R11s Driver Legitimate?

[WheresTheBeef]

I would like to purchase the new R11s and have found a few deals where they’re selling a new R11s for $285, $250, and even $220. Every reputable website/business sells them for $400. Why are these so cheap? Knock offs?  On the contrary, why does every reputable business sell the R11s for $400?

Here are a few links:

http://www.golfclubs24.com/golf-clubs-194-Taylormade+R11s+Driver.html

http://www.supergolfclubsstore.com/goods-247-TaylorMade+R11S+Driver.html

Thanks

[Valleygolfer]

  WheresTheBeef said:

Originally Posted by WheresTheBeef

I would like to purchase the new R11s and have found a few deals where they’re selling a new R11s for $285, $250, and even $220. Every reputable website/business sells them for $400. Why are these so cheap? Knock offs?  On the contrary, why does every reputable business sell the R11s for $400?

Here are a few links:

http://www.golfclubs24.com/golf-clubs-194-Taylormade+R11s+Driver.html

http://www.supergolfclubsstore.com/goods-247-TaylorMade+R11S+Driver.html

Thanks

Fake.

[ejimsmith]

  Valleygolfer said:

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

Fake.

ditto...

[rlonergan]

How can you tell the white paint on the face?

[Shorty]

  rlonergan said:

Originally Posted by rlonergan

How can you tell the white paint on the face?

Could you translate that please?

[Valleygolfer]

  rlonergan said:

Originally Posted by rlonergan

How can you tell the white paint on the face?

No, The store front and price. The club shown is probably the real deal.

[Clambake]

  WheresTheBeef said:

Originally Posted by WheresTheBeef

I would like to purchase the new R11s and have found a few deals where they’re selling a new R11s for $285, $250, and even $220. Every reputable website/business sells them for $400. Why are these so cheap? Knock offs?  On the contrary, why does every reputable business sell the R11s for $400?

Here are a few links:

http://www.golfclubs24.com/golf-clubs-194-Taylormade+R11s+Driver.html

http://www.supergolfclubsstore.com/goods-247-TaylorMade+R11S+Driver.html

Thanks

Some quick detective work is easy to do for anyone and highly recommended for anyone contemplating purchasing clubs over the internet.    Looking at the two sites you mentioned above, here are some quick things you can learn:

Golfclubs24.com:

Whois registry shows the site registrant as

 chen kai
   long han shi 20 hao
   du, Maryland 66333
   United States

Does that sound like a US address?    Nope, even though it says Maryland.    And there is no US postal code 66333.     Also, the web site was just registered in November 2011, so they haven't been operational that long.     Sounds pretty fishy.

Supergolfclubsstore.com

Whois shows the registrant as

 kenneth kinnerar
   328 Albany Drive
   Albany, Florida 65049-6744

Sounds at least like it is in the US, but there is no Albany, Florida.    And zip code 65049 is in Lake of the Ozarks, MO, not in Florida.       The web site was only registered at the end of December 2011, so again they haven't been there long.

Also, they have some pretty questionable language on their site such as the following instructions on how to purchase:   " If you donot want to register, you can click "I don't plan to login, directly purchase. " and then you will be taken to the "Consignee information" Page. Come what may, registration is highly recommended,for that only registered customers can track their orders any time at our site. "       That doesn't sound very legitimate - what legitimate US operation do you know of would say "Consignee Information", or "Come what may...."?

Another clue is they post a number of logos on the site including ones for GolfWorld and SafeBuy.

Searching for the "GolfWorld 100 Golf Clubs Store", I don't find such a thing.    GolfWorld does have rankings for Best Golf Shops, but I couldn't find anything like a "100 Golf Clubs Store" claimed here.    And they also used the SafeBuy logo.   A quick check of SafeBuy.org and their approved companies does not turn up this retailer.

So overall, I'd say the conclusions are pretty clear on both: FAKE!

All of the above took about 5 minutes to find out.    If one runs across a deal that seems too good to be true it probably is, and there are easy ways to check.

[CProsser]

Taylor and the other manufactures implore a minimum price, and the price is the same in Arizona as it is in New Hampshire.  If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

[Goodfella]

Clambake nailed it on the head. Sometimes a deal too good to be true usually is.

[danmalarkey]

Just on the comments alone I can tell that the “customers” typing are typing the same way the admin is doing. If you really want the club just spend the money.

[Motley01]

Stay away from buying clubs for that low of a price. And also watch out for ebay. When you can win an auction of a $400 driver, for $300, it's counterfeit.

Ask me how I know this.

Just go to a reputable retail store and pay the regular price, that is the ONLY way to know for sure.

These counterfeits are so close to the real thing, it's scary.

[rlonergan]

Thanks for the info.

[Gresh24]

  Motley01 said:

Originally Posted by Motley01

Stay away from buying clubs for that low of a price. And also watch out for ebay. When you can win an auction of a $400 driver, for $300, it's counterfeit.

Ask me how I know this.

Just go to a reputable retail store and pay the regular price, that is the ONLY way to know for sure.

These counterfeits are so close to the real thing, it's scary.

There certainly are counterfeits out there, but it is still a small percentage, even on ebay.  Plenty of legit drivers are sold on ebay at 75% of "retail" value.

[Motley01]

  Gresh24 said:

Originally Posted by Gresh24

There certainly are counterfeits out there, but it is still a small percentage, even on ebay.  Plenty of legit drivers are sold on ebay at 75% of "retail" value.

That might be true. But there is absolutley no way to know which ones are real and which ones are counterfeit.

I learned my lesson, I will NEVER purchase another golf equipment item on ebay, ever in the rest of my life.

[Gresh24]

  Motley01 said:

Originally Posted by Motley01

That might be true. But there is absolutley no way to know which ones are real and which ones are counterfeit.

I learned my lesson, I will NEVER purchase another golf equipment item on ebay, ever in the rest of my life.

I get that.  It sucks that you got burned.  But saying that every one that sells at a good discount is a fake, is just wrong.

There are safeguards and information available to help determine the legitimacy of sellers and products, as well as payment protection.

Heck, most of the large, respected golf retailers mentioned multiple times on this site, also sell on ebay.

[Joshsmit56001]

  Motley01 said:

Stay away from buying clubs for that low of a price. And also watch out for ebay. When you can win an auction of a $400 driver, for $300, it's counterfeit. Ask me how I know this. Just go to a reputable retail store and pay the regular price, that is the ONLY way to know for sure. These counterfeits are so close to the real thing, it's scary.

Not necessarily true. Just need to make sure it is a legit eBay seller. See link below for Taylormade authorized eBay sellers. I just bought my R11s from empire-golf which is on this list so aim not worried it is a fake and if it is, I can take it up with Taylermade. http://taylormadegolf.com/authorizedebay/authorizedebay,en_US,pg.html Josh

[Stewie007]

http://www.golfclubs24.com/golf-clubs-207-Titleist+Pro+V1+Golf+Ball.html

That right there says it all.... I wonder if you paid them the 121 bucks for the proclaimed $145 "Market Price" Pro-V1s.... would you get... literally A Pro-V1 Golf Ball........ no plural.....? hehehe....

I agree with the others here, it just smells like rotten eggs...

Plus... long han shi 20 hao...... I was randomly googling the gobbledygook and despite the possibility that shi hao could be a name..... There is a shipyard named Longshan Shipyard.... A bit wierd isn't it? Its like some guy ripped as many things out of his ass as possible when he registered that domain...

Plus, everything has 5 stars..... :p