Clone Club's

[kobbsno10]

Have any of you guy's ever tried a clone club, be it a driver or a set of iron's?
What's your opinion of them, a bargain club or a cheap bad quality rip off of the top brands?

[markTHEblake]

IMHO clubs that are made to look alike a major brand, both in shape and logo should be avoided. It seems to me with those that the design focus is not quality. Not to mention the image factor when your golf mates notice the cheap copies you have.

Otherwise most clubs including major brands are copies of something else, so a no name club that looks similar, should not be discounted for that reason alone.

[virge666]

Yeah - Me with Blakey.

They rarely play or feel like what they were copied off.

And for the price - buy something here off a member . . .

The Tourstage Z101's for example.. he would take $300 and you could play those clubs for years. You can adjust lie and length and pretty much do whatever you like to them to suit you.

By the time you assemble them - you will be up for similar money and have no where near the quality nor resale.

That's my 2 cents...

[BrisWesty]

Perfectly happy with my clones.

"Cloneliness is next to Godliness?"

[goughy]

It's up to the individual I hate to say.

I was big into components/clones a few years ago. Custom made blah blah blah. Basically had a full bag of them, and I won't do it again.

But there are component manufacturers that have their own designs/products. Alpha, SMT etc. That stuff can be ok, just ask Jono!

[3oneday]

I got a set off the same place Briswesty did, www.alternativegolf.com.au. Chris is a great guy. I played a set of Nike ProCombo clones, the guys I played with reckon they were better than the originals... some of the best clubs I ever owned :)

[Toolish]

I have a 3 wood that was a clone of a callaway steelhead plus, and it went ok...that said I would not buy a clone again. Components yes, clone no, purely because as Virge says the focus is on looks not performance

[virge666]

I got a set off the same place Briswesty did, www.alternativegolf.com.au (http://www.alternativegolf.com.au). Chris is a great guy. I played a set of Nike ProCombo clones, the guys I played with reckon they were better than the originals... some of the best clubs I ever owned :)

Well then - you keep the pro combo clones - i will get the I-10's.

I reckon $350 is a fair price . . . :wink:

[3oneday]

I reckon $350 is a fair price . . . :wink:I agree....

What do you think is fair for the 8,9,p and u ?

;)

[virge666]

I agree....

What do you think is fair for the 8,9,p and u ?

;)


Nice one . . . I got nothing.

:smt038

[leighthebee]

I have a moral issue with a company that doesn't come up with its own ideas. At least change it enough to look like its yours.

What was that King Cobra rip-off driver in the 90's. King Snake or something.

Pathetic.

[3oneday]

Scotty Cameron as well ? there seems to be the perception that he copies off Ping.


:lol:

[leighthebee]

for certain 3.

the only way they could get Tiger to change was to rip the Anser design PERFECTLY.

close enough wasn't good enough.

never had a Scotty in my bag and never will. it defies logic that someone can steal a design AND then charge three times for it AND that people are prepared to pay the premium!!

I had an Anser2 'til the Monza Corza came out which has been in it since (man I hope the Corza aint ripped. :-)

I checked the "alternative golf" site and why anyone would pay 600 bucks for ripped irons beggars belief. The thing that sums it up for me is the fact that they will compromise the heads, but use genuine shafts and grips. Says it all for me really.

He might be a great guy, or a great company with great service. But they'd need to be to create a unique selling position when what they sell is rubbish.

[chappy1970]

I have a moral issue with a company that doesn't come up with its own ideas. At least change it enough to look like its yours.

What was that King Cobra rip-off driver in the 90's. King Snake or something.

Pathetic.

Crown Viper I believe

[Grunt]

A mate had King Snakes, only recently upgraded to Callaway copies from Hong Kong.

[leighthebee]

Crown Viper I believe

there was more than one? :shock:

shouldn't be surprised, it was a great driver

[leighthebee]

A mate had King Snakes, only recently upgraded to Callaway copies from Hong Kong.

Heh. that makes me chuckle. I'd use Brosnan before Cally copies.

My personal opinion of course

[markTHEblake]

I checked the "alternative golf" site and why anyone would pay 600 bucks for ripped irons beggars belief..

I dont see the difference in paying $600 for a ripped design or a unique one.

