Companies strengths/weaknesses

[BigHitta]

Here's a good one.

I want to know everyone's opinions on company's strengths/weaknesses. Some companies have a legacy of making a particular type of club, post what you've heard or know.

Example: Nike is best at making drivers but there wedges aren't good at all or Titleist has a great ball but I don't like the fairway woods.

If you have a bias towards any company, this is your time to show it.

This should start some interesting discussion. .

[Everardo]

This is just my opinion

Sonartec = Hybrids, Fairway Woods and Wedges (that's all they make but all made great!)
Mizuno = Irons, Wedges (woods and hybrids are getting better)
TalorMade = Woods (Irons, wedges, balls are gaining a lot of momemtum)
Titleist = Balls, Irons, Wedges (Woods are a love hate thing)
Cleveland = Wedges
Ping = Irons, Putters
Scotty Cameron = Putters (No brainer but both the Titleist and Mizuno versions)
Srixon = Irons

I could keep going but this is a start.

[Shindig]

Here's a good one.

I have to admit, I use generic brand clubs ( they look like super-game improvement, 4-PW + SW ), a company that a friend of mine suggested when I was first getting into golf (about a year ago) and was using my grandfather's old clubs (from 1970s).

Since then, though, I've started trying name-brand for a few things, and I bought 52* and 58* Titleist Vokey wedges. I like them much better than the SW in my bag, and I'm tempted to see if they make clubs like these for my irons too. I'll admit I haven't tried many other wedges. I tried a friend's Callaway something or another. I also tried many in the store when I was buying my Vokeys (first the 58*, then came back for a 52* a few months later when I realized my wedges were 46-55-58), but that's a mat in a store. Really, my confusion is : how do I try a bunch of different clubs? If I try my friends', I don't know if they're fit for me. Most of my friends are convinced that off-the-rack is good enough for anyone that isn't a pro. Maybe I should wait until I have played more than five full rounds (the rest were on par-3 courses) before judging equipment :)

[jrbechthold]

Nicklaus has great drivers and wedges.
They are a little weak on the iron offering, but getting better and better every year.

[NM Golf]

I like Ping. I know I only have one Ping club in my bag at this time (that will be changing this spring) but my bag itself is from Ping. Great woods, great irons, great putters. great bags.

That is not the only reason though. Ping has the best customer service in the business IMO. We order a customer's irons complete with all their specifications on monday, and a lot of the time we have the irons in by that Friday. It is amazing. I ordered a G5 driver on a Wednesday and had it in hand the next Monday. Let Titleist try that.

Also I have a soft place in my heart for them because unlike Titleist, Mizuno, and Callaway they care about the little guys. Ping gives guys like myself and other amateurs in the golf business a break on their equipment. We get to order equipment PUD (Personal Use Discount) for like 40% off cost. Titleist and the other big guys couldn't care less about you unless you are a pro.

I just wish they would produce a forged iron. They did just start producing a milled putter line so you never know.....

[Jwroe04]

I'm going to go with Titlelist... great products across the board. Not to mention their fantastic contribution of ad dollars to this site!
Wooohooo Acushnet !

[SuaSponteMn]

I'm returning to Taylormade after a terrible experience with their older irons, the 320's just weren't for me. I absolutely love what I'm playing now (LT2's) and I've got a V-steel that could have easily stayed in the bag forever if it wasn't for my new HiBore. The drivers confuse me though, there's like 17 current offerings with screws in them making each one essentially 4 different drivers; that's like 4.7 billion different configurations.

Then there's Cleveland, I've never been more comfortable standing over anything else, every driver I've had has been incredible (Launcher 400, Comp, and now the HiBore). The HiBore fairway hasn't reached the course yet but it kills it on the launch monitor and simulators for me; their wedges are second to none, the CG series is awesome, but I prefer the 588's I'm playing right now. I feel like I'm cheating when I pull their HALO out of the bag as well, super easyer to hit and it's not overly large and the face doesn't seem as closed. All the being said, I made the mistake of buying the CG4's last year, worst mistake I'd made since the TM320's; not a big fan of the irons at all.

Callaway got me through a few years where I had completely lost my swing, the Big Bertha irons just screamed forgiveness to me. Their current releases like the X20 Tour are impressive and make me wonder if they won't be back in the bag someday. The Odyssey putters were the only thing I didn't care for, something about the inserts just didn't feel right; maybe the new black series? The HX Tour is the best golf ball I've ever tee'd up.

