Switching Allegiances

[krsgolf]

I used to be die hard Titleist.  They were the name in my younger years.  I also seemed to suffer some form of golfer OCD believing that the bag had to match top to bottom, never considering the possibility of fit for me at each position.  A number of year ago I got fitted and opened up to trying other brands.  I'm picky with regard to look, sound and feel of all clubs and for a long time felt Titleist checked all of those boxes.  It wasn't until I gave other options a try and found that in a particular club I could find something that equaled Titleist, and sometimes was better, including performance that I opened the bag up to the best brand at every position.  Now I have five brands in the bag.  I love the look, sound and feel at every position and in each they were either the top performer or close enough that I wouldn't compromise any one of the look, sound and feel categories to gain two yards.  Since no one is paying I'll stick with a mixed bag of whatever is best for me.  

[MSB16]

I play one length irons, so I tried the all Cobra bag for a year. I liked it for the most part, but I just look for different things in my woods/irons/wedges. Up to 5 different brands in the bag now, 6 if you count my ball. If you want similar looks and feels all the way through the bag, a brand allegiance makes a lot of sense, but it isn't for me. 

[RainShadow]

No brand loyalty here.

I have some preferred  OEMs, but only because of experience with their gear and the fact that i usually works for me.

When shopping for new gear, I'm most likely to find something from these OEMs:

Cally: Fairways and Drivers, Irons and Wedges Maybe Putter

Titleist: Same

Ping: Driver, wedges

Mizuno: Irons ( but that's changed the past few years), maybe wedge.

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by RainShadow

[rkillian]

I didn't start with an allegiance but built my current bag through callaway pre-owned. I found I just couldn't beat the value, performance, and customer service. 

[ShowMe]

IMO, no manufacturer makes the best performing clubs in every single category - driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters - so having an allegiance to just one brand is counter productive.  I go with whatever club works best for me at that given point in time.

 

That said, I have found that certain manufacturers' clubs work best for me in a given category.  Typically, I will gravitate toward Ping irons, for example.  And my Scottie putter is not going anywhere soon.

Edited January 25, 2021 by ShowMe

[Abh159]

I've had a mixed bag and always have. Currently I have 4 brands in my bag. I've had more and less over the years, but I don't think I've ever had 14 clubs all from the same manufacturer. 

 

I always assumed people who outfit their entire bag with only one brand did it more out of wanting some sort of symmetry not because they felt it was the absolute perfect setup. I think you would have to be a little naïve to believe that one brand (Ping, TM, Callaway, or whoever) makes the best version of every single club. 

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Abh159

[lefthack]

I am partial to Nike even though they are out of the game (but now I can afford it) because they are local. My office is just down the street from the world campus.

 

But I am not loyal really, just lucky they made some sweet hardware when they did.

[hammergolf]

I have to admit, I was a Ping staff guy for over 20 years. However, I put in a Sim driver last year and went to Cleveland wedges and an Evnroll putter. I've been looking to replace my g25 irons for 8 years but have yet to find anything that can get them out the back. But I must admit, it does feel a little strange not having all one brand in the bag.

[Mych]

Switched from mostly Mizuno to mostly Cobra a couple years ago because I wanted to try single-length irons. I've always enjoyed the Ping fairways/hybrids though, so if I ever go back to variable length irons, I'd probably build an all Ping bag.

 

 

[2bGood]

3 hours ago, Abh159 said:

I've had a mixed bag and always have. Currently I have 4 brands in my bag. I've had more and less over the years, but I don't think I've ever had 14 clubs all from the same manufacturer. 

 

I always assumed people who outfit their entire bag with only one brand did it more out of wanting some sort of symmetry not because they felt it was the absolute perfect setup. I think you would have to be a little naïve to believe that one brand (Ping, TM, Callaway, or whoever) makes the best version of every single club. 

 

 

I actually do think (for the most part) Titleist, Ping, TM, Callaway do ALL make the best version of every single club. I think we have gotten to a point where a significant differences between the OEMs is non existent and it all comes down to personal preference and maybe the best deal you can get.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by 2bGood

[RogerinNewZealand]

Its genuinely nice too see some folk buy a full Titleist or TM bag and post it here.I started with Full Ping Bag mid 1990s isi  i3 era b605bz.Their sand wedges were Automatic.With drivers i still use regularly, g5 g20 i15 i20 and Rapture now.Irons Many Mizuno! This wont change...looking for mp4 soon.With the price of new gear at an allll time high,i just keep looking at two models old,so a 917d2 soon.Had one 2 years ago for a month.At xmas had a ts3 3 wood,sold head,kept the tensei av blue65, that is  specisl shaft! So Cherry Pic the Best for You.The WRX way..Ho Ho Ho

[Bad9]

I agree with what 2bGood said above that there's no reason any of us can't find a full bag of perfectly suitable clubs from any company given all the custom fitting and shaft options they all have. It really is down to personal preference. I really like the matte black woods and won't look at any models that aren't. I also like red and black accents and tend to go towards models with them vs without. Seems pretty superficial but given that pretty much any model can be fit to suit my needs I'm not really giving anything up performance wise.

[drbonesvt]

18 hours ago, Nelson.br.1515 said:

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?

This is wrx , the golf equivalent of Game of Thrones 

[Mych]

1 hour ago, 2bGood said:

I actually do think (for the most part) Titleist, Ping, TM, Callaway do ALL make the best version of every single club. I think we have gotten to a point where a significant differences between the OEM is non existent and it all comes do to personal preference and maybe the best deal you can get.

 

 

 

Agreed, but I also think that individual brands have specific distinguishing traits that can fit specific golfers better. Performance will be fairly similar, but head and sole shapes (rails, deep/shallow face, bounce), alignment aids, adjustability... all can be design features that allow an individual golfer to make best use of the available performance.

