| Why would anyone want to use clone golf clubs | | | | brand golf club companies. The others produce clubs |
| instead of the real brand the clones are mimicking? | | | | that sell for very low prices in department stores or |
| Obviously the answer is to save money, and that is | | | | low cost web sites, for example. They only survive |
| understandable. Drivers can easily cost $400-500, and | | | | because they can sell their output at low prices. So |
| some hybrids cost over $200 each. These days a | | | | would it be a surprise if lower quality raw materials |
| good set of clubs can be a significant investment, so | | | | were used, like scrap metal instead of carbon steel? |
| there is certainly a temptation to save money if at all | | | | Could their machines hold the same tolerances as the |
| possible. How might one approach this using clone | | | | quality foundries do? Can they afford to train their |
| golf clubs? | | | | employees to the same level? Do they use the same |
| Three Ways to Purchase Clone Golf Clubs | | | | quality golf shafts in their clubs? If they are selling |
| This article will discuss three ways to purchase clone | | | | low cost products on thin margins, they will probably |
| golf clubs. The more money one is willing to pay, the | | | | cut corners wherever possible. Let's just put it this |
| less risk there is in obtaining a high quality set. Let's | | | | way: you are not going to get a $169 club for $39, |
| examine these three approaches. | | | | no matter how much the two may be made to look |
| Purchase Ready Built Clones | | | | the same. |
| Of course you can go to one of many web sites | | | | Make Your Own Clubs |
| selling clone golf clubs and simply make a purchase. | | | | A less risky alternative is purchasing the components |
| These golf clubs often look like those from Calloway, | | | | and assembling the clubs yourself. To end up with a |
| Titleist, or other major brands, but they are | | | | higher quality product you need to be sure the heads |
| substantially less expensive. This is the most risky | | | | are manufactured in a quality foundry. There are |
| alternative. If you pay $39 for a club that looks just | | | | component suppliers who are reputable and who can |
| like a brand name club priced at $169, are you getting | | | | prove they sell top quality parts. As for shafts, there |
| the same thing? Was the club made in the same | | | | is a large component market for shafts from the top |
| factory and on the same machinery as the brand | | | | companies like Aldila, Grafalloy or True Temper, |
| name club or at another with equivalent quality? Was | | | | among many others, who supply the major brand |
| it manufactured using raw materials of the same | | | | club companies as well. Quality grips are also readily |
| quality and to the same tolerances? The chances of | | | | available. Assembling clubs and grips is not that |
| all that being the case are small. Let's examine this | | | | difficult. Golfsmith sells components and can instruct |
| for a moment. | | | | you how to do this. Not too many tools are required, |
| Outsourcing of Club Manufacturing | | | | and Golfsmith can also provide support at either their |
| The vast majority of clubs sold by the major brands | | | | retail stores or on the phone. The main problem with |
| are outsourced to factories in low wage parts of the | | | | this approach is that you need to know which |
| world. Of the less than 100 foundries in the world | | | | components to purchase, which heads, what type of |
| which make golf clubs, only a small number have the | | | | shaft, etc. This will be discussed in more detail below. |
| solid quality systems in place to interest the major | | | | |