Fake Golf Club Sellers

stockdam

Before buying your new shining set for an unbelievable price please refer to this list.


http://fakegolfclubsellers.com/#fakelist

Please add http://www.mygolfpurchase.com/ to this list as I have contacted them and they admitted that they didn't sell OEM clubs.

If you're buying from a website then ask them if the clubs are made by XXXX (Taylormade etc.). Many sites have a chat button and if you keep asking questions then they will trip themself up. Also contact the OEM and ask them to confirm if the site is selling their clubs.

A nice article showing that the welding and heat-treatment of fakes may be inferior......


http://www.golfmagic.com/equipment-news/exposing-the-secrets-of-fake-golf-clubs/6900.html


The pictures on the bottom show that fake graphite shafts may be thicker.


Some tips on buying from Ebay:

http://www.mygolfspy.com/fake-counterfeit-golf-clubs/


Licksy, do you want to add this to the sticky you have in the announcements.

istaunton

Nice post will be very helpful to most.

Cheers stockdam

couerdelion

Golfbidder.co.uk also have an article about fakes and how difficult it is to spot them in some cases...

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/golf-advice/220/avoiding-counterfeit-golf-clubs.html

It's quite scary reading!

MasterKZG

Wow...bloody scary.

Some of the differences are minimal and only a closer and trained eye would be able to spot the difference.

stockdam

Yes the differences are getting harder to detect. You need to compare with an original (and not just a photo).

A list of known crooked sellers is a great start. However Ebay is harder to monitor as there are new sellers every week or so.

Remember that the aim of the fake sellers is to give you an inferior club and to get as much money as they can by doing so. They want to cut corners and to minimise costs. Yes some of them will be able in time to exactly copy the OEM club but they will still be undercut by the ones who sell poor cheap copies. If you want cheaper clubs then try a smaller company like MD Golf.

stockdam

Note that fakes can cost as little as £3 to make but are sold for much more.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/bargains-and-rip-offs/article.html?in_article_id=496017&in_page_id=5

Also check your balls (oh err misses)....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-7C6R5f34A

Some more Ebay tips.....

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/FAKE-GOLF-CLUBS-AND-DRIVERS-ON-Ebay-TODAY_W0QQugidZ10000000004623959

I think we need a central name and shame list for Ebay (I wonder how many sellers would stay off the list).


Mizuno fakes.....

http://blog.totallydriven.com/2010/03/08/counterfeit-golf-clubs/



I'll leave you to try to guess if the following sell fake clubs:

www.golffactorystore.com
www.golfshoppingshop.com
www.igolfyoo.com
www.sunogolf.com
www.brandgolfclubs.com
www.mygolfwholesale.com
www.shoponlinewholesaler.com .... they have the lowest price "ecer".
http://www.dropship-golf.com

Contact them and ask lots of questions and ask them if their "OEM" clubs are made by the manufacturer. Ask them if they mind giving you contacting the OEM about the site selling the clubs.

More tips on spotting the fakes:

http://www.golfmagic.com/equipment-news/fake-golf-clubs-clues-to-spot-them/6415.html

http://golface.wordpress.com/2007/11/04/fake-callaways-golf-clubs-a-guide-to-finding-authentic-clubs-online-part-1/

couerdelion

stockdam wrote: »

I'll leave you to try to guess if the following sell fake clubs:

www.golffactorystore.com
www.golfshoppingshop.com
www.igolfyoo.com
www.sunogolf.com
www.brandgolfclubs.com
www.mygolfwholesale.com
www.shoponlinewholesaler.com .... they have the lowest price "ecer".
http://www.dropship-golf.com

Contact them and ask lots of questions and ask them if their "OEM" clubs are made by the manufacturer. Ask them if they mind giving you contacting the OEM about the site selling the clubs.

Are all those sites selling fakes? I saw a "sourced from the manufacturing factory" in one which shouted fake but some of the 'shops' are pretty convincing.

stockdam

couerdelion wrote: »

Are all those sites selling fakes? I saw a "sourced from the manufacturing factory" in one which shouted fake but some of the 'shops' are pretty convincing.

