So if a pro is signed with Nike...

[Golfaway]

..for example, does he have to be play everything Nike?
I was watching some of PGAtour.com "In the bag" videos where pros get to show off what equipment they use, and I saw how most of them use Vokey wedges and Scotty putters regardless of what company they are signed with. Anthony Kim for example was carrying a Scotty putter while he is signed with Nike, and I saw on the Masters that Poulter carried Vokey wedges though he is signed with Cobra.
So what's the beef? I thought they were legally obliged to play with equipment built by the manufacturer sponsoring them.

[Comeback City]

No I'm pretty sure they're not completely restricted to Nike equipment....I think AK also has a Nickent hybrid and Tiger has that Scotty Cameron. I think it could depend on the each contract on an individual basis but I think Nike gives their athletes some leeway in certain clubs they're more comfortable with.

[billysandy]

Pros have a choice of what clubs they use. for example, poulter uses a titleist fairway wood i believe, but he uses a cobra headcover. If you think about it, if poulter doesnt get on with a cobra club and performs better with a different brand, he has every right to switch, and its in the interest of cobra if he performs better with another club - the headcover still says cobra!

[pshizz]

their contract varies... some have 14 club, others 10 club contracts etc.

[Dub]

their contract varies... some have 14 club, others 10 club contracts etc.

I've heard the same thing.

[goblue107501]

Pros have a choice of what clubs they use. for example, poulter uses a titleist fairway wood i believe, but he uses a cobra headcover. If you think about it, if poulter doesnt get on with a cobra club and performs better with a different brand, he has every right to switch, and its in the interest of cobra if he performs better with another club - the headcover still says cobra!

Cobra is a sister company of Titleist under Acushnet. So it would be reasonable that they could, and do, interchange some of the equipment between companies. They way companies are consolidating you will probably see more of this in the future.

their contract varies... some have 14 club, others 10 club contracts etc.

I have heard this also. Ping used to be the most strict and the player had to play 13-14 clubs of Ping. Don't know about now, but I think that is how they used to be.

The best thing about Nike would be getting the apparel deal with them. To hell with the equipment, give me the clothes.

[atrapasuenos]

I think AK also has a Nickent hybrid and Tiger has that Scotty Cameron.

I watched a video in which he says that now he is using a Nike SQ 3 wood

Pros have a choice of what clubs they use. for example, poulter uses a titleist fairway wood i believe, but he uses a cobra headcover.

Yeah, I saw Tiger when he was walking to the 18th green, I don't remember in what round, he has a Nike headcover in his Scotty Cameron putter.

Greetings!

[kafka01]

I read this now a couple of times, that players just put headcovers of their sponsors over clubs from different companies/overpainted shafts to make it look like a stock shaft/rebranded irons and so on.

Am i´m the only one who thinks, that this is like going to Burger King and getting a McDonalds burger in a Burger King packaging? Kind of deceiving and fraudulent?

So the uninformed customer sees Phil bombing it out there with his "Diabolo" Driver and of course he needs one of these monsters and goes to the golf shop and buys one the next day - not knowing that under the hood there is a FT-9 instead of a Diabolo?

There are some strange "marketing" techniques out there and i can´t really belive that this is 100% conforming with the law. There has to be some kind of consumer protection against such methods? If not i just starting selling Porsche chassis with Tata Nano engines and interior...

[CG031]

Pros have a choice of what clubs they use. for example, poulter uses a titleist fairway wood i believe, but he uses a cobra headcover. If you think about it, if poulter doesnt get on with a cobra club and performs better with a different brand, he has every right to switch, and its in the interest of cobra if he performs better with another club - the headcover still says cobra!

yea but cobra is titleist i think because titleist owns that company??

[Shindig]

So what's the beef? I thought they were legally obliged to play with equipment built by the manufacturer sponsoring them.

They're obligated to play whatever their contract obligates them to play. Most professionals probably wouldn't sign a contract that didn't let them use their favorite putter.

So the uninformed customer sees Phil bombing it out there with his "Diabolo" Driver and of course he needs one of these monsters and goes to the golf shop and buys one the next day - not knowing that under the hood there is a FT-9 instead of a Diabolo?

I think it's fine unless Phil refers to the FT-9 as the Diablo. If it just has the headcover, I don't see the big deal. If someone buys a club based on what club they

think Phil is playing, I'm not about to feel sorry for them. Heck, if you're buying based on what your favorite professional is paid to use , I have to wonder. I mean generic "you" here; I don't think you, kafka01, is buying based on Phil.

There are some strange "marketing" techniques out there and i can´t really belive that this is 100% conforming with the law. There has to be some kind of consumer protection against such methods? If not i just starting selling Porsche chassis with Tata Nano engines and interior...

Well, that depends on whether you claim the engines to be anything else. If I buy a Porsche and put a Tata Nano engine in it, and drive around it in it, and you think it looks cool and go and buy a Porsche with some other engine, that's not really my problem. If I try to sell you a Porsche, and it has that engine in it, then it's a problem, because I've presented it as a Porsche.

[wrx_junki]

On the topic of AK's hybrid, isn't he using a Adams Pro Gold 2H?

[pshizz]

On the topic of AK's hybrid, isn't he using a Adams Pro Gold 2H?

he was using the 1h, but not anymore. He is now using a sasquatch 2 3 wood, with a matrix shaft, i believe. He started using it, because he can now hit a 3 wood well, interms of controlling it.

[flopdarock]

i thought tiger slung a nike prototype cameron ripoff?

[Bourbon and Coke]

i thought tiger slung a nike prototype cameron ripoff?

Tiger has famously used the same putter for years. And it's definitely a Scotty.

Also regarding Poulter's Cobra/Vokey, they're all owned by Acushnet (which is the reason both Titleist and Cobra hats and visors have the FootJoy FJ logo on the side.)

[mountaineer08]

which is the reason both Titleist and Cobra hats and visors have the FootJoy FJ logo on the side.

Many also have PROV1 on the side

[RMD]

Regarding Nike contracts; has anyone noticed that Tigers wears a sized to fit cap while the other Nike players wear the adjustable kind like us mere mortals?

[Big_M]

Pros have a choice of what clubs they use. for example, poulter uses a titleist fairway wood i believe, but he uses a cobra headcover. If you think about it, if poulter doesnt get on with a cobra club and performs better with a different brand, he has every right to switch, and its in the interest of cobra if he performs better with another club - the headcover still says cobra!

this is not correct... they have contracts that specifiy how many or which clubs they must use.

their contract varies... some have 14 club, others 10 club contracts etc.

exactly.

Cobra is a sister company of Titleist under Acushnet. So it would be reasonable that they could, and do, interchange some of the equipment between companies. They way companies are consolidating you will probably see more of this in the future.

also true... just as Callaway owns Topflite and Ben Hogan and Taylormade owns Maxfli.

[Ben]

Yeah, I think it has a lot to do with they're not going to bind themselves into anything. I think its the most prevalent with putters. Golfers are very picky when it comes to them. I know I am. I'm sure there can be a clause written that allows a golfer to choose a club or two from another manufacturer to play.

Look at the guys on Ping staff. Ping doesn't make balls, they have to play someone's. There's cross-branding all over the place on tours. That's what I like about Callaway, they've got a wide variety of very nice products. When the day comes where I can play at that level its nice to know everything comes from one place, one R&D; department.