All Golf Clubs made in China? - Page 5

The reason forging and casting went away in the US is because of US trade policy with Russia and China regarding steel, Labor unions, the Social Security Administation, and the EPA.

 

The reason there are no start ups mass producing steel for Golf in the US is becasue of the EPA, the Department of Commerce, the SEC, Tax policy, and the Federal Reserve.

 

A long way of saying it's cheaper to go and too expensive to come back. The US had the highest wages (comparative) and made the cheapest goods for a very long time.

Steel did not die. The US makes the same amount of steel as it did in the 1940s, just with 75% fewer employees due to productivity improvements.

The real statistic should be the percentage of market share world wide. Staying the same in nominal terms while the market expands is the same as shrinking. 

I realize that this is an old thread, but someone might still find it relevant. I bought my PING G 15's in October of 2010. When I told the salesman at a national chain golf store that I wanted a set of  the G 15's and the reason why he tells me that they are all made in China. Well, he was partially correct - as it turned out the irons that I got that day were both made and assembled here in America. The box that they were packed in had an American flag on it as did the shaft of my 4 iron. Also, the origin of manufacture sticker on the shaft indicated that the heads and shafts of that set were USA made as well. Now my driver, fairway wood, hybrid and putter that were also bought that day are definitely made overseas.

 

Fast forward to March of this year - I mail-ordered two G 15 Lob wedges from that same chain. When the clubs arrived I found that one was made in China and the other was made in the USA as stated by the origin of manufacture stickers on the shafts. This confirmed what I was told by PING back in 2010,  'most iron production is done in China, but the Arizona foundry is put to use when there is a backlog of orders (particularly when a new model is introduced) and the Chinese facility can't handle the demand.'  
 

Bottom line, call PING and ask which model clubs are USA made and which aren't.

G10s were the last ones I saw that all appeared to be MIA.  I'd guess about 98% of current PING stock is going to be MIC.

 

USA is producing more steel now. However, you are correct, it is 20% of that in China. Generally, only higher quality steel is being made here for medical and precision machinery. I would think that China will catch up in quality within a decade or so.

 

I might be wrong, but it seems to me that the best golf clubs use low grade carbon steel. I don't know if that's because you want softer steel, whereas the typical application for steel requires harder steel. As an engineer, I find it disturbing that the best performance comes from steel I would reject for my work applications.

Downside of having clubs made in China is that the suppliers sometimes like to run a "fourth shift". After they run the order for let's say, a bunch of Callaway irons, they keep the line running for themselves. These clubs go out the back door for extra cash and into the black market. They are exactly like the "legitimate" clubs and are a big problem for the manufacturers. 

I have just recently purchased a

Ping belly putter and the head was made in China and I find no problems with it. However, I purchased some irons from China and that was the biggest mistake in my golfing career. I am an American living in Southeast Asia and most of the clubs look exactly like the real ones, however, they are copies and when I received my set of Pings from China I was actually sick!

Everything in the world was wrong with them so please do not buy anything relating to golf directly from China

. If you're going to purchase a set of clubs or balls, do it in the USA or a reputable country and not directly from China. The shafts were made in Bangladesh and they said they were project X5 .5, the heads made in China, and I have no idea where the grips came from and the rubber from the grips were coming off in my hand. The Pro V1 I purchased were non-responsive as the true Pro V1. The sales department told me they were true Pings so I say BEWARE

Sweden and Germany have great steel... I want a Swedish or German made golf club... The Muira golf clubs are all hand ground by Mr. Muira and his sons, and they are forged in Japan... They only make 3,000 clubs a year.... Best quality on the market... Mr. Muira is so particular with his clubs that True Temper DG s don't have tight enough tolerances for him, and he won't use there shafts in his clubs...

We are producing more steel, its being shipped to china :p 

 

That's why steel prices have gone up, China's boom has increased demand

 

Also note, due to federal regulations and how much USA unions have increased wages and benefits, its easier to ship steel over the china, have them make the product, then have them ship it back to the united states. Crazy stuff right there :p