Why do most people have so many different brands in their bags?

[Golf Novice]

Just struck me as funny.  Alot of the pros use all one brand of equipment, from their driver through the bag to their putter.  Obviously, sponsorship has a lot to do with that.  But why do so many of us use several different brands?  Do you ever see anyone with all Callaway, all Ping, etc.?  I don't.  Just wondered if there's any other reason other than people like different brands' equipment in each particular category.  I just bought the MacGregor VIP wedges, and that along with the story of their rebirth prompted me to just look around the web at their latest irons, even though I'm not really in the market for new irons.  Doing so, it occurred to me that it would almost be "weird" for me to have a bag with Mac irons AND wedges, let alone woods, driver, putter, etc.

[nuck81]

Honestly, when I see someone with a Nike bag, Nike Woods, Nike Irons, Nike balls, Nike Shoes, Nike shirt and a Nike hat, I immediately think TOOL.

[nevets88]

When I see someone with one brand, I think insider, knows someone, got a deal.

I use a variety of brands in my bag because of performance. I can't think of one manufacturer I'd have every club in the bag made by it. I don't think I could pledge alliegance to one company even if it did given my irrational dislike of multinationals.

[Shindig]

A few reasons. Some people believe one particular company makes the best for just about everything. A friend of mine plays TaylorMade driver through A-wedge (Vokey wedge, Adams/Yes putter). Another of our friends has 3-L, plus putter, from Adams. I have my bag ready for the first round of my club championship tomorrow, and I have 7 Nike clubs, 6 Mizuno clubs, and a Cleveland putter. The Mizuno irons were the best when I got them (I've only found two sets of irons since that feel anywhere near as good), and I'm similarly sold on Nike woods and wedges. Other times, people know and respect a brand name. It's not uncommon for someone beginning golf to recognize a name like Nike and get 14 Nike clubs, knowing that the brand name stands for quality.

[newtogolf]

If they are doing it right, they went to the store, hit a bunch of different clubs from different manufacturers in their price range and picked the clubs they hit best.   I'm sure some people find that clubs from one manufacturer work for them, but it's more the exception than the rule.

[LankyLefty]

My bag is mostly Nickent because of one simple fact. Nickent's left over stock from when they went under especially for Left Handed golfers is marked way way down. Nickent happens to be a favorite brand of mine now that I have it because I feel they made quality goods but when I got It was merely because it gave me an opportunity to get 10 well reviewed clubs for less then $240.

After swinging them Ive kinda fallen in love and would love to add Arc wedges and a Pipe putter to the collection If i could find them in good condition left handed.

However in general people don't buy box sets and different clubs need replacing at different times. If my driver breaks it would be silly of me to blindly go buy a driver to match my Irons even if it is not the one I like most.

[evan01]

Mr. Nuck, you are the tool. We go out and play our little game for enjoyment. If its the shoes,hats,bags clubs that help me to enjoy the day why do you give a rats ass? I am surronded by the Titleist community down here in the south coast of MA. We do everything we can to care abouth the people and the jobs that go with it. You probably suck on the Nike nipple.

[rebby]

I buy and play with the tools that work for me. I have zero brand loyalty and will game whatever works best for me regardless of what's stamped on the sole plate. That said, I do have brands that I attempt to avoid just due to personal preference. For example, I'm not a very big fan of TaylorMade, never have been and, thus, I tend to avoid TM products. However, even though I do not prefer TM, I have gamed a TM driver in the past and I now game a TM ball, go figure. Generally, my bag consists of at least some uniformity. My irons tend to match my wedges and, occasionally, my fairway woods will match my driver. That's not a hard and fast rule though. Take now for example, I'm gaming a Callaway driver w/a Diamana shaft and a Titleist FW wood w/a Matrix shaft. That just happens to be a combo that works for me best (at the moment). Personally, I think that people who are brand loyal (and not compensated for that loyalty) are really selling themselves short. This comes with an obvious disclaimer of course; if somebody "tried it all" and everything from a single brand happens to work best for them, great, you can't go wrong w/that.

