how do i know if a club is a clone

[peteybird19]

I have bids on a couple clubs on ebay. How do I know they're clones?

[joshtpa]

I would just make sure you are buying from a reputable dealer from there.

[cyclonez7]

Ask the seller for the serial number of the club

[Spectrums]

We can help you if you give us a link or pics.

[Harry Longshanks]

I have bids on a couple clubs on ebay. How do I know they're clones?

Just to help with your question (i.e., not to be a jerk), "clones" are not the same as what I think you are talking about, which are "fakes" or counterfeits.

"Clones" are clubs that are made to appear and play like a particular name brand club. But "clones" do not attempt to pass themselves off as the name brand club. They have their own brand name. For example, a lot of the "no name" or generic box sets you would find at a golf store or discount store are designed using a name brand club as a template. Golfsmith started its life many years ago as a store specializing in clone clubs. Their catalogs had statements such as "compare to Ping Eye irons". Clones (usually) do not violate the law. Clones can often be very serviceable clubs for the beginner or recreational golfer. Not top quality of course, but if they aren't the bargain basement variety, they can be good clubs. My first set (when I was deciding whether I was going to take up the sport), was a clone set. It served me very well and, after deciding to move up to a name brand set, I actually found that it performed as well or better than several companies' entry level clubs. Fakes or counterfeits, on the other hand, are designed to pass themselves off as the real thing. They are designed to fool the buyer into thinking that she or he is getting a bargain on a genuine name brand set of clubs. They illegally use the name of the brand they seek to impersonate. And typically they are made with inferior materials and quality control is zero. The performance of the club is not given a second thought. Only the ability to look like the real thing is important. As for spotting counterfeits on eBay, be VERY careful. Fakes are flooding the market and the counterfeiters are very good at making the product look like the real thing - including copying real serial numbers.

• If the seller is in China or Thailand, do not buy.
• If there is not an actual picture of the product (versus stock photos from the company website), do not buy.
• If the seller will not answer questions about the product, including giving you a serial number before you bid, do not buy.
• If the product is a complete set including a bag, putter, etc from a big name company and all wrapped together, do not buy.
• If there are typos or grammatical errors in the listing indicating the seller is not familiar with English, do not buy.
• If the seller has a large number of the same clubs for sale at a ridiculously low price, do not buy.
• If the seller does not have a history of selling golf equipment, then suddenly is selling lots of new clubs, do not buy.

Frankly, I would not buy new clubs from eBay. Remember, it the clubs turn out to be fakes, you didn't really save any money. I would only buy from recognized sellers with an eBay presence, like Global Golf, GPP Golf, Golfballs, 3balls, etc. And the suggestion to check Callawaypreowned.com is an excellent one. I've never heard anyone complain about the product they received from c.p.o. Good luck.

[bigoak]

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/counterfeit.htm

TRY THIS SITE> it might help you>

[Harry Longshanks]

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/counterfeit.htm

Great site BigO. It shows just how good the counterfeiters are getting.