Counterfeit?

AndyM8 · July 5, 2023

Hey all,

Does this hit toe TM wedge look legit? I have my old one next to it.

The face color and groves are different than my old 58 hi toe. Also, my older one has 19 groves and the new one has 18. Also, it looks like the grove pattern is slightly different as there is a small grove on top of the new wedge as opposed to the older one.

And there doesn’t appear to be the super fine lines in between the groves either …

B.Easy · July 5, 2023

It definitely looks refinished, rather than new. Could be a counterfeit.

Nessism · July 5, 2023

Those lines look like milling marks. They assure the face is flat, and add surface roughness.

B.Easy · July 5, 2023

1 minute ago, B.Easy said:

It definitely looks refinished, rather than new. Could be a counterfeit.

On second look. Definitely looks like a counterfeit. Looks like a slightly different head shape and not just grooves. Also, you can see the manual tape lines from the refinishing process. The micro milling is not there either. If it was sold as new and the same as what you had, I'd be asking questions.

AndyM8 · July 5, 2023

Thanks all. The lack of the micro milling is what really triggered my suspicion.

Got this from a reputable eBay seller, who has 95% positive feedback and 217k sold items. They advertised it as a new wedge.

Also, the shaft has no sticker on it. Supposed to be the KBS wedge shaft. When I asked about the lack of the sticker, the seller responded right away and said the sticker is on back order.

When I followed up with the above photos and questions, it’s been radio silence for several hours.

I don’t think this on is legit. But they provide free returns so if I don’t hear back by tomorrow, I’ll probably just send it back and see what happens.

Thanks again for y’all’s help.

golfinbrad · July 5, 2023

It doesn't look right to me. Not sure if this is the same year, but here is a good article with pics. I would compare the milling on the soles as well. Unless it is a different year or model, the different number of grooves are not right. Good luck.

https://drivingrangeheroes.com/taylormade-milled-grind-hi-toe-wedge-review/

AndyM8 · July 5, 2023

It’s the same year or supposed to be.

The new one I got has 18 groves on the face. My old one I have and the one in the pics from the link above has 19 groves so something seems off.

third-times-a-charm · July 6, 2023

Taylormade especially during covid made changes to several processes in their products. Wouldnt surprise me if it was real and just modified from an original retail version for some reason.

Have you called them?

wings02 · July 6, 2023

What's up with those stickers on the club face? Almost a give away from that alone. There is no way this club is real. I've been selling and buying on eBay for many years and have seen a lot. First off, don't get fooled into thinking that a seller with a 95% rating is good. That is a red flag already. With 214 sales, a 95% rated seller is not reputable IMO. I was once sold a set of counterfeit Callaway irons. When I contacted the seller, his excuse was his supplier. He did refund me my money though. To avoid bad reviews, many of these questionable sellers will offer a refund quickly to avoid any complaints to eBay or a poor rating. Another tip off is if the price of an item is too good to be true, well you know the rest. The commission percent Ebay is now getting is very high (around 14%). What makes it worse is Ebay charges tax to the buyer in most states and their commission to the seller is based on the total sale, tax included. BUT, Ebay is very good at issuing the buyer a refund if goods that are purchased are defective, not as described, or counterfeit. Simply click in the right boxes on their site to start a return, fill out the comment section and upload a picture. If approved, and it's instantaneous, they will send you a free label to ship the item back to the seller. It usually only takes a few days for a refund. A very important step when shipping back an item is to get a receipt at the post office. You must use their kiosk to scan the label in order to get a receipt. Although it's prepaid label, don't just drop it off on the counter. Also, don't wait in line for a counter person. They do not give receipts. A printed receipt can only be obtained from the kiosk. Once scanned, it goes right to the eBay system and you will get a quick confirmation. Sorry for the long reply but following the correct protocol with Ebay makes them a very safe option to purchase goods. Do not delay!!!

AndyM8 · July 6, 2023

Thanks for everyone's help.

The seller did get back to me about my questions. Also of note, this ebay seller is listed on Taylormade's website as an approved, authorized dealer. So I doubled checked that.

The seller said they buy bulk from TM and this may be a different model but it shouldn't be as everything else about the wedges looks the same. Or he said this bulk batch could come from the "Tour department," which I'm not sure what that means.

Anyway, they offered to refund me but it seems I have to pay for shipping back.

I reached out to TM as well and will see what they say.

Thanks again!

AndyM8 · July 6, 2023

This gets even more stranger.

I said this above, but the wedge I have, which is several years old has 19 grooves on its face. The new one I just bought off eBay has 18 grooves on the face. But the pictures from Taylormade’s website have 20 grooves on the face. It’s kind of weird.

https://www.taylormadegolf.com/Milled-Grind-HI-TOE-Wedge/DW-WZ733.html?lang=en_US

Edited July 6, 2023 by AndyM8

TWick · July 6, 2023

2 hours ago, AndyM8 said:

This gets even more stranger.

I said this above, but the wedge I have, which is several years old has 19 grooves on its face. The new one I just bought off eBay has 18 grooves on the face. But the pictures from Taylormade’s website have 20 grooves on the face. It’s kind of weird.

https://www.taylormadegolf.com/Milled-Grind-HI-TOE-Wedge/DW-WZ733.html?lang=en_US

Probably different amount of grooves for the 60 vs 58. If you scroll down and look at the picture comparing full face vs traditional grooves, the picture has 19 grooves.

wings02 · July 6, 2023

What did you pay?

Pastit · July 6, 2023

7 hours ago, AndyM8 said:

Thanks for everyone's help.

The seller did get back to me about my questions. Also of note, this ebay seller is listed on Taylormade's website as an approved, authorized dealer. So I doubled checked that.

The seller said they buy bulk from TM and this may be a different model but it shouldn't be as everything else about the wedges looks the same. Or he said this bulk batch could come from the "Tour department," which I'm not sure what that means.

Anyway, they offered to refund me but it seems I have to pay for shipping back.

I reached out to TM as well and will see what they say.

Thanks again!

If the return is due to the Seller’s fault the postage is his responsibility not yours and he Should send you a prepaid label. I’d buy only from guaranteed reputable outlets in future.

cardia10 · July 6, 2023

Not sure why everyone is calling this fake...the stickers on the face, especially the weight sticker, means it is likely a tour head. Look at the shapes and grooves on any wedge on a 2 year production cycle and they are different. Nothing odd at all about the stickers on the face except those obviously aren't retail stickers and with the weight, they are likely for the tour van.