Switching Allegiances

[Nelson.br.1515]

I have just switched my brand allegiance for the 3rd time in my golf equipment life. Went from all things Adams (RIP), to all things Callaway and just switched to PING (except putter that’s not going anywhere). Anyone else bounce from one manufacturer to the other? Successes? Regrets?

[GHIN n Juice]

Pretty much every time I purchase something new.  I have no allegiance to a brand.

[Roejye]

My allegiance kind of goes by clubs. Driver I'm pretty much a Taylormade guy, hybrids Adams (rip), Irons/wedges Cleveland. I'm not particularly brand loyal, I would play whatever works best for me, in my budget.

[sm_watts]

My signature says it all... Callaway driver, TM fairway, TEE hybrids, Mizuno irons, Snake Eyes gap wedge, Corey Paul sand wedge, and either Mannkrafted or TP Mills putter.

[Bakes0]

For whatever reason I started with a Taylormade allegiance. I’ve since broadened my horizons and have a mishmash of clubs in the bag with certain preferences but not so much allegiances.

[hybrid25]

Allegiance? It's don't owe club manufacturers anything. Whatever works for me or attracts my attention.

[SugarLandGolfer]

8 minutes ago, hybrid25 said:

Allegiance? It's don't owe club manufacturers anything. Whatever works for me or attracts my attention.

The only convenience for allegiances would be that clubs can be designed with other clubs in mind to work together. Like hybrids and irons may be designed with the other club in mind.

 

however in general I agree. I’ve got 3 brands in my bag.

[14max]

I've been a PING guy for so long that I can't remember the last time I played a non-PING club.  I like the durability of their older clubs, their philosophy of function over form, and the fact that they value their employees so highly.

[cjblake09]

I am not getting paid by any company so no allegiance.  I would be most pros would be in the same if they were not getting paid as well. 

[Shilgy]

In the last couple years I’ve been....

a Srixon guy

a Honma fan 

a TM player

always with a smattering of Titleist, Adams 

putter...Toulon Ping Mizuno and currently Beetinardi

 

Looks like Callaway is the only one I’m neglecting!

[cleverprimate24]

No allegiance either, but have slowly shifted to primarily Ping. Glide 2 & 3 Wedges, i500 Irons, Ping G410 hybrids, but I have a Callaway Mavrik Driver & 4 Wood. 

 

Had a huge club makeover over the past year, still trying to get comfortable with the i500s. I've only played a handful of rounds with them after replacing Titleist Ap2 710s I played for nearly 10 years. 

[B.Easy]

I tend to buy whatever I like that is reasonably fit for me.  Mismatched everything and I buy on discount or used. I have access to high-end simulators and have been fit many many times, so I know what works.

 

I've never understood brand loyalty.  People seem to forget that they are paying an obscene amount of money for a graphite stick with a piece of metal attached to the end of it with cheap glue designed to hit a rubber ball.  For more than a half-THOUSAND dollars for a single club these days, I'd want to know that it is fit to perfection and my favorite thing in every way. 

 

At the same time--  I think you should buy whatever makes you happy.  This game makes me happy and so do shiny new clubs.

[Myherobobhope]

It’s your bag, and your 14 clubs, but I’m going to play the best 14 I can find... that said, half my bag is still Adams... (irons, hybrids and woods).

 

I’ll always give certain companies a shot, and tend to default to vokey wedges... but I’m open to whatever works best... driver usually comes down to if I can get a shaft I like with no upcharge.

[2bGood]

I have bounced around over the years for balls, but I stay true to one ball for the entire season. 

 

These days I am largely a one brand kind of guy, I don't have the energy to follow everything coming out and try everything out and I tend to believe all the Major OEM make good equipment with enough options to suit most players. So when it is time to upgrade I check out the options from the current brand I have, and If I like the newer model I buy it and move on. But I am also the type that plays irons for 5 or 6 years and woods for 3-5. 

[St Jimmy]

I was all Nike.  Switched to all Ping for the G30 irons and then G driver/woods.  

Now I have a pretty mixed bag.  Still love the Ping driver though.  

[dubbelbogey]

No allegiances. I'm pure mercenary when it comes to sports gear.  

 

It might be different if I had played at a level where I had received some sort of support from a mfr, but alas, that is not the case for my golf game. I'm the customer, therefore, I'm the boss - the supreme dictator of what goes in my bag. I don't owe a gear manufacturer any sort of allegiance.

