Equipment brands you stay away from?

[third-times-a-charm]

I will play most any major OEM if the price/performance/looks ratio is good enough - I rarely buy new equipment so its dependent on the used market and how clubs hold up, are valued, etc.

 

I generally dont buy TM because of looks and price, dont buy Titleist because of price, dont buy PXG because of looks, dont buy Cobra because of looks.

 

I guess overall I would never buy/play DTC companies (less PXG) nor Cleveland since it reminds me of cheap in-store clubs.

Edited August 5, 2022 by third-times-a-charm

[Kyfra]

I’m open to any club that helps my game. Dumb to write off entire brands.

[gents15]

Taylormade - the amount of marketing that goes into their clubs makes me cringe…and I’ll never use a club from their brand because of it. 
 

PXG - I can’t stand all the screws on the back of the club, they look terrible…but the 0211 ST looks real nice, so I can see myself going for those if I ever get a chance to try them out. 

[SUPERG]

6 minutes ago, Kyfra said:

I’m open to any club that helps my game. Dumb to write off entire brands.

I agree, many times I've burnt my game playing matching clubs or what I feel is "cool " looking. Started playing a wild mix of what works and game sharpened up a couple strokes

[Pars or Doubles]

...all the cheap house brands of big retailers?

[Mizunoid]

It was TaylorMade because i don't like their marketing guff and the pointless 'tech' they come out with.

 

That said i have a set now because i was fit for them and hit them undoubtedly better than any others i tried. I would have tried Mizuno's because i've always played Mizuno's but the waiting time for the set to be shipped was 8-16 weeks and i am impatient.

[amace04]

Scotty Cameron.

Overrated, overpriced.

[amace04]

1 hour ago, Mizunoid said:

It was TaylorMade because i don't like their marketing guff and the pointless 'tech' they come out with.

 

That said i have a set now because i was fit for them and hit them undoubtedly better than any others i tried. I would have tried Mizuno's because i've always played Mizuno's but the waiting time for the set to be shipped was 8-16 weeks and i am impatient.

 

Translation:

TM marketing is all BS, their "tech" is nonsense and doesn't work.  Also, TM is the best for me because of their tech.

[MOlson18]

1 hour ago, Kyfra said:

I’m open to any club that helps my game. Dumb to write off entire brands.

I wouldn’t say I write them off for the brand name. But the clubs they tend to make don’t appeal to me because of shape, sound, etc. 

[Dudee]

Anything & Everything Ping

Anything & Everything Titleist 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Dudee

[stolitonic]

…Made in China!

[Aviador Naval]

I don’t exclude anyone “just because” - although I did a few years ago when Callaway and TM advertising/marketing was insulting to anyone with a 3rd grade understanding of science.  Basic justification was, if their view of their target market was that they were morons, I didn’t want to be part of the target audience.  In fairness, they’ve both mellowed some.

Lately I’m trying to avoid things made in China when there is a comparable alternative (this applies outside of golf as well and does not include Taiwan or other Asian countries).  I’m not an orthodox zealot about it but lean that way when I can.

[driveandputtmachine]

Titleist - As a kid I never liked them because everyone else played them.   I never liked the 975D and others, never cared for the Titleist balls. - I am not a fan of any of their clubs.

 

PXG - Nothing of theirs has really excited me.  I have hit a couple of their drivers and iron models.  Not a big fan of the putters.

 

TM - Putters, just not a fan, paint chipping etc. Could play everything else, can't find a stealth I like.

Mizuno - want to like their drivers, but nothing yet.

 

All of the other brands I would play any of their stuff.

Cally - Everything could play the chromesoft LS

Ping - Everything

Srixon/Cleveland - Everything

Cobra - everything

 

[Roejye]

Only manufacturer that I can think of is PXG, and that's only because I can't easily test their new clubs, and the old ones I can are the ones with the ugly screws. 

 

I don't write anything off just because, I'll test whatever I can. I don't have a huge amount of funds for golf so the price to performance ratio is a big thing for me. However I've noticed some brands don't work for me.

 

Ping, Titleist, Cobra drivers just don't really work for me the numbers aren't as good as Callaway or TaylorMade. 

 

Fairway woods just don't get used a lot by me so I don't really have an opinion on them.

 

Irons and wedges I could probably use any manufacturer, so that's where the price to performance ratio comes in so I generally lean towards Cleveland.

 

Putters, whatever fits for 1) budget 2) stroke 3) eye 4) feel

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Roejye

[Pepperturbo]

I stay away from component and most off brands.  Though I don't sell clubs that are being replaced, if I were to sell them, I'd get more money for name brands as opposed no-name components.

[Mizunoid]

3 hours ago, amace04 said:

 

Translation:

TM marketing is all BS, their "tech" is nonsense and doesn't work.  Also, TM is the best for me because of their tech.

Not quite. The clubs i hit the best in the whole world are 'techless' Mizuno T-Zoids. I can't hit anything as well as i hit those but the set i used to have weren't mine which is why i ended up with something else.

