Clone golf irons

CornyGolfer · November 7, 2010

I recently found an add on kijiji for a guy selling new PING G15 "clone" irons.

I went to look at the irons and the guy said that they have the same specs as the real G15's but without the price. The irons looked just like the real ones with the same markings.

Does anybody know anything about"clones" particularly G15 clones?

**Zach Attack** · November 7, 2010

I know that you would be taking a huge risk

**Mac62** · November 7, 2010

All I need to know about them is that it's copyright/patent infringement and it's wrong. That's reason enough that I wouldn't buy/use them. I've played plenty of "knockoff" clubs, but there's a difference between legally copying a successful design (done in virtually every product field) and ripping people off by "cloning" their product - right down to the brand names and markings. They're representing themselves as something they're not. As Zach said, you'd be taking a huge risk.

CornyGolfer · November 8, 2010

So you guys are saying that they wouldn't have the same feel as the real G15's even if the design is successfully copied.
He wanted $275 for the set, would I be better of spending $350 on a set of authentic demo's?

**bigoak** · November 8, 2010

better off with demos. you don't know the metal used for the heads and what kind of shafts. it is meant to "look alike" but not to the high standards of Ping Manuf. plus if it is a clone then the R&D; of Ping is not necessarily plugged in.

**Mac62** · November 8, 2010

So you guys are saying that they wouldn't have the same feel as the real G15's even if the design is successfully copied.

They may, or they may not. The question is whether you want to risk $275 for a set of clubs that may turn out to be total junk. You'd have no recourse whatsoever - he told you they're clones, so you know that up front, and Ping certainly wouldn't offer any type of support for cloned clubs (which they'd spot in a heartbeat if you went to them).

He wanted $275 for the set, would I be better of spending $350 on a set of authentic demo's?

If it was my money, there's not a doubt in my mind I'd pony up the extra 75 bucks for a set I knew was legitimate.

**WUTiger** · November 8, 2010

An additional benefit of going with "real" clubs: When it comes time to switch sets, brand-name can be traded in. You'll own the brand X forever.

**delav** · November 8, 2010

So you guys are saying that they wouldn't have the same feel as the real G15's even if the design is successfully copied.

Even for $275, you can find an outstanding set of used premium clubs. Iron technology really isn't as rapidly developing as the companies would like you to think... there are dozens of excellent sets worth playing from the last 10 years.

If you're a ping guy, browse for a set of g5's or g10's.

CornyGolfer · November 8, 2010

Those are all good points. The only thing I know for sure about them is that they have genuine ping shafts. I'll take all those points into consideration when making my decision.

**sean_miller** · November 8, 2010

Those are all good points. The only thing I know for sure about them is that they have genuine ping shafts. I'll take all those points into consideration when making my decision.

They sound like genuine crap, but it's your money.

**leo3** · November 8, 2010

Those are all good points. The only thing I know for sure about them is that they have genuine ping shafts. I'll take all those points into consideration when making my decision.

Fake heads with "real" shafts?? I would doubt that.

**sjsconcepts** · November 12, 2010

It depends on what you want. You don't have to buy clones to get a decent club. Check out gigagolf and such if you know your measurements. There are off brand clubs that aren't clones. Or buy an old set off craigslist and reshaft them. Thats fun to me. I will be buying a set of clubs, in component form to build my wife a set of clubs. I also plan on doing local tournements and such, and wanted a PROVIN quality club. There is cheap quality stainless steel, and good quality stainless. I say spend the extra little bit and you will not have to question your desicion.

**SouthernILGolfer** · November 12, 2010

My irons are similar to Taylormade R7 irons and I paid a fraction of what R7's would have cost($75+$10 shipping for 5-pw, brand new). Have been playing them for 2+years and appear to be well made and should last for many more years. If the clones are very close in price to the real thing, where's the benefit? For what I paid for mine, I can play them for a couple more years, buy something new and either sell these to a friend or yard sale or just put them away as a spare set and I would have gotten my money's worth. I bought them from a company called golfballx, was one of their ebay listings but they have their own store as well. They dont normally have deals like that anymore, but usually for around $100 or a little more, you can get a good set of irons. GigaGolf is good as well as I considered them at the time as well but this was a better deal and just the irons i was looking for.

**Joeyvee** · November 12, 2010

Southern used the perfect word in his description. A FRACTION. Clones or bootlegs, knockoffs, fakes whatever you want to call them should be 10% of a new price. Not 80%. I would buy em for $50 maybe for the hell of it. or look around until you can find a real set of pings for $275. Shoot. G10s are damned good irons if youre a ping guy. I am not. But a LARGE percentage of golfers are for good reason.

holybull · November 12, 2010

Pick it up, you could have the next Scotty Cameron in your possession.

**CrazyXGolfer** · November 12, 2010

Please don't by copies, you will regret it 100% Most copies are going to be very poor made even if they do look like the real thing. And they would not have the real ping shftas in them, I could almost be 100% certain on that.

**SouthernILGolfer** · November 12, 2010

Southern used the perfect word in his description. A FRACTION. Clones or bootlegs, knockoffs, fakes whatever you want to call them should be 10% of a new price. Not 80%. I would buy em for $50 maybe for the hell of it. or look around until you can find a real set of pings for $275. Shoot. G10s are damned good irons if youre a ping guy. I am not. But a LARGE percentage of golfers are for good reason.

I think at the time I bought mine, R7 steel shaft irons were going for about $300 new, so I basically got mine for 75% off. Not everyone can afford to buy a new set of $400-$500 or more set of irons but I cant see paying anywhere near that for knockoffs. Buy what you can afford now, save your money and become a better player and then later on reward yourself with a better set. There are plenty of used sets on ebay or look on craigslist or your local golf stores, usually will be some trade-ins that are still in good shape.

**rego** · November 13, 2010

Buy the demo or a used set, clones are made with crap metal, 2 rounds in they can fall apart, the shafts are likely to be poorly made as well. I can't see any reason for buying clones. No re-sale value, more than likely to break, dodgy shafts. Can anyone come up with a positive for buying clones?

For the amount you will spend you can get a used set in good condition g10's.

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