How do feel about clone golf clubs

[bogey_golf]

Just like the topic says...Just wondering how people feel about clone/custom clubs? Do they perform the same/similar? Anybody use them?

[greyman09]

They are awful. They are stealing someone else design. Usually cheap materials.

[bogey_golf]

They are awful. They are stealing someone else design. Usually cheap materials.

Thanks for the reply! Had an opportunity to get some wedges thats way I'm asking.

[alexdub]

A golf club is a golf club, I guess. You can hit a ball with pretty much anything and it'll go somewhere.

 

However, golf equipment that is only a few years old is soooo crazy cheap now, I wouldn't fish around with anything that's a clone. You can find some great wedges on eBay for only 20 or 30 bucks.

 

This may be diverting a bit, but just thinking about it—you could throw together a really awesome bag for under $200 if you gave it a go:

• 905r driver
  
• i3 irons
  
• some older spin milled vokeys
  
• an old Ping or Odyssey putter
  

[RecidivistGOLFER]

Just like the topic says...Just wondering how people feel about clone/custom clubs? Do they perform the same/similar? Anybody use them?

 

Mixed feelings. I have no use for counterfeit clubs. Clones... they have their place maybe. When I first started playing, I couldn't afford name brand clubs, and back then (1997) there was no ebay, just piles of junked-out irons in pawn shops and overpriced used clubs at Nevada Bob's & the like. My first set of irons were copies of the Callaway Big Bertha. My first putter was a copy of a Scotty Newport Teryllium. So that was the equipment I learned to play golf with. My experience with those copy clubs actually made me something of a loyalist to both callaway and titleist over the years. As I see it, they're targeting two completely different ends of the market. Beginners (usually) aren't buying $800 sets of irons and experienced players aren't buying $200 package sets. Just know that you're not getting the same quality of club. If clones offend the big manufacturers, there's an easy way to put a stop to it: manufacture entry-level sets with similar design characteristics at an affordable price.

[papichulosteve]

Just like the topic says...Just wondering how people feel about clone/custom clubs? Do they perform the same/similar? Anybody use them?

 

Mixed feelings. I have no use for counterfeit clubs. Clones... they have their place maybe. When I first started playing, I couldn't afford name brand clubs, and back then (1997) there was no ebay, just piles of junked-out irons in pawn shops and overpriced used clubs at Nevada Bob's & the like. My first set of irons were copies of the Callaway Big Bertha. My first putter was a copy of a Scotty Newport Teryllium. So that was the equipment I learned to play golf with. My experience with those copy clubs actually made me something of a loyalist to both callaway and titleist over the years. As I see it, they're targeting two completely different ends of the market. Beginners (usually) aren't buying $800 sets of irons and experienced players aren't buying $200 package sets. Just know that you're not getting the same quality of club. If clones offend the big manufacturers, there's an easy way to put a stop to it: manufacture entry-level sets with similar design characteristics at an affordable price.

 

i believe clones and counterfeit clubs are two totally separate items.

 

a clone as a cheap alternative, and stated as such. the buyer knows they're not getting a taylormade or a callaway, but rather a suitable (debatable) alternative. i liken this to going to the grocery store and instead of getting a box of corn flakes, you get the store brand corn cereal in a bag. see the link as a prime example

 

http://www.gigagolf.com/club_detailsHTML.jhtml?manufacturer=GigaGolf&groupnum=WD-GGTM36

 

a counterfeit is an out and out rip-off and typically priced as much. it tries to pass itself off as the latest driver or hottest set of irons at vastly inferior quality.

 

back in the day, a clone could be seen as a solid alternative if one isn't willing to drop massive amounts of money on the latest clubs, but as another poster said, there are plenty of great deals to be had on equipment from a few years ago where you could see little to no drop off in technology or quality from clubs released today. it all depends on whether you're willing to put in the work to find the deals and are knowledgeable in what you want and are looking for.

[md1m]

If you wanted to have less expensive clubs that still perform well, I'd look at Maltby rather than clones. Maltby clubs seem to be quality clubs that are much cheaper than the OEM's because they don't pay anybody to play them and don't market them. I think pretty much all clubs are made in China, probably at the same factories, but the clones will have cheaper materials and not care as much about the tolerances. That being said, I went to a fitter the other day and he tested a set of very expensive clubs and their lofts and lies were all over the place, so I would have them checked and adjusted no matter what you go with.

