Big Bertha Alpha is it real?

[Laznasty]

I was wondering if the driver i bought from ebay is fake. I saw close up pictures of serial numbers on other big berthas around the forums and classifieds and it looks like the numbers go further up the cavity where the shaft screw is. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Arizonalefty59]

It's a different serial but it looks 100% real to me.

[thebigrig]

I have absolutely no experience with the new Callaway drivers, but I think it is worth noting that some of the fakes that are made now do look very very close... I would take it to a larger store where you can compare it side-by-side with a driver you know is real and look very very closely at things like the font, transitions in the materials, colors, etc. But without having a driver right next to it you know is 100% real it would be hard to tell.

[Arizonalefty59]

We need more pics, that'd help a lot.

[EMgolf]

Can they perfect fakes this quickly after release?

[Laznasty]

new pics added, hope these help.


[quote name='thebigrig' timestamp='1393038379' post='8719876']
I have absolutely no experience with the new Callaway drivers, but I think it is worth noting that some of the fakes that are made now do look very very close... I would take it to a larger store where you can compare it side-by-side with a driver you know is real and look very very closely at things like the font, transitions in the materials, colors, etc. But without having a driver right next to it you know is 100% real it would be hard to tell.
[/quote]
Unfortunately i know this from experience, i bought a "titleist 913 d3" on ebay a few months back and when i took it to a local golf store they could barely tell it was fake.

[joey2aces]

[quote name='Laznasty' timestamp='1393039667' post='8720002']
new pics added, hope these help.


[quote name='thebigrig' timestamp='1393038379' post='8719876']
I have absolutely no experience with the new Callaway drivers, but I think it is worth noting that some of the fakes that are made now do look very very close... I would take it to a larger store where you can compare it side-by-side with a driver you know is real and look very very closely at things like the font, transitions in the materials, colors, etc. But without having a driver right next to it you know is 100% real it would be hard to tell.
[/quote]
Unfortunately i know this from experience, i bought a "titleist 913 d3" on ebay a few months back and when i took it to a local golf store they could barely tell it was fake.
[/quote]

And you went back for more????

[OUZO Power]

[quote name='EMgolf' timestamp='1393038631' post='8719902']
Can they perfect fakes this quickly after release?
[/quote]i believe so. And I believe that most fakes really aren't fakes. What I mean by that is I believe non authentic heads can come from the same mold and foundry and snuck out the back door to be completed elsewhere for the finishing touches, serial numbers, shafts, grips and even paint. The heads could be identical.

[bruinsPATSirish]

Call Callaway. Simple

[thebigrig]

[quote name='Laznasty' timestamp='1393039667' post='8720002']
new pics added, hope these help.


[quote name='thebigrig' timestamp='1393038379' post='8719876']
I have absolutely no experience with the new Callaway drivers, but I think it is worth noting that some of the fakes that are made now do look very very close... I would take it to a larger store where you can compare it side-by-side with a driver you know is real and look very very closely at things like the font, transitions in the materials, colors, etc. But without having a driver right next to it you know is 100% real it would be hard to tell.
[/quote]
Unfortunately i know this from experience, i bought a "titleist 913 d3" on ebay a few months back and when i took it to a local golf store they could barely tell it was fake.
[/quote]

That sounds awful, and like you have bad luck... But yeah I believe they definitely could make fakes this quickly. And if my memory serves me correctly they are most likely very highly motivated to do so as well.. I think I read a while ago that companies that produce these fakes pay the employees quite a bit of money (almost a year's salary for them, which in all reality probably isn't very much) for any big name designs they get. And I would have to agree with OUZO power too. If the fakes were terrible clubs they would be a lot easier to spot as fake as well. I bought a Cleveland 588 rtx 54* wedge from ebay with a winning auction of something like $33 after shipping, so I took it to a local shop and compared it to some of their stock. Some very minor details were off (aka all the paint fill was black), but he called Cleveland for me and they did confirm that it was supposed to be a 54* rtx. But I am one of the lucky few... Some fakes the owner said he had seen had a burner serial # but they were r11 irons... So your best bet and only way to be sure would be to call Callaway and confirm the serial numbers match AND I would still go and compare it side by side with a 100% authentic driver in store just to make sure the didn't copy one big bertha's serial number and put it on 100 clubs to sell as fakes...

[goondawg]

Looks fine. I don't know if its still the case with Callaway but they used to have clubs assembled in different locations and the serial placement would be slightly different. Yours is from Mexico.

[OUZO Power]

Just looked at my BBA that came from Callaway.

Serials are in the same spot and I can tell no difference with yours.

Your good to go.

[Laznasty]

Thanks fellas, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

[EMgolf]

[quote name='OUZO Power' timestamp='1393040505' post='8720094']
[quote name='EMgolf' timestamp='1393038631' post='8719902']
Can they perfect fakes this quickly after release?
[/quote]i believe so. And I believe that most fakes really aren't fakes. What I mean by that is I believe non authentic heads can come from the same mold and foundry and snuck out the back door to be completed elsewhere for the finishing touches, serial numbers, shafts, grips and even paint. The heads could be identical.
[/quote]

That's really interesting and really scary at the same time...

[jabrch]

Easiest way to tell a fake from a real, IMO, is a scale. You can replicate the driver with other materials - but it's darn near impossible to get the weight exactly right. Now there is some very small variance - but weigh yours, and find out from either a local shop, or Cally themselves, what it should weigh...

Some "fakes" are actually real...by that I mean, made on the same lines, just ran out the back door of the factory. So it's the exact same club... Illegal...but I know of a few guys who have gotten full sets of clubs for nothing that were legit in every way...except they were stolen.

[jabrch]

[quote name='OUZO Power' timestamp='1393040505' post='8720094']
[quote name='EMgolf' timestamp='1393038631' post='8719902']
Can they perfect fakes this quickly after release?
[/quote]i believe so. And I believe that most fakes really aren't fakes. What I mean by that is I believe non authentic heads can come from the same mold and foundry and snuck out the back door to be completed elsewhere for the finishing touches, serial numbers, shafts, grips and even paint. The heads could be identical.
[/quote]

True...and in fact, they play just the same too....There are a lot of websites that sell pro sports jerseys, made in china, on the same lines, same lettering, same stictching, same patching... even same hologram stickers on the tags... Just for 80% off the full retail...

[Hot Rod 71]

As a long time user, I'm starting to feel like the money saved on ebay is not always worth it. Sometimes a little extra cash spent at a retailer or ordering straight from the OEM is 100% worth the piece of mind knowing that what you bought is authentic.

[jabrch]

[quote name='Hot Rod 71' timestamp='1393084855' post='8721974']
As a long time user, I'm starting to feel like the money saved on ebay is not always worth it. Sometimes a little extra cash spent at a retailer or ordering straight from the OEM is 100% worth the piece of mind knowing that what you bought is authentic.
[/quote]

I'm with you...I've found Callaway Preowned, like new, ends up the same or less than Ebay. I am going to stick with my Optiforce/Kiyoshi purple for a while, and try and find a BBA head to test with once the weather gets nicer...and if I like it, grab one from Callaway Preowned or from our BST. Ebay is not worth the risk.