Saturday, December 18, 2010

If it sounds too good to be true....

Unfortunately it is becoming more frequent to see the stunned look on my customer's faces when I tell them the clubs they just purchased are counterfeit. Their response is, "But the website said they were brand new Callaway, Taylor Made, Adams, etc... and I got them for less than half of the retail price." I tell them the only thing that was accurate about the online ad was the selling price. And the bad news is I've yet to see one get their money back after they learn the truth.

The manufacturers of counterfeit clubs go to extremes to make the clubs look like the real thing. But believe me they're anything but similar. First of all the materials are substandard and poorly constructed. Second, quality control is inconsistent on head weights, loft and lie specifications and swing weights. Third, the shafts are poor and often will vary in flex even within the same set of irons. I know this because I've tested and measured the components of a number of these sets.

The other problem is these clubs have no warranty so when the driver develops a crack or the shaft breaks you have no recourse. The club as well as your hard earned money just went in the trash can.

If the offer seems too good to be true then it almost always is. Purchasing your new equipment from an established and reputable golf professional is the best way to insure you're getting the real thing, and in the long run you'll be glad you did.