IMO Mizuno probably makes the best irons out there, my brother plays the MX23 and thinks they're incredible, I've been fighting a really strong urge to pickup a set of MP60's it's the only iron I've hit that I like better than my current set.

Titleist has spent a long time making clubs I didn't think I was good enough to hit, while that has changed recently the stigma's still there for me. Lotta people swear by the Vokeys, I personally prefer Cleveland. One club of interest for me will be the 907D1 when it's released, although it will be hard for me to find one to hit in LH. Love Scotty Cameron putters though, feel is unmatched IMO. The ProV1 is a good ball, it's not the best one for me.

Ping also has a huge following (obviously). I tried the I3+ but it felt harsh to me, not to mention I always thought Ping clubs looked like a 'WT' muscle car that someone didn't have enough money to restore, so they just left it bondo grey.

My least favorite brand has been Nike. Everything I've tried from them felt like a fishing lure; cheap and flashy. The original driver was awful, the current offering isn't all that great IMO either. Their irons haven't gotten my interest either, the Pro Combo was probably the best I've seen from them, and they stopped making them. The Slingshot looked more like a lacrosse stick than a golf iron, the CCI's look nice, but based on everything else I've run into, I don't think I'd waste my time. I've got a dozen ONE Platinums in my bag though, hoping their balls are better than their other equipment; we'll see come spring

[Soxx22]

My two cents --

Woods -- Taylor Made i think consistently makes the best woods
Irons -- i like the Titleist and Mizuno. Calaway has gotten better, so has Taylor.
Wedges -- I've always been a fan of Cleveland wedges. Titleist are good too.
Putters -- I like the Ping Craz-E and the Odyssey

I'm in the market for new irons though so that might change. right now i'm liking the Taylor Made R7 -- anyone have and other ones i should try?

[SSandlin]

I'm going to throw in a couple of cents towards Wilson. I know a lot of golf snobs will thumb their nose at Wilson, but they make good products for an entry-level golfer and someone on a low budget. I still use my Deep Red II fairway woods and they pop the ball just as hard as any others I've tried up until now. They used to be really well known for their wedges and persimmon woods. They've been overtaken, but you still see guys like Padraig Harrington playing their tour quality stuff and doing well.

I think they make quality stuff for the majority of golfers that play. Once you get to the point of taking the game semi-seriously, then you're probably better suited for Titleist or Mizuno. I still have a set of Sam Snead persimmon woods and some X-31 blades (both of which outdate me by 10 years probably) that I hit every so often for the heck of it.

[popey]

Titleist make some of the best clubs but the price is too much for me. Its true what they say, you pay for quality. Taylor made make very solid clubs and they are also half the price of any titleist offering.

Woods - Tileist or Taylor made
Irons - Mizuno or Titleist
Wedges - Titleist or Cleveland
Putter - Titleist, mizuno or odyssey
Balls - Titleist, Srixon or Taylor Made

As you can see every section in clubs Titleist. This is because i like there approach to the traditional clubs that perform as good as any modern/ saucepan lookin club!

[allin]

I'm going to throw in a couple of cents towards Wilson. I know a lot of golf snobs will thumb their nose at Wilson, but they make good products for an entry-level golfer and someone on a low budget.

I am not sure people are really golf snobs. Golf is a hobby / passion so people tend to treat themselves. Also golf is about confidence and trust in your equipment is part of that. Top end companies take some of the risk out of purchase decisions, plus if you change clubs often they have trade in or resale value. I have used Tour Edge products for a number of years and been very satisfied. With their exotics line I think they now have club models for all levels of golfer, especially their woods and hybrids. Also I recently bought a set of Wilson Staff Ci6's. I wouldn't really describe them as budget golf clubs, more like mid market.

[SSandlin]

Allin, I would agree that the Wilson Staff line of equipment is not entry level, but the Wilson recreational brand is. You can purchase a complete set for $200 to include the bag on some products and it will serve a great purpose for beginning golfers.

The Wilson Staff line has improved steadily over the last few years since it's re-emergence as an option for better golfers.

[ezmoney5150]

I like alot of companies for different things.

Woods- I prefer Taylor Made because the feel of of their woods is always good. I was never a big fan of Titleist or Callaway. My feeling is that I don't like the feel of bore through shafts.

