf it does, it will be short lived. The only one that was weird was the DTG Turner True Speed Ablaze its tolerance was 3g (standard for all drivers), but it weighed in 3.7g over. GW: Dynacraft Dual Milled CNC 52*, Steelfiber 125 S; Scratch 8620 DS 53*, Steelfiber 125 S I have been hitting fitted Giga Golf TRX slot irons. I have a gigagolf driver and a hireko driver and a Powerbilt airforce one driver. I must take exception to the consideration being given Clones. Note that Pinhawk is a You can also get many/most of their components from Value Golf (I'm not affiliated, other than as a customer). What proved to be reality for our testers is that despite similar performance, thedifferencesin the subjective categories (in this particular case) are potentially enough to suggest that for some there is indeed $200 worth of improvement to be found in the Burner Tour. I like both Hireko and GolfWorks but for different reasons. In 1992 he designed the first interchangeable shaft driver head as well. When in fact materials, quality, and internal design isnt even close. You can post now and register later. Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Pinhawk SL Single But both models tested were 460cc titanium drivers. As for the clone argument, are those on the side of the big manufacturers going to stay on their side if we take this argument to off brand manufacturers who design and make some very good clubs but dont have the budget to promote like the giants? As for the rest of the components that go into the club, some of the companies give you a choice of components. Normally shot between 16 and 21 over on the courses I regularly play. I would like to see the stock shafts for each club tested. Introduce Yourself/ WIYB (What's In Your Bag), Lessons, Drills, Mental Game, and Fitness Tips. How can a Clone maker or Seller say that they are not trying to fool anyone? But the same thing has already happened in electronics, computers and even automobiles. From what I understand, Bang Golf doesnt make clones nor knock-offs. I did not hear of Pinhawk until the single length club movement gain in popularity (last ~10 years or so). He is a Callaway Master Fitter and serves on the National Board of Callaway Fitters. Some of you that shout the accolades of name brand clubs and tell everyone else the pitfalls of playing clones you probably never hit a quality clone before. But even this line is blurring with some of the reputable clone and component companies out there in recent years. if you go with cheapest components, you can get a set really cheap, but why not buy a little better, and get a set worthy or even better than store sets for half the price.? Custom fitting can have a dramatic effect on your game. Iron Set for Men (5,6,7,8,9,PW,AW,SW) Right Handed with Regular Flex Steel Shaft, WHI-711, Set 9 pcs(4,5,6,7,8,9,PW,GW,SW) or Individual, Iron 7 for Men Right Handed Golfers -(Flex- Regular), Kids Golf Set with Glove, Balls, Tees, and Towel, Golf Season is Here. There just simply is not the time or money right now to go after them. GOLF MANUFACTURERS ANTI-COUNTERFEITING WORKING GROUP. Counterfeits like we said are NOT the same as clones and the counterfeit equipment is often the cheapest and lowest quality equipment. I currently have both Pinemeadows and Giga Golf irons and couldnt be more happy with them. But there really is no best answer its all subjective. The cost of 4 through PW with customization, tax and shipping came to less than $400 and they were at my door What I do believe is a reasonable conclusion based on the totality of the numbers is that there is not a significant performance difference between the TaylorMade Tour Burner, and the Heated clone. Go back to the drawing board and get a fair representation of the better quality heads and their nearest OEM head. Knock-Offs operates under the same principle. Then to follow it up with the only diff is that the Major OEMs have more money to B.S. Odyssey Putters; Clearance Golf Clubs Up to $180 Off TaylorMade Stealth Golf Clubs; PING G425 Golf Clubs; Shop All PING Golf Clubs; Super Game I have purchased components from Golfsmith, Golfworks, Hireko and Diamond Tour Golf to name a few. It may still happen, but it is less and less. I give them 5 stars. https://mygolfspy.com/ultimate-review-acer-xs-driver/. Used to play tourney plus perimeter weight forged irons with stiff gold dynamic shafts those days are gone. . Whether you are the golfer that spent $1200 on a set of irons and feel the need to justify that expense to your friends and wife ;) Or you are the name brand rep that doesnt allow a pro shop to sell the clone brands side-by-side your name brand product. And the 3rd tier generally have the smallest capacity and make some of the lower end quality equipment and clones you run across. Web$189.80 (6 used & new offers) MAZEL Single Length Golf Club Irons Set for Men & Women (4,5,6,7,8,9,P,A,S) or Individual Iron 7,Left/Right Handed,37.5 Inch 489 $29900 FREE Im glad the rental only cost me $15.00 any more and I would have been upset at myself renting them. I started out 4 years ago with a Pinemeadow clone of the Callaway Big Bertha ironsthen moved up to the actual Big Berthas and did feel and see some difference in overall quality.however I did have trouble with one of the Callaway stock graphite shafts which flaked and split on my 8 iron.my feeling is that it would be difficult for me to determine the difference in large part because at the time I was so new to golf.-and perhaps I was feeling more confident with an OEM in my bag(FYI: I now play Nike long irons and Cleveland scoring clubs and love them! Theyre still something to consider, its just they dont get the play on Tour or heavy ad-machines compelling people to buy their stuff. SWIFT, DON YAEGER. I have tried and love my Maltby gear. For example, a comparison between the ACER XF Leggera and TM Burner 2.0. Are Acer and Pinhawk owned by Hireko? The brand doesnt seem to make much difference in quality to me. Of course, that has to be with an * because of of all the stuff I mentioned earlier. I paired that up w a recoil pull and I love that club, it's my go-to for tee shots if driver isn't behaving. Thank you MGS for this great, unbiased comparison. Make yourself aware. Once the epoxy dried, shafts were cut to a relatively modest 44.75 inches. Its in the hole! Whether you are just getting into the game or the seasoned vet trying to score a great deal, we have it. If you choose to purchase new golf clubs from us, your clubs will be custom-built to your specifications at prices comparable to major online retailers. I know Wishon wasnt. The court ordered the defendants to pay $20,000 in damages to Callaway and to turn over their inventory of more than 11,500 infringing components for Callaway to destroy. So in a nutshell, the clones sound and feel like crap with less distance. Whats the harm in buying a Knock-Off/Clone? Had to get a hybrid custom built cos the Affinity hybrids swing weight was indifferent to the irons. Which they are doing, but it is costly. My point? Quality components are available from private brands that may be higher quality than major branded equipment.