Fake Callaways

[YogiTKE]

So my buddy and league partner just won a set of clubs. Problem is I believe they are knock-offs. A few things tipped me off. He won a complete set. Big Bertha driver and woods, X-20 Tour irons, putter, and cart bag. All Callaway. The driver/woods didn't come with headcovers. I've never head of anything like this. The source of the clubs is a very reputable guy who has a Callaway "hook up".

How do I break it to him or ask him to investigate? After all, he did win golf clubs, fake or not, from a $10 raffle ticket.

[Cody]

Just because they don't have head covers doesn't mean they aren't real. Hell if the guy wanted you to believe they were real he would have bought headcovers to make it look more authentic. They could have been used or the guy just wanted to keep the headcover, either way free clubs are free clubs as long as they hit good.

[joshtpa]

I agree, I recently bought a 3 wood that normally comes with a head cover, and the store had misplaced it. It happens. If that is the only thing making you think they are knock offs, I would let it go. What other info do you have?
$10 raffle tickets could easily pay for those clubs. Heck, if only 100 of them were sold, Thats a 1k right there. It sounds more like you "want them" to be fake rather than they are fake. Just let it go. If the guy is happy, let him enjoy those clubs unless there is proof that they are just not real.

[Smallville]

If it doesn't matter to him whether they are real or not, let it go. If he doesn't care, why bother? Now if he does care, by all means, help him find out if they are real or not.

[shredfit]

If the guy is planning to sell them to someone else, I would say to him that you suspect them to be fakes. There is a lot of fake stuff getting around and some of it is hard to spot. By fake, I mean that they look like the real thing, not just use some of the real things tech, which is a knock-off.

Example: These are ALL fakes on this site, from China...

http://www.saga24.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=890

If the guy just plans to use them himself, no need to tell him that you suspect they are frauds, as others have said...

[joshtpa]

If the guy is planning to sell them to someone else, I would say to him that you suspect them to be fakes. There is a lot of fake stuff getting around and some of it is hard to spot. By fake, I mean that they look like the real thing, not just use some of the real things tech, which is a knock-off.

Also keep in mind, that although those might be fake from that website, they may very well be using pictures of the real thing.

[YogiTKE]

It sounds more like you "want them" to be fake rather than they are fake. Just let it go. If the guy is happy, let him enjoy those clubs unless there is proof that they are just not real.

First off, I DO NOT want them to be fake. He is my best friend and my league partner.

Here's more info: 50-60 $10 raffle tickets were sold. X-20 Tour irons with graphite shafts. $900 at Golfsmith. Big Bertha 460 Driver: $200 Big Bertha 3 wood: $200 Big Bertha 5 wood: $200 Callaway cart bag Putter $1500+ of merchandise Reasons: The heads look slightly different. The grips don't look the same. I just can't believe that: a) they were discounted that much b) someone can potentially make knock-offs look that good

[joshtpa]

many times with raffles, the items have been donated or discounted. Yuo said in the OT that it was because they didnt have head covers. Can you elaborate in what is different about the heads and the grips?

[shredfit]

Also keep in mind, that although those might be fake from that website, they may very well be using pictures of the real thing.

Actually, those are pics of the fakes... They are getting them close these days. The Cleveland wedges are really close, and the only way to tell them from the real thing is a slight color difference(satin) and a mark inside of the "C" of Cleveland.

I've even seen a couple fake Clevelands in the used section at Golf Galaxy.

[Bourbon and Coke]

From Callaway themselves:
http://callawaygolf.com/Global/en-US...feitClubs.html

Also from Callaway, nine ways to avoid counterfeits:
http://callawaygolf.com/Global/en-US...nterfeits.html

There is a trove of information there more than anyone else's opinion.

[TheGasman]

many times with raffles, the items have been donated or discounted. Yuo said in the OT that it was because they didnt have head covers. Can you elaborate in what is different about the heads and the grips?

Callaway is usually one of the first companies to donate to silent auctions and raffles. I wouldnt be so shocked about the amount of money. Does Callaway put serial numbers on their clubs? Call their customer service, they go way beyond normal customer service to make sure you are happy.

[toogood]

If you could get pictures of them it could go a long way to find out if they're fake or not. We had a member come in a couple months ago with his Callaway FT-i that the shaft had broken on. We sent it in not even thinking about it, and they sent it back to us with a letter saying that it was a counterfeit. We put it up against a genuine FT-i and looking at the two you could easily spot the differences. The paint was slightly different color, the 'UPC' serial code they use was upside down and little off center from the real one. The biggest difference was the sound. The counterfeit, while shaped accurately was by no means a composite head. You could tell just by flicking it.

My advice would be, if you can, would be to take the clubs to a retailer and compare them side by side to a genuine set and see what, if any details you can spot.

[G10_Jamie]

Are the fake clubs mostly found on sites like ebay?
Wow, if not for the price I would have thought those clubs as real.

Jamie

[NI4NI]

I just can't believe that:

That's why Piracy is a $ Billion enterprise. If they only made crap clones, no one would buy. I've been to China on business a few times, and you should have seen the knock-off's. Look authentic alright, but they were all counterfeit. Few of my buddies bought them, and then watched the club heads outdistance their balls within five rounds. Others have had their knockoff sets for a few years with no issues (many factors at play: swing speed, aggressive play, frequency of play, how well the clones were made,...)

[TinCupTampa]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Callaway-X-F...d=p3286.c0.m14

I would swear these are fake. He has sold about 30 sets of them in the past 2 months... never returns emails about questions... always sell well below market price... he only sells rifle 5.0 and if he were a legit reseller he would have a variety of flexes... and finally he keep all his auctions private.

[joshtpa]

Actually I know someone that bought from him. His clubs were legit. He brought them to an authorized Callaway Rep that took a look and called them "blemishes". Dont know what to make of it or anything, but just thought I would pass on the info.

[Harry Longshanks]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Callaway-X-F...d=p3286.c0.m14

Also, a lot of his selling history looks like it involves designer clothing - another big counterfeit product area.

[TinCupTampa]

He also sells maruman irons... those look pretty legit but who knows. He at least presents them alot better than the callaways and the price looks relative to what an internet dealer would sell for. The fact that he never returned any emails put him on my black list.