Irons- With the exception of my first set of irons (Tommy Armour 845's) I've been a Ping and Mizuno lover.

Wedges- I have been playing Cleveland Gun metal wedges for 8 years or so. I like the feel of them when they rust.

Putters- Had Odyssey putters since 1996 or 97'. Always mallets. I like the visual in my mind going through the stroke. I always know if my path wasn't right.

One company I don't do business with is Nike. I don't like how they do business, which I won't get into on this board. I don't own anything by Nike and probably never will.

[popey]

Well all I can say is good job there are lots of different companies making lot sof different clubs for lots of different people.

Most companies all have different aims.
E.G Callaway - A better game by design
Titleist - More traditional

[hypergolf]

Driver: Callaway would be my first choice. (Tour Versions)
Woods: Callway gets my vote here again. (Tour Versions)
Hybrids: Taylormade (Tour Versions)
Irons (Beginner): Callaway
(Intermediate): Callaway
(Advanced): Mizuno first choice. Taylormade and Callway forged next.
Wedge: Titleist, Mizuno, Cleveland, Callaway, Taylormade all perform well. But if I had to choose one I would go for Mizuno although I am currently using Titleist.
Putter (Mallet): Odyssey
(Blade): Odyssey and Titleist.
Balls: Titleist, Callaway and Bridgestone all perform great.
Shoes: Footjoy and Adidas.
Gloves: Footjoy and Mizuno.
Shafts (Iron): Project X Flighted, Precision Rifle Flighted, Dynamic Golf Sensicore.
(Graphite Wood): Mitsubishi, Fujikura, Aldila.

[NM Golf]

That is not the only reason though. Ping has the best customer service in the business IMO. We order a customer's irons complete with all their specifications on monday, and a lot of the time we have the irons in by that Friday. It is amazing. I ordered a G5 driver on a Wednesday and had it in hand the next Monday. Let Titleist try that.

I hate to quote myself but had to share this story of customer service. I ordered a 18 degree Rapture hybrid. I got all my specs including the Aldila VS proto shaft in extra stiff. I also got my name engraved on the head (they do this for free for golf course employees) I placed my order on Monday, and it is Thursday and I have it already. Yes, 4 days turn around. There is absolutely no major club manufacturer that can do this like PING does. That is why I like PING.

[plickerman]

Good opinions from all, I have dealt primarily with two major manufacturers and those are Taylor Made and Cleveland.

My first set was primarily comprised of Taylor Made:
Irons, Woods, and Driver where all Supersteel Burners with Cleveland wedges.

Currently have an all cleveland setup:
Irons: TA7
Driver: Launcher Comp (soon moving to HiBore)
Woods: Launcher Ti 3 and 5 (love the three!)

IMO, I think most companies are starting to encompass most types of players, where as before it was kind of segmented. For example, Titleist/Mizuno/Ben Hogan were for better players...Callaway most game improvemente, etc. In other words, I think alot of the current strengths are somewhat stereotypical from what the past used to be; though some do have a leading edge in certain areas which is where I think they got their jump start...example: TM Woods, Cleveland Wedges, Titleist Irons, etc.

Anyway, new to forum and glad to be here!

[Mfumar]

Shoes - I've got a pair of Footjoy Contours and a pair of Ecomforts and I'll never buy anything but Footjoy again. I do a lot of walking and good shoes make a big difference.

Clubs - My first "name brand" club was a Callaway Hawkeye driver and I loved it. Before that, I didn't even hit a driver. I used an old Spalding Bobby Jones 2 wood that I got at a garage sale for $2. As I started to replace my old hand-me-down clubs, I wound up with Big Bertha 2 and 4 woods, Titleist DCI irons, Wilson Staff wedges (with the brass inserts), and a Wilson 8802 putter. I eventually got a couple of used Vokey wedges off Ebay. About 3 years ago, I started going to a pro shop and hitting every different set of clubs I could find. I settled on Adams Ideas irons and I love them. Right now I carry the 2-SW, a Tight Lies Tour Brassie 2 wood, and the Adams 460D driver. If Adams made balls or a good putter, I'd probably use them, too. I'm using the Guerin-Rife 2 Bar Mallet putter now, but the jury is still out on that. I've got an Odyssey 2 Ball putter, too, but there's something special about that old 8802.