Need advice - Shaft rust on all of my 6 month old irons.

[hyrola]

Hey guys,

I've just been dealing with the golf shop i bought my cleveland cg7 irons from. I seem to be getting the run around and now have to wait till the Cleveland rep can come out and see the clubs for himself.

In short, i bought these cg7 irons just over 6 months ago. I've had only two rounds in the rain since owning them and that was recently.

I wiped off each club quickly after the round before putting back in the car as best as i could.

Last Sunday i noticed that every single iron, 4i - lob wedge had rust spots developing in quite a few places on the shafts. I also have a cleveland classic putter that actually has rust spots alot worse than the others, its all over the shaft up and down.

I keep my clubs in the house at all times (never garage or leave in the car).

The heads of the clubs are perfectly fine. NO rust at all to be seen.

So what i want to know is this, do i have grounds that these shafts are faulty being still quite new? Could the past couple of rainy rounds been the culprit and i didnt clean them off properly and dry them?

It's quite disheartening to see your clubs with rust spots all over every single steel shaft (not one iron is without rust). Especially when i take decent care of them and store them inside.

The cleveland rep is coming out next tuesday to see them, but i already rang cleveland just for advice and he said that's odd that every shaft has rusted but its generally considered as general wear and tear! So im doubtful on what the rep is going to say.

I looked at a few mates clubs over the weekend and not one of their shafts had rust spots on them and they treat their clubs like shit.

How would you guys proceed if you were in my shoes. Should i just try and clean them off with autosol or something? Or try and get a refund and buy a better set of irons, ie. Wait for the cleveland reps opinion to see if i can get a store credit.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered!

[Webster]

Sounds to me like you didn't dry them properly.

[matty]

I've played in the rain a few times with mine and haven't really dried my clubs at all and haven't got any rust spots on the shafts. Sounds weird they rust that easy.

[hyrola]

I just don't think its right either for them to rust this bad in such a short period of time with only two rounds played in the rain. I have a buggy with umbrella holder and i had that over the clubs and the bag was totally dry after too.

One of my mates has played heaps of rounds in the wet over the years, he never even dries them and his clubs are spotless on the shafts still.

So i guess the question now for you guys, has any one else had this happen to their clubs? I just don't know if its normal or not for shafts to develop rust spots if they aren't dried properly. Is this a rule of thumb?

I still think ill just take them in to the rep and make sure im there to see him when he is speaking with the shop owner regarding this matter. They wanted me to just leave them the clubs the day before so the rep could see them when he got there, but i want to be there now.

[TourFit]

Sounds like a bad batch of chroming by True Temper...

Surface water should NOT rust the outside of a chromed shaft. Rust usually happens either on the untreated INSIDE (and weakens the shaft over time), or on the outside surface before they are chromed. The oxidation will then cause the chrome to peel FROM UNDERNEATH!!

I would be quite firm with the Rep, that you do look after them and point out there is NO rust on the heads whatsoever. Get them to reshaft the irons at their cost (which for a company like Cleveland is not THAT much!)

[McMw]

Get them to reshaft the irons at their cost (which for a company like Cleveland is not THAT much!)

prob cheaper and less hassle for the REP to just replace with a new set won't you think???

the amount of time they're gonna dick u around with taking the clubs off you, and sending them back to god-knows-where, then shipped back to the store...not worth ur time...
I would ask for a straight swap!!!

[hyrola]

Yeah i will not accept them being sent off and waiting for weeks for them to come back to me.

I hope that is what it is, a bad batch of chroming. I mean look at some of the older cars out there, with chrome plated bumpers... many many years on and they are still looking nice. They sit in the rain etc.

If possible i will try and get a refund/credit and go with a different set of clubs al together so as not to risk it happening again.

[BayBum]

Clevelands fault.Dont let them bully you round m8.Keep us posted :)

[hyrola]

Yeah thanks Bay, i'll update thread after i meet up with the rep. They won't bully me around, if they try and bullshit me I'll just get his details and tell him to expect a call from the ACCC shortly :) I'm sure it won't come to that though.

I'm a pretty reasonable guy, good natured... but i also don't take lightly to being ****ed around. One way or the other we will come to an agreement where I'm happy, as a consumer.

