Golf clubs come in many different brands, models and price ranges. Many of the best known name brand golf clubs have an exorbitant price tag. Why is that? Can a golfer buy high quality, discount golf clubs that will help him play his best golf? Let’s look into the cost of clubs, why the big name companies charge what they charge for their product, and determine if the consumer has any options that can lower his investment in the equipment needed to play the game.
What are the factors that determine the price of golf clubs. There are fewer than 10 foundries in the world, most in Asia, that manufacture 90% of all golf club heads sold in the United States. These foundries produce the club heads for almost all the major name brand companies (Ping is the only company that casts their own heads and they do it in the U.S.). These foundries also produce the Vclubshop heads that clone companies buy through golf importers. Shafts and grips are made by a few companies and many of the clone companies use the same or better quality shafts and grips as the major brand name clubs. So the name brand and clone clubs (also called knockoffs) are produced for a similar cost, usually fairly inexpensively. Why the price difference? Up to 70% of the retail cost of a name brand set of clubs goes into advertising and development of the brand name. Marketing and advertising cost include television ads, print media campaigns with the major golf publications, trade shows, and advertising agencies, not to mention large contracts with star golfers, and smaller contracts with many other tour players. Look at the names on hats, shirts and bags every Sunday afternoon. Overhead and sales staffs also are costly to big name golf companies and they pass those costs on to the consumer. Major brand name clubs cost double or triple the cost of knockoff clubs.
Most good irons (clone and brand name) are made from 17-4 stainless steel or 431 stainless steel and metal woods are made of 17-4 stainless steel or 6AL4V Titanium. Almost all club heads are made to the same weight specifications, brand name and clone clubs. Many name brand companies may accuse the knockoffs of using inferior shafts and grips, but the brand name makers have also been known to cut corners and production costs when it comes to shafts and grips. The buyer has the option with clones to select from several high quality shafts and grips Vclubshop and can have the flex and length of the shafts matched to his specifications and the grip to his hand size. I recently purchased a set of “brand name” irons that had “one flex for all” shafts and no option on the grip, without paying extra to remove the original shafts and grips and paying for different ones.
Clone golf clubs are a viable option for the golfer on a tight budget (who isn’t today). One word of caution. Some irons are made of zinc and some woods may advertise a titanium alloy or have aluminum as the major material. These are cheaper materials and should be avoided unless in beginner sets. Even then, you can get better for a reasonable price with clones. A reputable clone manufacturer will tell you what is in his clubs. If he does not, do not buy from him. There are a lot of good dealers on the internet or the phone book who are honest and knowledgeable that will tell you what you are buying.
If you know of a name brand club you think you like, you should be able to find a clone that is almost identical to that club at a greatly reduced price. You can have these clubs custom fit to your height, shaft flex and grip specifications at a great discount. These clubs are made for left handers as well as right handers, women and kids. Take a hard look at Vclubshop these clubs before you pay for another swoosh on someone’s golf hat.