[Golf64]

Rather spend the same amount of money on OEMs used vs. clones new.

[suprfli6]

It's pretty well documented how wide some of the manufacturing tolerances are for the big OEMs when it comes to lofts, COR, etc so I'd expect clones to have even higher variability. So you could get something that performs great or something that doesn't. Personally I'd rather buy barely-used clubs from a year or two ago from manufacturers I'm familiar with and have more faith in.

[PGATourDriven]

When I first started golfing around 5 years ago, and before I found this sight I knew nothing about golf. However I was super excited about playing but didn't know where to buy a good set of golf clubs so I bought a set of Left handed MDC Tour bladed clone irons off of a website which I now forget the name of. The website said they were supposed be play like Nike golf clubs so I bought them. They served their purpose of allowing me to play the game I now love and helped me catch the golf bug that we all have. However now that I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge about golf equipment I would strongly recommend like everyone else here that you search the well known used golf club websites for a cheap wedge alternative or your local golf stores. You can find pretty much any brand of wedge for cheap now a days and I recommend going that route.

[cgasucks]

When I started golfing in 2000, it was common that mom and pop clubmakers have been selling clones (or knockoffs) but thanks to Craigslist and Ebay, you are better buying off used brand name clubs for about the same price (but more often cheaper) than brand new clones. Now you hardly see people sell used cloned clubs any more, let alone new.

[bladehunter]

did we learn nothing from the movie Multiplicity ???

[bogey_golf]

I just want to make clear I'm talking about Clone not counterfeit if there was any confusion.

[cane700]

I had a Baylormade Turner Hybrid with a firm flex shaft. It sucked.

[HandsomeDave]

I played a set of acer pro irons down to a 3 handicap. I'm pretty sure those were modeled after x-14 pros, although I'm not sure if they fall into the clone or component pile. I play g25s now and honestly would shoot the same scores if I played the acers. I'd most likely go with used OEMs as others have said- better quality and I'm a bit more sensitive about intellectual property than I once was.

[Nessism]

I played a set of acer pro irons down to a 3 handicap. I'm pretty sure those were modeled after x-14 pros, although I'm not sure if they fall into the clone or component pile. I play g25s now and honestly would shoot the same scores if I played the acers. I'd most likely go with used OEMs as others have said- better quality and I'm a bit more sensitive about intellectual property than I once was.

 

A friend gave me a set of those clubs and they are currently in the garage. Someone offered to buy the shafts (DG R300) so I pulled them, only the guy subsequently flaked so the clubs have sat broken down ever since. If anyone want them send me a PM and you can have them for the cost of shipping. The heads are low offset and big enough to provide some real GI assistance.

 

And speaking of components, I got addicted with clubmaking during the component hayday and made many sets for myself and friends. Golfsmith had some really nice components back then, designed by Tom Wishon, and some real money could be saved by building yourself. In today's market of dirt cheap clubs the money saving aspect isn't nearly as attractive anymore. Tom still designs components though, and there is Maltby/Golfworks and Hireko (Acer). I'd build a set of these and feel good about them but wouldn't touch a set of clones. To me those clubs are pure garbage. Not so much from a quality standpoint, but from the ripoff standpoint. Acer has made quite a few clones over the years so I'm not so much a fan of those, however they also make some unique designs that are pretty nice so stay with those and you are good to go.

[Payton1020]

Just like the topic says...Just wondering how people feel about clone/custom clubs? Do they perform the same/similar? Anybody use them?

 

You need to be more specific. Obviously the 1st reply may be misinformed.

[drumdude96]

If you're looking for some very good yet inexpensive wedges, diamondtour.com has some really nice ones. The Inazone CNC milled wedges are great and don't cost much at all. Both the faces and grooves are milled. I believe they call them Shadow (in black) and maybe chrome mist or something to that effect in satin chrome. I have a few of the lefty version (the Midnight wedges) and they work very well for me. They are about $18 a head and well worth it.

[BIG STU]

When I started golfing in 2000, it was common that mom and pop clubmakers have been selling clones (or knockoffs) but thanks to Craigslist and Ebay, you are better buying off used brand name clubs for about the same price (but more often cheaper) than brand new clones. Now you hardly see people sell used cloned clubs any more, let alone new.

Heck they hardly buy clone clubs from Goodwill for $2.99 anymore. At the metal recycling company I work at we get bunches for scrap that did not sell from all of the thrifts

[BIG STU]

I had a Baylormade Turner Hybrid with a firm flex shaft. It sucked.