[Scottt]

Upset about rust spots on your shaft? Wear a raincoat when you play the back nine. Sorted.

[CobraSS]

Upset about rust spots on your shaft? Wear a raincoat when you play the back nine. Sorted.

Is a raincoat recommended apparel in muddy conditions Scottt?

[hyrola]

Preferably ripped raincoats so you can get traction in the mud.

[CobraSS]

Preferably ripped raincoats so you can get traction in the mud.

ribbed? ripped and you'll get mud on your shaft, and then you got those rust spot problems all over again that started this thread............

[hyrola]

i meant ribbed! Stupid keyboard.

[TourFit]

b is a LONG way from p on a keyboard...

[hyrola]

i drink alot.

[dean0820]

saw a guy on the mizuno forum with the same problem with TT shafts.
i play TT, have never wiped them in 10 years and still no rust.
must be a bad batch. hope the rep sets you up with newies.
make sure you don't admit to using any wd40 or anything other than wiping.

[Courty]

Rust on shafts in part of life here in the humid tropics. Over time I have learnt to extend their life by wiping them down with Lanolin Oil once in a while.

[hyrola]

I just found that post about the mizuno rust too... Sounds the same as mine. I haven't used any wd etc on it. I've just kept my clubs clean by wiping them down after every round with a towel.

That is all.

I definately think its a defect. I did read on that forum too the following which is good to know:

SALE OF GOODS ACT

note also point 4 under key facts:

"It is the seller, not the manufacturer, who is responsible if goods do not conform to contract."

Again, i'd say go back to the retail outlet from which you purchased the clubs and take it up with them. It's their job to resolve the problem to your satisfaction. No point faffing around with Mizuno direct.

Im just worried they will only offer me a reshaft and not new clubs which would then mean i am without clubs for a while.

I am hopefully going to use this as a good chance to upgrade my clubs now. I dont mind the cg7's, they feel ok but might go for something properly fitted to me. I would keep playing with them for a long time i reckon if this rust business didn't come up though.

Might go some titlelist MB blades, ill probably ruin my game badly with them but they will look sexy in the bag. lol.

[hyrola]

So update, and i'm really pissed off right now. I dropped the clubs off on Monday as the rep was coming out to see them on Tuesday. I get no call on Tuesday, nor on Wednesday. I go in this morning on the way into work.

I am told the rep took the clubs for further inspection and they reckon rust isn't covered and they will wipe them down for me and treat them..

I told the guy i am not accepting anything less than a re shaft. There is no way these should be rusting in such a short time and I've always kept them inside! Wiped them off really well after the two raining rounds I've played in.

I told them i keep them in my room, and even if there is a bit of moisture in the room which all houses would have to an extent, how does it rust this easily!

So now waiting to here back from shop after they speak with the rep again.

Either way this sucks. I have finals for the year on this Sunday and i won't have my clubs for it. Have to borrow some off a mate.

[macjackass]

Where did you buy them from?

[hyrola]

Haven't updated thread in a bit. Cleveland have agreed now to reshaft them free of charge. Only issue is they don't have any of the shafts in stock so wont be able to do it till early January. I've requested for True Temper Golds to be put in, i said i'd pay the difference. I'm over it now, just want my clubs back and not to have to worry about them rusting again.

The shop i bought them from has actually been quite good, ringing me nearly every day just to give me an update etc.

Hopefully have my clubs back for next week, playing Long reef.

[dean0820]

glad to hear things are headed in the right direction.
having returned to australia recently, i hafta say we really struggle at customer service.
had this been in usa or japan for example, you would have had new clubs within the week.

[golfbound]

Thats good they are replacing the shafts. Long Reef is a nice track gets a little windy in the arvo though.

[hyrola]

Yep i love long reef. It's great early mornings, and yep the wind can make things challenging. If i played there regularly id be getting a much lower loft driver.

I definately agree on the customer service comment, everything i ever have to deal with customer service wise gives me a headache in this country. The shop has actually been quite good though. It's a rarity to come out happy after something goes wrong with a product in Australia.

[Jontea]

What were the original shafts in the clubs ? Everyone so far have inferred or guessed that the original shafts are TTs. You didn't mention in your post the brand of shafts to this point.