 

 

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Im pretty much a callaway guy but in 2020 i got mizuno irons and a scotty putter... very happy with both.. but i will pretty much always use a callaway driver, bag, wedges, putter. I would still buy their irons in future. They just dont disapoint me with anything ever. Mizuno irons though... wowie.

[B_of_H]

Is there a difference between trusting a brand and an allegiance?  I trust titleist products, mizuno irons etc... But i'm open to playing whatever looks good and performs well for me.  I think everyone makes pretty good to great stuff these days so i'm not really concerned about brands as much. 

[third-times-a-charm]

My allegiance is to whomever gives me the best revolving deals. And right now thats CPO due to their customer service, sales, rewards, and ease of trades.

 

If Taylormade/Ping did something like CPO (the current deal with GG/3balls sucks with TM, for example) I would probably own more TM/Ping stuff.

Edited January 25, 2021 by third-times-a-charm

[Gronny]

Growing up and through my mid 20's I would say I had a brand allegiance to Titleist. To echo what others have said it stemmed from seeing big name players using the equipment to trusting their product and having good experiences. That being said, when I was starting to get serious into golf I don't think there was the same push for fitting as there is today. Basically, use the minimal technology available to identify some basic swing characteristic and go with a certain shaft flex that should match. Then choose whatever club brand you prefer/trust without thinking much about competitors and how they may change performance. The last 5-6 years I have basically gotten rid of most Titleist clubs and put more focus on what performs best for me regardless of brand and if there is some money to be saved somewhere it is a bonus. The technology available and knowledge surrounding fitting has helped those decisions immensely. It is also that much more fun to test and experiment when you open up to all brands. 

[lefty1978]

No allegiances, but I do favor Mizuno irons. Everything else is up for grabs.

[Rich Douglas]

I was a Ping guy since the I3. That included the I10, G15, Raputure, G20, G25, and the plain ol' G. Each was a little better than the last, and I settled on G vs. I, despite being a single-digit player.

 

But that all changed 5 years ago when the first truly legitimate single-length clubs were introduced. Cobra, Edel, Wishon, and a few knock-offs. I selected Wishon Sterling and never looked back. When Wishon introduced the EQ1-NX last year, I decided to switch to them.

 

As a single-length player who has loved the switch, I'll never play traditional irons again. I dumped my loyalty in Ping immediately after receiving the Sterling set.

 

Now, if Ping should introduced the GSL (G Single Length)....

[cardoustie]

All over the map.. prefer brands in certain areas ie Ping for woods, Vokey for wedges

 

 

[JDIL]

I have two relatives that work at two OEMs, so my brand allegiance is to them because I get steep discounts on new stuff. 😂

 

But I still buy other brands used, when I tinker. I just won’t buy them new
 

 

[Old Tom Morris]

Always had a mixture of brands in my bag.  Callaway, Hogan, Titleist, Nike, Wilson, TaylorMade, Ram among others have all been in the bag through the years.  Only recently have I put 13/14 clubs from one manufacturer in the bag and it wasn’t on purpose.  Just worked out that way and I have no plans to change this year.  Like the AP2 irons so much.

[MikeW2]

Like most people here I’ve used equipment from most everyone...

drivers-macgregor and ping wood drivers, TM, Goodwin, a Mizuno T zoid, back to TM, Titleist,  then a run of Callaway drivers 6-7 in row, Nike twice, Ping, titleist, callaway, now last three have been ping.

Fw- TM, Callaway, titleist, ping but I currently don’t carry any fw’s

irons- macgregor blades for 1st few years, titleist DCI Golds from 1992 until last year now Ping

wedges- one from Sears, Cleveland and vokey until this year when I got a ping

putters- pings a couple of scotties a ray cook and a Ping Redwood since they came out

hybrids- ping G15 with this being the first time I played this type of club.

 

Never really had a loyalty to a certain brand but it has worked out that all of my current set make up is from Ping. Clubs that I hit well and were within my budget was what I was looking for and it just kinda worked out that way.  As someone mentioned earlier, I do actually like the symmetry of one brand. To each his own.

[FlopShotGang]

I’ve only been golfing for about a year and I’ve generally only bought from Mizuno and Ping from Driver to Wedges. I’ve dabbled with Vokeys and Callaway clubs but ultimately I always go back to Ping and Mizuno. 

[MuniPukeLife]

I was once brand loyal . . . and I looked like I was going to be again for awhile . . . but look at my signature block now lol

[pinestreetgolf]

I'd be very close to all-Callaway if the G400 wasn't such a great driver.  I'm still gaming a few other brands but would like go all-Cally if I could stand anything about their non-iron marketing. I'm pretty sure their GI iron of the time (Apex '16, now regular Mavrik) on a graphite shaft will never leave and the PM grind needs no introduction.

 

*movie trailer voice*

"Designed by artificial intelligence...."

 

Give me a break. G400, please.

[MtlJeff]

I've never been too picky, but i usually have one brand that has like 70% of the slots in my bag. Not because i'm "loyal" more just a bit OCD as product lines tend to have a certain flow to them, and i can get same grips and shafts easily etc...

 

I swore off TMAG for a while because of how they did marketing like 12-13 years ago. Thought it was pretty dishonest. 

 

But it's been a while, i'm thinking of getting P770s

[krazykarlsig]

Taylormade Drivers

Cobra Hybrids

Mizuno Irons

Cleveland Wedges

Odyssey Putters

Ping Stand Bags

Footjoy Gloves, Socks, Shoes

Agnostic - 3woods and Balls

[GWfool]

Completely brand agnostic myself. If it works best for me I'll play it.