"Boutique" vs Major OEM

[nitram]

It seems there used to be more "boutique" brands 10-20 years ago than today. I've seen more go under as it's really hard to compete against the big guys. Many of their products were as good or better than the major OEM's but R&D and marketing is so expensive, prohibitively so. Many are bought out and put on a shelf while the designers go to work for the major brand they sold to or sign a non-compete. It's a tough market, where margins are super tight and the little guy simply can't withstand a hiccup in their business model.

[RedWings1]

I've gamed several boutique sticks in my day, If you do your research and testing you'll find out that most all boutique sticks, wedges and putters are all awesome. It's very hard for the boutiques to match the R&D needed for Drivers and fairways plus hybrids. Tour Edge is the exception because they specialized in the woods dept. Myself and many of us WRXer's gamed their rocket launching CB 3W's despite their high cost.

Sub70 looks sweet, Id also say check out New Level! They have a great sale going right now. I'm thinking of ordering up a second set right now.

[Springsteennut]

I have been out to Sub 70’s facility twice for a fitting and an adjustment. I saw the Jason the owner both times and I’ve had a couple of phone calls with him. You don’t have to spend much time with him to see the passion he has has for what he’s building. You can’t help but pull for him to be one of the little guys that makes it.

[gr8 flopshot]

So what is it that you don't like about the driver? feel? sound? distance? dispersion?

[gr8 flopshot]

So what is it that you don't like about the driver? feel? sound? distance? dispersion?

[gr8 flopshot]

No Question. Jason is the best. He even gave e a swing tip during m fitting which has made a huge difference in my ball flight for the better. I try to tag him on all of my golf post on IG. I too want Jason to win big. He is clearly doing this out of passion and not just profits.

[Myherobobhope]

A little bit of everything... feel and sound were ok, not great... ball flight, distance and dispersion just didn’t get where I needed them to be.

I might knock it around again this season and see if I was just in a bad mood... I put one of my favorite shafts in it, so I was pretty disappointed when it didn’t perform as well as I wanted it to.

nothing against the club or the company. It looks great... I’m just picky and particular when it comes to drivers.

[mdgboxx]

 

There you go....M-G-S

Tester

[BIG STU]

OK I was unaware of the 'newest" one. I was speaking about the ones introduced right before Call Away took over---- If that one is anything like those then it is a cannon for sure---- Those older GSS Hogan drivers did not get much publicity in the mainstream in those days because Hogan was going out and Call Away was taking over and had their own drivers to promote. In fact our shop was a Call Away dealer and we ended up with like 5 of those drivers and the rep gave me a demo for me to hit. I did hit it and loved it because it was a cannon. That rep knew his stuff because by him giving me one we ended up selling 10 more. But the price was right because they were on close out and they came stock with Aldila NVS shafts. We could actually sell them cheaper than some of the clones we were building. As you can tell I do not keep up a lot with the newest stuff because frankly I am not interested and I am not in the Golf business anymore

[mdgboxx]

LOL,

My reply was not meant to put you on the spot my friend...Far from it (at least 6 ft, these days)

It was simply meant to show that they are out, and maybe, in a suttle way, promote the guy next door, that we both know so well.

[mdgboxx]

I had demoed the BH GSS at a Golf Show near me, among quite a few others over a week-end. But in the end, I left with a Srixon W-506. It was a tough choice to make but I had to decide between the two near closing time.

I like it so much that, two years later, I bought it's twin (W-506) with a different shaft on sale. They were replaced by a Srixon Z-rw, the last of the fixed hosel.

[MtlJeff]

I have played a bunch of boutique stuff, usually for me it's just about the customization. I want putters that look a certain way and also weigh over 400g. So i have had a few different boutique putters including my current one

I used a Wishon driver for some time aswell, because Tom made it 44 inches with a heavy swingweight

[BIG STU]

Naaw I never took it that way--- Actually I knew nothing of those newer Hogan drivers--- See you educated me