Are expensive clubs just hype?

I am under the impression that brand name clubs offer NO additional benefits compared with the lower level clubs.  I unknowingly ordered a fake Taylormade Burner driver off the internet.  I then got the real thing from the store expecting my drives to improve.  We'll I didn't notice anything, so I took them to the driving range and compared them both directly.  I honestly didn't notice any difference and if anything my counterfeit version was better.   Remember that it was a counterfeit club, not even a cheaper brand name club. This tells me that all you are paying for is marketing and the name.

People say that the more expensive clubs are made with better materials, but I am skeptical that this is true or that the materials make a difference.  I have read articles that say that most clubs are made by the same people in the same factories with the same materials, so I'm assuming that my counterfeit club was made in the same or similar factory in China with the same materials.  I mean if most of the cost of the club is just costs of marketing and branding, then the similar performance for the price would make sense.  I mean that's the whole point of marketing isn't it?  You don't get any added performance value when you pay for marketing. And I don't buy the nonsense that if I was a better player I would notice a difference.  The higher level players simply have more consistency than most amateurs.  For example, I can have an awesome drive one hit, but I choke on the fairway or green, or vice versa.  So when I go to the driving range some of my hits will be perfect, right on the sweet spot and straight.  Even those hits showed no difference.  I also kid of feel that a lot of people get their egos tied up into how expensive their clubs are and are threatened if you challenge their "investment."

If you buy counterfeits - I really hope you end up unemployed and replaced by someone in asia that works for half of your salary.

If the head falls off on the 6th hole one day, dont cry to anyone.

I wish you would take the time to read and comprehend my post before you ignorantly respond.  I said that I unknowingly bought a counterfit.  I was ripped off.  I also stated that both real and counterfit clubs are made overseas.  On another note, if clubs were made in America the labor costs would be so much higher that no one could afford the clubs, so minimal additional jobs manufacturing them would be made anyways.

I did read it - 3 times - just to realize that you were sticking up for counterfeits. As long as you can sleep at night, I guess that is all that matters.......

I don't think expensive clubs are necessarily hype, but an expensive set of clubs might not be the best clubs for you.  I could go out and buy and brand new $1000+ set of blades and probably hit them like crap, just because I don't hit in the 70's and they aren't the clubs for me.  I will say that when I was young, I played with an old, hand-me-down set of Wilson clubs that felt about as good as hitting an aluminum baseball bat against a brick wall.  Even good shots hurt sometimes.  I was then give a set of Cobra "knock offs" in my twenties which actually improved my game, but I really didn't have high confidence in them overall.  Then, 10 years ago I played my Dad's new Ping's one day and I was like, "Holy $#*%, what the heck have I been doing all these years."  I could notice an immediate difference, way more forgiving and really felt good to hit.  I switched over to some older Pings and loved them ever since.  I think you're better off buying 10-20 year old "good" irons than buying brand new off-brand junk.  I have tried many drivers, and the best feeling one's are always the top brands ($300+ ones usually).  I've never paid that much for one though, thanks to eBay.

Just because you read something three times doesn't mean you comprehend it.  It is obvious by your knee jerk response that you do not understand what was written. Are you seriously under the impression that your Nike, Nickent and Titleist club components were all manufactured in America?  Or that anyone who buys anything made overseas deserves to "end up unemployed"?  I hope you don't vote.  OP clearly stated the he did not intend to purchase a counterfeit, how could you have missed that?  He is simply asking if anyone else agrees that a non-brand name club of quality compares to a name brand one.  I for one think that the quality difference is often negligible, and the difference,s if any, are all mental.

It looks more likely that you may be the illiterate one.

After this genius was bright enough to buy counterfeits by accident, he trolls on about how they are they are just as good as name brands.

It has nothing to do with whatever country the clubs are made from, counterfeit is counterfeit - and it's supporters get what they deserve.