I'll find out if you want......I said I'd leave you to guess which ones (if any or if all) sell fake clubs.

Most have an on-line agent so I'll try one of them. I'd just say to people to be aware of the above until proven that they are genuine.

stockdam

Ok so I contacted one of the sites above and asked about some clubs.

Note that they have an ad that says Authorised Online Retailer for Callaway!!!!!!

http://www.golfshoppingshop.com

Here's what transpired; this is all you need to do to find out that they are fakes:


Worldwide Golf Shop Customer Service Online
In conversation with xxxxx


Them - "welcome to our custom service! May I help you?"
Me - In a minute
Them - "ok"
Me - I'm looking for a set of Callaway Diablo Edge Irons.....how much are they?
Them - "The price on website is final"
Me - Ok let me find them
Me - Are these from Callaway?
Them - "To be frank, our clubs are not100% original brand products, because they are not assembled and processed by the original brand company. But their quality and performance are as well as the original ones, costing much less"
Me - Ok thanks - so they are not real Callaway irons.
Them - "It can be said that."
Me - Ok I think I know what you mean. I'm only interested in OEM Callaway clubs and not copies.
Them - "ok"
Me -Thanks for your help



So that's all you need to do it online. It's easy when they have an online assistant.......just ask if they are made by the OEM. You can see that she admitted that they were not 100% OEM - err in other words they are 100% fake.

Somebody else can try the rest of the online shops in the list.

Anyone who is looking at these sites with very good prices should do what I just did. A reputable supplier will jump down your throat when you imply that they are fakes.

couerdelion

Another for the list... www.golfwholesaleshop.com

"Are the clubs you are offering from hong kong 100% genuine. what kind of prices are we talking about."
"We can gurantee the quality of our products,as our manufacture also offer the clubs to the brand company."

so they aren't the genuine article.

Trekker09

Great work guys, but what I don't understand is why are the likes of Calloway and TM etc not going after these guys if it's so easy to identify that they're selling fakes?

neckedit

Trekker09 wrote: »

Great work guys, but what I don't understand is why are the likes of Calloway and TM etc not going after these guys if it's so easy to identify that they're selling fakes?

Callaway, as an example have a litigation dept that are constantly chasing down these manufacturers and websites and spend millions in patent litigation every year, the problem is people still buy them and as long as there is demand people will still supply,obviously this is all calculated into the costs of the equipment. Its always buyer beware but I think a little bit of cop on from the buyer needs to be applied, eg if you know a set of x-22 cost in all the highstreet stores for an average of €499, and superduppercheapogolfstoreonlinegenuinegallowaysite.com are selling the same for $199 inc a tour bag etc etc etc.....alarm bells gotta be ringing!

couerdelion

neckedit wrote: »

Callaway, as an example have a litigation dept that are constantly chasing down these manufacturers and websites and spend millions in patent litigation every year, the problem is people still buy them and as long as there is demand people will still supply,obviously this is all calculated into the costs of the equipment. Its always buyer beware but I think a little bit of cop on from the buyer needs to be applied, eg if you know a set of x-22 cost in all the highstreet stores for an average of €499, and superduppercheapogolfstoreonlinegenuinegallowaysite.com are selling the same for $199 inc a tour bag etc etc etc.....alarm bells gotta be ringing!

Some of the fake sites have cottoned on to this though and are now only just under cutting the real club selles so as not to be so obvious.

The cop on has got to be more about why a buyer would want to buy a set of €99 golf clubs for €300. Are people that brand concious on the fairway that they would do this? Surely the idea of new clubs is to improve your game rather than make it worse?

neckedit

couerdelion wrote: »

Some of the fake sites have cottoned on to this though and are now only just under cutting the real club selles so as not to be so obvious.

The cop on has got to be more about why a buyer would want to buy a set of €99 golf clubs for €300. Are people that brand concious on the fairway that they would do this? Surely the idea of new clubs is to improve your game rather than make it worse?

