It's Time We Demand Truth In Advertising Regarding Clubs and Balls!!!!

[Conspirator]

Just a question to all us golfers, and please let’s get some feedback going.  Isn’t it time to cut through the BS and demand that Golf Equipment Manufactures and Golf Publications stop lying to us on the data we use to make a purchase decision on their very expensive equipment?   There was a time that all the results of how a new ball or club performed was published data from a very reliable and consistent golfer, Iron Bryon.  Just today I saw an ad on TV how the new CG16 Irons were being hit by an Iron Byron and outdistancing 3 other named Brands. In the ad it was stated you could see the results of the testing at: http://www.clevelandgolf.com/US_cg16_long_results.html .

Finally I though, real Iron Byron Data not a bunch of amateur golfers results or opinions.  So at that site I watched the commercial again and it also showed graphically all the length and dispersion of each hit, but none of the shots were by Iron Byron as the commercial leads you to believe.  There is a TEST PROTOCOL link so I pushed it to get a handle on how the testing was done.  It was a letter from Golf Laboratories in CA.  None of the data used n the commercial was done with a mechanical hitting machine like Iron Byron.  I ask that you look at the commercial and also the TEST PROTOCOL on line for yourself.   All the balls were hit by amateurs who warmed up with a CG16 prior to the test and the golfer could declare any hit a mishit and it did not count in the survey, basically as many Mulligans as you wanted.  But no Iron Byron was used in the testing data from Golf Laboratories, but that was what you were to believe from the TV commercial.

I could go on with years of data on false or misleading golf advertising data.  My favorite is that the Center of Gravity is 10% lower than last year, which is what they may have stated for the last several years.  At this rate the center of gravity must be somewhere in China.

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by Conspirator

I could go on with years of data on false or misleading golf advertising data.  My favorite is that the Center of Gravity is 10% lower than last year, which is what they may have stated for the last several years.  At this rate the center of gravity must be somewhere in China.

FYI, if you tunnel through the earth from Sacramento you will end up in the Indian Ocean, not China.  Actually you would be at least 5000 miles from the nearest point in China.

Furthermore, a golf equipment company can lower the center of gravity 10% every year from here to eternity and never reach a negative value.

And finally:

Anybody who relies on the advertisement to buy a golf club instead of hitting them and comparing their own shots to other clubs deserves what they get.

[ochmude]

Caveat Emptor.  Test data is irrelevant, and I couldn't care less about Iron Byron.  The only relevant information for me is how the club/ball performs with MY swing.

[Deryck Griffith]

Golf companies are no different than companies in other industries.  How about this....we should all be up in arms when our girlfriends and wives bite into the Coach or LV blackhole of $800 purses...how about we protest on that to?  Those companies IMO are worst than GOlf companies.

At the end of the day, it's up to you, the consumer, to decipher what is best and works for you as an individual.  You have to do your due deligence in researching and testing the equipment that you hope to buy.

[ghalfaire]

I don't think that golf companies are any worse than other types of manufactures and are better than many.  I wouldn't think of buying a new driver or set of iron or any club without hitting it a few times.  I would do that even if there was a law that said all testing had to be done with an "iron Byron".  I don't swing like Iron Byron so I would still want to know how it works for me.  Try before you buy is a good motto.

[Kieran123]

I only bought my Wilson Staffs because of their advertising....

You're probably thinking "Seriously???"

SERIOUSLY.

No I bought them because I liked them when I hit them. Everyone should try before they buy

[rebby]

I'm seriously considering changing out all my gear to Cobra based solely on an [url=http://www.blaironeal.com/runway/si-swimsuit-issue-blair-cobra-puma-ad/]advertisement[/url]. I guess that it just goes to prove that sometimes advertisements are effective... Who could blame me though???

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by rebby

I'm seriously considering changing out all my gear to Cobra based solely on an advertisement. I guess that it just goes to prove that sometimes advertisements are effective... Who could blame me though???

I can blame you.  How did you even know it was an ad for Cobra?  Shame shame rebby.

[goblue107501]

I don't ever put too much stock in advertising in general, and never much into golf ads. As an educated golf consumer I know what I like and I know how to try things before I buy and never base a purchase off an advertisment. The people that write these ads are not going after you and me. They are going after the uneducated golfer who does make purchases based on ads. For arguments sake, lets take all the golf forum/chat rooms/website members and consider them the educated golf consumer. What % of golfers does that make up? 10%, maybe 15% if you go worldwide? It is the other 85-90% that those ads are targeted after. That figure makes up a lot of golfers who are always looking for something better. If you are on here, it is probably safe to say that you like golf and want to know more about it. Lesson #1, don't belive what golf ads tell you. Just ignore them when they talk about what pro's play or what ranking some piece of equipment got. Ads are good to tell you about a new product, but other than that, don't believe what you see.