I think what the OP said and what he meant aren't the same thing. Counterfeits are bogus and some components are too, but I've played some OEM gear that I'd say was just plain garbage too. I do know that when I pick up 20+ year old clubs at pawn shops, the quality stuff (like top quality forged blade) still feels good enough to play, whereas the cheaper stuff usually feels like it should just be thrown in the dumpster.

Regardless of how he came into possession of said club, how is it that his findings regarding the quality were illegitimate?  I don't see where he is supporting counterfeit clubs, all I see is that he is asking if the name brand really makes a difference.  I guess I'm just illiterate, though.

So it is your opinion that 20+ year old "cheaper stuff" feels like it should be thrown away.  Noted.  Thank you.

BTW I wonder if everyone is aware that there are more than just name brand clubs, or counterfeit clubs. Its not so black and white. There are lesser known brands or "generic" clubs as well that are completely legitimate.

For the most part no.  Generic brands lack the money and research and development.  The materials, production process, and quality control will generally be better with name brand equipment.  Counterfeit clubs or knock offs may perform well, but they present a risk to consumers.  If your clubs work, good for you.  But as a consumer I would not knowingly take that chance.

Let me educate you again.  There is a significant black market on ebay for counterfrit and stolen items.  As much as %25 of clubs sold on ebay are counterfeit and it can be next to impossible to tell the difference unless you have a trained eye.  I found out because my shaft broke, and then I took it in to get repaired and they told me the serial number didn't match up.  I wasn't necessarily supporting counterfeit clubs, rather I was questioning expensive brand name clubs.  I was simply stating the reality of my experience.  Plus if you had half a brain you could figure out that since I went out and bought the real club after I found out it was counterfeit, that I am clearly not supporting counterfeit clubs. I mean why would I knowingly buy a counterfit club and then buy the same real version?  You care clearly one of those people that I described at the end of my first post.  What else could I expect from a man with Cartmen as his icon.  LOL

What type of player are you and how long have you been playing?

Can you discern differences between clubs?

Have you reviewed a lot of clubs?

I've hit clubs from multiple clone (not counterfeit) companies, Pinemeadow as well as Diamond Tour, and have been impressed. Great irons that are comparable to the real thing. I've used my set from Diamond Tour a bunch and they have been great, couldn't be happier with them.

Yep. Lots of players can't tell the difference between similar GI clubs. And if they can, it's subtle and likely not a performance-changing difference. I think just about anyone can benefit from a putter that matches their preferences. But drivers? The purely struck ball will behave differently between different drivers, but not only is that shot rare, I doubt they'd be able to tell. I honestly don't think most 20+ HDCP golfers would be able to tell a difference based purely on results. I remember demoing several drivers early last year when I was looking to buy my first "name brand" driver. Before that I had just used the driver that came with my start $100 golf set (that I got before I had actually played the game). I went in and got a bunch of used drivers and hit them, and while I could tell a difference in shaft length, for the large part I realized that there was minimal difference I could feel in the actual driver. So I did some research and found a very forgiving, used driver for about $60. I honestly don't think my results would be much different with any other forgiving driver. The results were better than my previous driver, but that was due to the [i]drastically[/i] different head and shaft. I say that you should pay for what you can feel. I don't like the idea of supporting counterfeiters, but that's on principle, not because they're guaranteed to produce poorer shots. (The OP wasn't about where the cheaper clubs come from.) Playing name-brand vs cheap clubs (regardless of their origin) is something that I think only matters if you can actually tell it matters, and it's not likely a player will be able to tell much difference at 20+. Not that they shouldn't buy whatever they want, regardless of price, of course.

You cant have it both ways. First you are skeptical that there is a difference between name brands and counterfeits. Then you found out it was fake because the shaft broke. Now I really question the point of this thread.

to the OP...at your suggested/posted handicap of '100' i highly doubt you'd know the difference, even if the club had no labels on it. if you buy a fake by being duped, fine, it happens...if you buy one because you think they have no difference, you're a fool. save your time thought on this issue and spend it at the range...then maybe you'd feel the difference ;)