I don't understand your point, sorry. No body would pay €300 for a set of €99 clubs, did I suggest this? And yes, golfers are generally very very brand conscious, and of course the idea is to improve rather than to make their game worse, where did I suggest any of this to the contrary?

stockdam

I think couerdelion's point is that the fake sites are pushing their prices up to make us think they are the real McCoy. They are selling for say $100 less per set rather than half-price etc. So they are adjusting their prices upwards.

He (?) is also suggesting that we are paying $300 for a set that is only worth $90....well I think that's his point.

stockdam

Trekker09 wrote: »

Great work guys, but what I don't understand is why are the likes of Calloway and TM etc not going after these guys if it's so easy to identify that they're selling fakes?

Callaway can't do much about goods supplied from China........all they can do is lobby the US government to put pressure on China.

What they should do however is to list all the sites that don't sell OEM clubs........or list those that do.

stockdam

An interesting article about fake sports shoes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/magazine/22fake-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

PhilipMarlowe

Just a For Your Information point that some people might not know:
You will sometimes see or read talk of "Forged Irons" and this isn't to do with them being fake copies but is in reference to how they are manufactured.
Most irons are "cast" in that liquid steel is poured into a mould but "forged" irons are pressed from solid steel. Clubs made in this way tend to be high-end models.
Here's a video explaining the process of 'forging'.
http://www.mizunousa.com/images/video/forging_feature/forging.html

Sandwlch

Licksy wrote: »

Here's a video explaining the process of 'forging'.
http://www.mizunousa.com/images/video/forging_feature/forging.html

Licksy, so is a 'forgery' nothing to be worried about - just a place where these kinds of clubs are made ?;)

Murphy1976

"Dear sir,
Thank you for your interests in our clubs. Two reasons contribute to the competitive price. Firstly, we delivery the clubs directly from the OEM factory, which saves our cost; Secondly, we are in the period of exploiting our market worldwide.
If you have any inquires,please feel free to contact us.
Regards,
Miranda"

All I can say is, I am so glad that I have done some homework and read forums like this one before jumping on a "too good to be true" price.

Thank you.

P.S. beware of the Engrish used!!

stockdam

Murphy1976 wrote: »

"Dear sir,
Thank you for your interests in our clubs. Two reasons contribute to the competitive price. Firstly, we delivery the clubs directly from the OEM factory, which saves our cost; Secondly, we are in the period of exploiting our market worldwide.
If you have any inquires,please feel free to contact us.
Regards,
Miranda"

All I can say is, I am so glad that I have done some homework and read forums like this one before jumping on a "too good to be true" price.

Thank you.

P.S. beware of the Engrish used!!

Ask Miranda who makes the clubs.....are they made by Callaway (or whoever)? OEM just means Original Equipment Manufacturer and if they are fakes then the factory is the "OEM of the fake" (not the OEM referred to by the logo). If you keep on asking the right questions then they will probably admit that they are equivalent in performance and quality to the original clubs.

berty sligo

just bought clubs from http://www.nordicagolf.co.uk/ . bought clones, driver 3 wood rescue 5, and irons with titanium insert 4 - sw. 550 with fitting and delivery, really no difference of the clubs they imitate minus the brand name

stockdam

berty sligo wrote: »

just bought clubs from http://www.nordicagolf.co.uk/ . bought clones, driver 3 wood rescue 5, and irons with titanium insert 4 - sw. 550 with fitting and delivery, really no difference of the clubs they imitate minus the brand name

This thread is not about clones. Clones try to "resemble" brand names but by law they have to have several differences and obviously they cannot pretend to be the brand they are trying to resemble. They have their own brand name so although they may look similar to say Callaway, they won't say Callaway on the club.

Fake clubs are those that try to copy the design, name and logo to fool the buyer into thinking they are buying the real brand whereas they aren't.

berty sligo

sound stockdam, thanks for pointing that out, just trying to tell people how happy i am with clubs

golfone

I get fake clubs all the time in my shop which have broke after a couple of shots. Cheap copies which are very similar to original makes. Talented guys who ever makes them, but cheap and not durable!!