LOL saw one of those the other day at Goodwill for $2.99 I chuckled then and your post made me laugh again!

[mvhoffman]

Don't forget Acer irons made golf digest gold a few years ago

[Mikeski]

Didn't Adams start off making clone clubs?

[LeoLeo99]

Clones were a lot more prevalent 20+ years ago. I had an Integra driver that was loosely modeled after a Ping. It was the first golf club I purchased off the Internet. You picked out your head, shaft, and grip and for an $5 or $10 they would assemble the club for you.

[Matt J]

Probably if you build them up correctly with reasonable swing weights, and bend them to your specs (if you know them, if not then find your lie angle and check the lofts), and put good shafts that fit your swing speed and release, and grips on them, they'd be just fine. Unfortunately, all of those things I mentioned are more expensive than the heads, so usually if someone starts with a cheap head things only get worse from there.

 

I don't know if KZG are considered clones, but if I knew a quality clubfitter to build me a set of their irons I might give them a whirl.

[Shipwreck]

I don't know if KZG are considered clones, but if I knew a quality clubfitter to build me a set of their irons I might give them a whirl.

 

God no. KZG are legit and their forged irons are phenomenal!

[cristphoto]

I had a Baylormade Turner Hybrid with a firm flex shaft. It sucked.

 

I hear you. My $39 Lolex watch runs fast.

[ppl4golf]

A golf club is a golf club, I guess. You can hit a ball with pretty much anything and it'll go somewhere.

 

However, golf equipment that is only a few years old is soooo crazy cheap now, I wouldn't fish around with anything that's a clone. You can find some great wedges on eBay for only 20 or 30 bucks.

 

This may be diverting a bit, but just thinking about it—you could throw together a really awesome bag for under $200 if you gave it a go:

• 905r driver
  
• i3 irons
  
• some older spin milled vokeys
  
• an old Ping or Odyssey putter
  

 

Quality used clubs are still pretty cheap these days.

There is no reason to get clones.

Also a damn good short list of clubs to get that I can vouch for (well except the R which never worked for me for some reasons LOL)

[jacobEDGE]

Yeah, I got a used SLDR S 3 hybrid for $20 and a used SLDR 3 wood for $35.

 

They're less than 5 years old. They're still really solid clubs.

[Ri_Redneck]

I played a set of acer pro irons down to a 3 handicap. I'm pretty sure those were modeled after x-14 pros, although I'm not sure if they fall into the clone or component pile. I play g25s now and honestly would shoot the same scores if I played the acers. I'd most likely go with used OEMs as others have said- better quality and I'm a bit more sensitive about intellectual property than I once was.

A friend gave me a set of those clubs and they are currently in the garage. Someone offered to buy the shafts (DG R300) so I pulled them, only the guy subsequently flaked so the clubs have sat broken down ever since. If anyone want them send me a PM and you can have them for the cost of shipping. The heads are low offset and big enough to provide some real GI assistance. And speaking of components, I got addicted with clubmaking during the component hayday and made many sets for myself and friends. Golfsmith had some really nice components back then, designed by Tom Wishon, and some real money could be saved by building yourself. In today's market of dirt cheap clubs the money saving aspect isn't nearly as attractive anymore. Tom still designs components though, and there is Maltby/Golfworks and Hireko (Acer). I'd build a set of these and feel good about them but wouldn't touch a set of clones. To me those clubs are pure garbage. Not so much from a quality standpoint, but from the ripoff standpoint. Acer has made quite a few clones over the years so I'm not so much a fan of those, however they also make some unique designs that are pretty nice so stay with those and you are good to go.

 

This was my experience too. Had a lot of success with GS, GW and Dynacraft heads back in the day. Others that were cheap knockoffs were another story all together. Tom makes quality components and typically his listed clubmakers are very reputable. Garage guys you have to watch out for though. Do your homework. Like many have said, with ebay and BST, there'e really not a market for the component people anymore.

 

BT

[burnsd427]

I am by no means an expert. My 2 cents is not to lump all components in as clones. Clones are cheaply made to resemble name brand equipment but will never duplicate performance for numerous reasons.

 

In the component world there are many price points of exceptional original designs. Some research is required but this is where you can play clubs rivaling the OEMs top line equipment at a fraction of the cost. Its also where I have great enjoyment as a novice club builder with a steep learning curve thanks to this site.