 

And I've got a Cleveland headcover on my Ping driver. Hah!

 

(7 brands in my bag right now.)

 

[hybrid25]

2 hours ago, 14max said:

I've been a PING guy for so long that I can't remember the last time I played a non-PING club.  I like the durability of their older clubs, their philosophy of function over form, and the fact that they value their employees so highly.

I would have to agree with this assessment of Ping products. 

[callawayjay]

Picking up the game in 1993, and being left handed was tough. My starter set blew and the first company I bought from was ping, but all they had in 1994 were those damn zings LH

 

aftwr those I discovered callaway had a much better selection and have been loyal for that reason. So much of the golf industry ignored the lefty in the 1990s

[TLUBulldogGolf]

I’m pretty much a Mizuno iron and Titleist woods loyalist at this point. Have been in Vokey wedges awhile but may go Mizuno there for my next set. More of a comfort thing than necessarily thinking they are any better. I could easily have played any number of specific models not from those manufacturers.

[setter02]

Only if I ever go back to having a staff package, then maybe.  Tho not likely going to happen, so 2nd hand and what I like.  Can have as many as 5 brands in the bag at any one time.

[BallerNate]

Thought I would’ve been a guy who sets up my whole bag with one OEM and have a “matching set”, but once I realized that no company was paying me or giving any discounts, I realized that doesn’t make sense.

 

I’ll go with whatever club offers the best feel, value, and performance. Just picked up Cleveland wedges last week, and tomorrow I’m picking up a Srixon Driving Iron, which will bring me to 4 OEM’s in the bag (TM, Callaway, Srixon, & Cleveland).

[hybrid25]

I built my own irons with Dynacraft heads, but my lob wedge, 4 hybrids, 4 Wood, and Driver are all Callaway. I think the reason I choose Callaway because of Callaway pre-owned where I get my equipment at reduced rates. So it is not really an allegiance due to loyalty, it is because of convenience and price.

[ChipNRun]

In 2009 I redid my bag completely as I moved away from heavier, stiff flex shafts.

 

Since then, I have been mix of Callaway and Tour Edge. At various times I have played drivers, fairways, irons and wedges from each.

 

Other visitors have included Cleveland CG14 wedges (about six years), and Cobra FlyZ hybrids (three years).

 

One exception: Since 2007 I have played a Ping putter of some sort, except for an 18-month venture with a vintage Slotline Inertial.

 

Basically, Callaway and Tour Edge really fit my eye well. If one of their clubs has the right head and shaft, it only takes me a few shots to get the basic feel.

[AC168]

It's fairly rare when one manufacturer makes the best of everything.  In fact, I can't remember it happening in my lifetime.

[Bad9]

How much did each company pay you for your allegiance?

[braincramp52]

I played a lot of Ping stuff for years because they always catered to us lefties. But I've never been stuck on one brand since that would suck the fun out of trying different stuff.

[shoot4par]

- TM to Titleist around 2011. The product wasn't as solid around that time. IMHO. Its rebounded well since the Adidas split. 

- Now, I just play whatever I like as evidenced by the signature. 

[driveandputtmachine]

Driver: None, but have owned more Ping drivers over the last 20 years than any other brand

3 wood:  whatever works, I have owned 30 of these in the last 20 years

Other woods:  whatever works

Irons:  Something smallish blade length with consistent spin

Wedges: Cleveland guy, have been since high school.  Callaway since Roger joined has snuck in the bag a few times. Tried others, but no go.

Putter:  Sunset Beach or Mannkrafted.  Sorry, I know others are good, but LaMont is my favorite.

 

I tend to not play anything Titleist, this steams from my younger years when everyone had a 975D and played the 384 balata.  I refused to play what everyone else did, so I was Callaway and Maxfli or Precept balls.  It became worse when I owned SSB in that I would not play Titleist(another long story).  The fact that I have a 3 wood from them in the bag shows you how desperate my search was.

Edited January 25, 2021 by driveandputtmachine

[dekez]

No allegiances here, but I have an affinity towards Ping based on years of experience and good customer service with them. They always get the first look.

Edited January 25, 2021 by dekez

[Chadwickog]

Before I joined this site I naively thought you were usually supposed to have pretty much one brand of clubs in the bag.  I was Taylormade since my junior set with the bubble shafts but have changed plans along the way.  Now I can be found all over.