Companies you'll never buy clubs from

[GaijinGolfer]

I think I need to retract my previous statement somewhat. After doing a little research, I did find out they are American-owned though, so Josh is right on that one. Nike made its name as an importer of Japanese shoes.
I was always under the impression that Nike was a Japanese company.

[joshtpa]

Nike did not make its name importing Japanese shoes either. They made a name for making quality running shoes, that happened to be made in China and Taiwan.

[Lemay427]

Callaway. I used to own thier clubs but I find them ugly and I am just not a fan anymore.

That is about it. I am not close minded and will try anything (obviously, look at my bag lol)

[CPHoya]

Callaway is the only one - between that weird grip ridge and the fact that everything just LOOKS way offset, they drive me crazy.

[CosmosMpower]

MacGregor. Whenever I think about them, I think about baseball bats for some reason. Also, I don't really like Ben Hogan's. I have no idea why, though.

+1 MacGregor makes crap products for other sports and you can usually find their stuff at K-Mart, Walmart etc.

[TheGrassBends]

Wilson, Lynx or any other store brand. I feel those clubs don't allow you to look serious about your game. - But they could work very well!

[joshtpa]

I am shocked by all the Wilson comments. They have made so many great clubs over the years. (reputation only, I have never used them).

[Cody]

I am shocked by all the Wilson comments. They have made so many great clubs over the years. (reputation only, I have never used them).

Wilson Staff Ci7 won the Clubtest 2008 for best game improvement iron.

[rudygu]

I am shocked by all the Wilson comments. They have made so many great clubs over the years. (reputation only, I have never used them).

The problem is that Wilson has different lines of golf equipment. The Wilson Staff line is every bit as high quality as the major brands (Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, etc.), but the stuff they sell at Wal-mart and K-mart is cheaper and more akin to the Knight, Cougar, and Ram gear. They have different logos, websites, everything, but Wilson does a pretty poor job of marketing and making this clear.

[Harry Longshanks]

I am shocked by all the Wilson comments. They have made so many great clubs over the years. (reputation only, I have never used them).

They made a very bad marketing decision many years ago by targeting discount stores with low-end clubs to compliment their other sports lines (baseball, softball, tennis, etc). The sullied their reputation and became known as a low-end club maker. They are slowly working to repair the damage. Hence, the concerted effort to differentiate "Wilson" from "Wilson Staff" vs. and not: EDIT: rudygu beat me to it.

[Lange]

Hippo clubs i hate & top flite drivers.. as well as ping putters there awful

[joshtpa]

WOuldnt the top Wilson and bottom Wilson be the same Wilson? Just kidding Harry, great as always.

They made a very bad marketing decision many years ago by targeting discount stores with low-end clubs to compliment their other sports lines (baseball, softball, tennis, etc). The sullied their reputation and became known as a low-end club maker.

[Jordasch]

Golden Bear. Bought a brand new driver... and the head exploded on impact during my first bucket of range balls. Learn from experience, I guess.

[CoolBreeze20]

Wilson, Lynx or any other store brand. I feel those clubs don't allow you to look serious about your game. - But they could work very well!

Wow....really? You cant be a "serious" golfer unless you own "name brand" clubs?

[Lemay427]

Wow....really? You cant be a "serious" golfer unless you own "name brand" clubs?

Ya you need name brand stuff to be serious. I wasnt serious with my Brunswick clubs as a kid, that probably had 400 rounds of golf on them, until I bought name brand clubs.

[FlopShotArtist]

Golden Bear. Bought a brand new driver... and the head exploded on impact during my first bucket of range balls. Learn from experience, I guess.

Golden Bear makes many quality sets. Although I never used my Golden Bear driver.

[Bourbon and Coke]

Nike is a Japanese company.

Nike is American. Phil Knight is an Oregon grad, which is why their football team prides themselves on "never having to wear the same uniform twice." Nike provides them all of their combinations.

Please stick to the topic, josh, as the topic is not making fun of people who don't have a lot of historical knowledge about golf clubs, to which end I will say that I think Wilson irons have been used to win more majors than any other name... but not many recently.

Padraig at Carnustie last year.

[geezer]

+1 MacGregor makes crap products for other sports and you can usually find their stuff at K-Mart, Walmart etc.

I'll strongly disagree with you on that point. imo MacGregor makes some of the best clubs (in particular, the irons) that are about.