Both can be a good or bad quality club, and its a fallacy to say that a ripped design is of a lesser quality, that is just hype from the marketing department of the big brands.

[leighthebee]

MtheB, I can see four statements in your reply to mine and I disagree with all 4 of them.

But we'll have to agree to disagree as I'm guessing neither will sway the other.

[kobbsno10]

I use a copy of the Nike Sasquatch Sumo only because I just cant afford the real thing right now, but I would defiently say that if I had the cash I would go with the real deal, although propably not the sasquatch after using this club as I'm sick of the look of it!

[leighthebee]

I use a copy of the Nike Sasquatch Sumo only because I just cant afford the real thing right now, but I would defiently say that if I had the cash I would go with the real deal, although propably not the sasquatch after using this club as I'm sick of the look of it!

and i think that hits the nail on the head.

[markTHEblake]

MtheB, I can see four statements in your reply to mine and I disagree with all 4 of them.

Well you did appear to make a truth claim that copies of originals are inferior quality, however I dont believe that you can apply that globally to all copies.

[leighthebee]

My opinion only. Personally I think they are.

Whats the quality control on a clone? Surely not as strict as the major manufacturer's?

[markTHEblake]

Whats the quality control on a clone? Surely not as strict as the major manufacturer's?

The Scotty Camerons seem to be a high quality build?

[leighthebee]

Cameron's aren't marketed along the lines of "getting ripped off" by the major manufacturer's like clones are, or "you are only paying for a name" etc. Cameron is a major manufacturer. I'm sure they are quality assured.

In Cameron's instance, I'm not having a go at their quality, I don't like their design theft. I just don't see the point of buying a look-alike Anser for 350 when you can get a genuine Anser for half that. I think the detour was the first original design I saw from them and wasn't that a hit.

Now going back to alternativegolf. The "Henry Hatton" forged cavity irons seem to bear a striking resemblance to Miura CB301's. Are you going to tell me they are of similar quality. I hope not.

Like I said, its my personal opinion, you are more than welcome to yours. My personal game is so mental that the slightest doubt can ruin my shots and my day. I love the game one shot and detest it the next.

But despite the marketing "hype", I know for a fact the Titleist, Taylor-Made and Ping etc make quality gear. Unknown clones I cannot be sure of, therefore will NEVER factor in my golf game. Will it cost me more money, definitely; do I care, not one bit.

[markTHEblake]

Cameron is a major manufacturer. I'm sure they are quality assured.

You seem to be saying that ripped off golf clubs are rubbish unless they were ripped off by major manufacturers. What about the minor manufacturers.

So where do we draw the line?


The "Henry Hatton" forged cavity irons seem to bear a striking resemblance to Miura CB301's. Are you going to tell me they are of similar quality. I hope not.

I reckon some of the Titleists look like Miura's too


But despite the marketing "hype", I know for a fact the Titleist, Taylor-Made and Ping etc make quality gear.

I could show you a set of custom made factory ordered Titleist irons that cost around $2k (inc 2 woods), that all the swingweights are way out, the flex vary from R to way off the scale beyond X, and a 9 iron that is 1 deg different to the wedge. (well i could if he hadn't of lost his wedge). Only 1 club matched the desired spec - the 1 iron.

Yeah - great quality that. (sorry BV you know I cant stop sayin it)


Unknown clones I cannot be sure of, therefore will NEVER factor in my golf game. Will it cost me more money, definitely

Titleist et al will never factor in my golf game either, because quality assurance is simply not there.

[leighthebee]

So where do we draw the line?

I said previously I didn't like Camerons either


I reckon some of the Titleists look like Miura's too

your opinion

I could show you a set of custom made factory ordered Titleist irons that cost around $2k (inc 2 woods), that all the swingweights are way out, the flex vary from R to way off the scale beyond X, and a 9 iron that is 1 deg different to the wedge. (well i could if he hadn't of lost his wedge). Only 1 club matched the desired spec - the 1 iron.

an exception to the rule no doubt. more a case of poor assembly rather than poor components i would guess. a reason why I don't like clones. one more stage for a variable. and a 1 iron? how long ago are we talking here. back in the time when clones were even worse than they are now?

Titleist et al will never factor in my golf game either, because quality assurance is simply not there.

then QA is nowhere for anyone then, so no clubs would meet your standards. :)