[Leftygolfer]

Its all the same.  There isn't any difference between the manufactures (well maybe color, looks).  They are trying to sell something that now with the equipment maxed out isn't easy to sell.  A 5 year old set of irons perform just as well as the ones of today.

[WUTiger]

Quote:

At the end of the day, it's up to you, the consumer, to decipher what is best and works for you as an individual.  You have to do your due deligence in researching and testing the equipment that you hope to buy.

Clubhead + shaft (+ grip) = Golf club. You need to understand how the characteristics of head and shaft influence where the ball goes. That's how you get past the hype.

In your complaints you talk specifically about hype over lowering the center of gravity . A lower center of gravity, combined with perimeter weighting, gets your ball up quicker. BUT... it also means it will be more difficult to hit a knockdown shot or a low punch with that club - especially if the club has a high-launch shaft.

[Conspirator]

How do you know I'm missed by 5,000 miles? But thanks for the correction. And you are correct weight and location determine center of gravity. But don't wonder why it takes another year to find the next best place?

[Conspirator]

Yes I agree, but having correct data can help you find that right club a little faster. But I've always played what looked best to me at address, gave me confidence and results.

Originally Posted by ochmude

Caveat Emptor.  Test data is irrelevant, and I couldn't care less about Iron Byron.  The only relevant information for me is how the club/ball performs with MY swing.

[Conspirator]

Originally Posted by Deryck Griffith

Golf companies are no different than companies in other industries.  How about this....we should all be up in arms when our girlfriends and wives bite into the Coach or LV blackhole of $800 purses...how about we protest on that to?  Those companies IMO are worst than GOlf companies.

At the end of the day, it's up to you, the consumer, to decipher what is best and works for you as an individual.  You have to do your due deligence in researching and testing the equipment that you hope to buy.

Deryck I'm with you on this purse thing and how did woman's jeans start costing over $200?  The only problem with complaining against this stuff is that it's always tied to our nooky.

[Conspirator]

I play the same irons, but the CI7, I have to give the CI9s a try but the ones I have now are so forgiving and you cann really work the ball.  Got the same bag and I use FYbrids and Wilson Wedges.  I'm glad to see them make a come back after sitting it out for a few years.  But I've always been a Wilson guy, starting back in the 60's with blades.  And right now I think Wilson makes the best clubs for a fair price compared to the other brands.

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I only bought my Wilson Staffs because of their advertising....

You're probably thinking "Seriously???"

SERIOUSLY.

No I bought them because I liked them when I hit them. Everyone should try before they buy

[Conspirator]

Well I'm glad we are part of that 15%.  I've been in and out of this business over the years.  Keep in mind some of that 85% is going to walk out with the wrong cubs because the manufacturer has a new design coming out so they give the big box store a discount on their next order that is larger than the mark down price the store placed on the clubs.  Any often the Rep will spiff the salespeople $50 or $100 for every set they sell.  Last week I was in a big retailer with a nice hitting room and simulator.  He has this 60 ish guy trying a 7 iron on a closeout model.  This guy is all excited because he is hitting that 7 19 yards longer then his current club.  I did happen to point out that the simulator was set for a 9 iron. Mistake?

Originally Posted by goblue107501

I don't ever put too much stock in advertising in general, and never much into golf ads. As an educated golf consumer I know what I like and I know how to try things before I buy and never base a purchase off an advertisment. The people that write these ads are not going after you and me. They are going after the uneducated golfer who does make purchases based on ads.

For arguments sake, lets take all the golf forum/chat rooms/website members and consider them the educated golf consumer. What % of golfers does that make up? 10%, maybe 15% if you go worldwide? It is the other 85-90% that those ads are targeted after. That figure makes up a lot of golfers who are always looking for something better.

If you are on here, it is probably safe to say that you like golf and want to know more about it. Lesson #1, don't belive what golf ads tell you. Just ignore them when they talk about what pro's play or what ranking some piece of equipment got. Ads are good to tell you about a new product, but other than that, don't believe what you see.

[Conspirator]

Right on the money Leftygolfer.  And that's my point there really isn't much difference anymore with most of the clubs.  That's why the won't give out the Iron Bryon Data. The reviews now are about sound, color combinations, silly stuff.  Getting the right shaft is to me the main difference bet wen how clubs perform.

Originally Posted by Leftygolfer

Its all the same.  There isn't any difference between the manufactures (well maybe color, looks).  They are trying to sell something that now with the equipment maxed out isn't easy to sell.  A 5 year old set of irons perform just as well as the ones of today.

[shades9323]

Originally Posted by Conspirator

How do you know I'm missed by 5,000 miles? But thanks for the correction. And you are correct weight and location determine center of gravity. But don't wonder why it takes another year to find the next best place?

Because I mapped it out with your location being Sacramento. The antipode of Sacramento CA is in the middle of the Indian Ocean.  From the antipode of Sacramento, it is 5,000 miles to the nearest point in China.