[jamo]

I think the big reason is that each brand has it's own strengths. Mizuno makes great irons, but it's woods often leave something to be desired. Ditto for Nike. Taylor Made makes great drivers, but I've always felt their irons were lacking. That's my reason, at least.

[LankyLefty]

On some level though It is about confidence and if someone Loves that Nike swoosh and believes in each shot he or she takes with one then maybe that's best for them.

I personally look at Value I don't like paying Top Dollar to get top notch stuff. I prefer to pay next to nothing to get almost top notch stuff.... That could however have more to do with me being a broke ass recent college grad with no steady job than anything else :D

[Shaggy]

I also don't have any brand loyality. I play Mizuno irons, Taylormade driver and putter, Cleveland fairway wood and hybrid, and Callaway wedges. I just try and play what works for me. I only know one or two people who play a single brand. I think the makeup of most peoples golf bags is almost as unique as a fingerprint.

[NI4NI]

I never sought out to bag clubs from only one brand. My woods are all different brands; I was fitted for a few different ones, and purchased most of the ones I have through eBay.

I never liked Mizuno drivers until ~two years ago, but I don't want to spend the extra $$ at this point - what I have is fine.

No loyalty here - if a brand wants to send me freebies, then I could be bought.

[WUTiger]

When I switched out my clubs two seasons ago, I did a lot of test-hitting. My Callaway driver won out in competition against six other drivers, five from other companies. The driver tied in performance with a Cleveland HiBore, but I got the Callaway and soon after the matching Callaway 3W because I liked the set-ups better.

For irons, I tested Ping, Titleist and Callaway. Callaway won out because the shaft fit my swing, and again I liked the set-up, and I found a slightly used set for only $400. (As Christmas, I swapped these out for another Callaway iron model)

I then got a high-bounce XForged SW, but found other Callaway wedges just had too much bounce. So, I got one and later two more Cleveland CG14 wedges. My Ping putter was the sole hold-over from my old club mix.

I tried a hybrid and Slazenger 5W, but settled on a TM Raylor (19*) in September.

I use a Sun Mountain bag from years ago, and will probably will get a new SunM bag just to be a contrarian.

[nevets88]

Even my 3-9 irons aren't one company. 3-7 Titleist, 8,9 Mizuno.

[the19thhole]

Like all the posters have said you buy what suits you best and what you need at the time. Plus if you look in most pros bag they don't play 1 brand it just looks like it. Big one is definitley the mizuno iron TM wood mix. Luke Donald does this. G-Mac is sticking with Callaway driver, but now having signed with Srixon will play their irons.A lot of pros use Adams hybrids as they are so good and Vokey wedges with the branding removed. Having that staff bag makes you think that's all they use.

The interseting point would be I wonder what brand or brands most pros would use if they could just choose, forgetting who they where sponsored with.

I'm also with Nuck81 on the fully sponsored look. At least the pros are getting paid for it. It's the same as recreational cycling here in Aus they are just billboards for the manufacturer. It does make me laugh, although to be fair we probably all do it a little.

[nuck81]

  evan01 said:

Originally Posted by evan01

You probably suck on the Nike nipple.

Boobs!!!

Edit:  For what it's worth I have a Nike bag, Nike 4wd and Nike Golf shoes. Most of my equipment choices were purchased on factors of price, reliability, ease of play, and price

[hjimzaf]

I guess I'm a tool. I play all Callaway. Bag, driver, woods, irons, wedges, balls, bag, hats, and shirts. It started in high school. When I made the school golf team my freshman year, my dad bought me my first "real" set of clubs, Callaways. Also, as a lefty, when I go to the local golf stores, Callaway seems to have the largest selection for LH.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I play what works for me, regardless of who makes it.

TM driver, Cobra 3 wood, Adams hybrid, cleveland hybrid, Bridgestone irons, scratch wedges, and a scotty.

When I'm looking for a club, I look at what companies have the best reputation for that type of club and go from there.

I think people are doing themselves a disservice by only trying one company, especially since 99% of golf stores will let you try anything out on a monitor and within a few minutes you can decide which clubs are best for you.