 

But it's probably near certain that nobody ever got better at golf because of 'speedfoam' or ''speed pockets'. The problem with marketing is they have amateurs believe they will bomb driver with their 56mph swing speeds with these additional techs. Taylormade are particularly bad for it and very expensive which is why i don't particularly like them as a brand.

 

Their clubs definitely work for me although their wedges are god awful and the feel of their irons leaves a lot to be desired.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Mizunoid

[Cwhite912]

Taylormade for me.. they worry too much about pushing distance and are too gimmicky. 

[uglande]

The only brand I'll never use is PXG. Parsons is the most irritating person in the game.

 

Cobra stuff works but its designs are garish and cheap looking.

 

TaylorMade is good but they frustrate me with their lack of quality control and their flood-the-zone approach to product cycles.

 

Callaway ... no beef, but I just never seem to buy their stuff.

 

Ping has always been a class operation but I'm puzzled by some of the choices they've made in recent years (their hollow irons feel awful, their drivers and fairways feel awful ... and enough with the turbulators). They better hope the i230 is a success because they are not exactly on a hot streak right now. Nobody's good enough to play the Blueprints, the i59 was a spectacular flop, and I don't know if enough people are buying i525s with all the other competition. 

 

The one company that almost never lets me down is Titleist. And for irons, I always have Mizuno on my list. I'm pretty close to fan-boy status with those two, especially Titleist. 

 

Others that do some good things but have more pocketed successes: Srixon (definitely a riser) and Wilson (love the staff blades and D6 and D9 irons).

[scottaz]

No, I don't avoid anything that may help my game. I don't pay attention to the advertising, and wouldn't be offended by it if I did. 

 

I do pay close attention to what members here have to say about equipment and that has lead to some great finds. Clubs/shafts I normally wouldn't have been interested in trying.  I test everything I can get my hands on. Whatever works for me goes in the bag.  

   

[Double Mocha Man]

A few brands that I try, over and over, but don't seem to work out:  Cobra, Srixon and Sub 70.  Definitely not opposed to them.  I will try them again if their marketing is enticing.

[AC in TX]

Taylormade ... haven't owned one since an odd R9 SuperTri years ago.

Callaway ... have gamed a few Odyssey putters ... no other clubs since a set of X-20s years ago.

Mizuno ... nice stuff but recent irons that met my eye never met my handicap ... had some MX-100 and MX-200 irons years ago.

Titleist ... haven't owned one since a 910h some years back ... keep trying their irons but like Ping irons more.

Srixon ... only ever bought their Q-Stars (great for the price balls).

 

[TwistedSister]

8 hours ago, Fernk said:

Every brand that sponsors LIV golfers.

You must be using Haig Ultras then!

[Double Mocha Man]

33 minutes ago, AC in TX said:

Taylormade ... haven't owned one since an odd R9 SuperTri years ago.

Callaway ... have gamed a few Odyssey putters ... no other clubs since a set of X-20s years ago.

Mizuno ... nice stuff but recent irons that met my eye never met my handicap ... had some MX-100 and MX-200 irons years ago.

Titleist ... haven't owned one since a 910h some years back ... keep trying their irons but like Ping irons more.

Srixon ... only ever bought their Q-Stars (great for the price balls).

 

 

You must be a Ping guy...

[AC in TX]

18 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

You must be a Ping guy...

Yes, since my days at Golfsmith Corporate (PUD was awesome).

[Double Mocha Man]

10 minutes ago, AC in TX said:

Yes, since my days at Golfsmith Corporate (PUD was awesome).

 

Sheesh, I'm still using a Golfsmith Tour-Trek push cart.  Good quality item... 

[Fernk]

3 hours ago, dhacker56 said:

You must be using Haig Ultras then!

Sub 70 and Tour Edge. 

[SlickT73]

Ping for me. I broke three of their drivers in a row in my late teens and the hassle of getting new ones in Canada was just brutal. And I mean, I hit it hard at the time but not “break every driver” hard. Couldn’t trust them afterward.

 

Their US division seems to have an amazing rep for customer service. Not so here. Have heard others with similar experiences to this day.

[hammergolf]

The only major OEM brand I’ve never used is Cobra. Not sure why as they make really good stuff, I just have never had the urge to try any of their stuff.

[stimpmeterp]

I am admittedly crazy.  Used to think PXG was cheap / ugly.  Then I literally stumbled on the Gen 3 0311 irons while on vacation and now I can’t believe I didn’t try them sooner.

 

Callaway fairway metals look closed to me so I stay away.

 

Typically can’t game Ping irons.

[JermWRX]

As far as clubs go?
Titleist

PXG

Srixon

Especially PXG. Some 75 year old guy screaming about sexy all the time is just weird.

 

Putters?
Scotty

Odyssey

Those ugly LAB things

Balls?
Anything other than Titleist

 

Bags?
I’m open. Love my Ping Pioneer