Do you buy your clubs because of a brand or how they play?

[hacker101]

After reading so many posts about clubs and how everyone likes a brand or in a lot of cases does not like a brand.

I was wondering everyone picks there clubs. To me I pick them for feel, looks and how they play.

I really do not like some brands but would still spend the money if they turned out to fit me the best.

In my bag I have Ping, Cobra, Odyssey, Scotty Cameron when I switch out the Odyssey. Still in a need of a 3 wood that maybe a Callaway or a Ping?

[David in FL]

How they play, period.

I'm actually embarrassed right now.  Every damn thing in my bag except for one wedge is Titleist.  Everyone has to think that I'm a brand ho, but that's just the way it's worked out over the last couple of years.  I'm almost trying to find something to swap out, just to avoid the perception!

Buy what works.  To hell with brand consistency.......unless of course, that's the way it works out.

[rehmwa]

yes

and, also

yes

I started with a brand I liked, but still tried a lot of other samples.  Ended up in the same place (Nike Driver and Fairway woods, Mizuno Irons).  Based mostly on how clean they felt, top picture, sound, repeatability.

I suspect that as I get better, hopefully it'll matter less, not more.

However, if some other brand would have felt better, I have no brand loyalty - fit/feel and cost are the only metrics I really care about.

[Golfingdad]

I voted (B) that I only buy them for how they play, but that should probably be qualified somewhat.  I got professionally fitted for my irons/wedges last year and was wishing/hoping for Titleist or Miura, but ended up with Ping (Adams was a close second, followed by Mizuno)  If I go back to the same guy for any other clubs, I'm completely open minded to whatever he wants me to try because he knows his stuff and isn't selling anything.

However, if I'm browsing through a store by myself looking at clubs, I'm only really looking at the big name brand stuff.  I wouldn't feel comfortable buying something from (just to take a few names off the driver list at golfsmith.com) Boccieri, Fister, Lynx, Nextt, Royal Collection and Snake Eyes, for example.  Not because they are poorly made, but because I have no idea.

So, basically, it's about how they play ... but certainly the name means a little something too.

[MacDutch]

No!

I got: Titleist driver and putter

Callaway woods

Taylormade hybrids

MacGregor irons

Snake eye wedges

And a Wilson Staff carrybag

[brj872]

Look at my sig, lol. But TaylorMade does it for me in most aspects.

[Dave2512]

Couldn't care less what the brand is, all about what performs well in my hands. Part of that is look, sound and what inspires confidence. With all the mental crap in golf clubs play a part in it. The irons I am playing now would be considered junk by most and I paid just $37 for them. Though I paid quite a bit to have those tweaked, new grips etc.

[hacker101]

Golfingdad,

I have to agree that there are top brands out there that I am sure everyone looks at first, I do, I was a Callaway guy for years and never played anything but Callaway. But this time around and going to a couple fitting, I tried so many great clubs. I know the old saying you get what you pay for comes to mind, as well as get what you can afford. I also agree with your list of unknowns that could be really great but I have not tried them to say one way or the other.

But the longer I am on this site the more I read about this brand sucks or I would only play that brand. I hope what everyone (new guys and gals)  get out of this is try them all, don't let a sales person or a brand with big money marketing tell you that one brand is better then the others.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by hacker101

Golfingdad,

I have to agree that there are top brands out there that I am sure everyone looks at first, I do, I was a Callaway guy for years and never played anything but Callaway. But this time around and going to a couple fitting, I tried so many great clubs. I know the old saying you get what you pay for comes to mind, as well as get what you can afford. I also agree with your list of unknowns that could be really great but I have not tried them to say one way or the other.

But the longer I am on this site the more I read about this brand sucks or I would only play that brand. I hope what everyone (new guys and gals)  get out of this is try them all, don't let a sales person or a brand with big money marketing tell you that one brand is better then the others.

I should add, also, that unknowns are just that.  They aren't bad, necessarily, just unknown (at least to me).  Prior to learning about this website, if you showed me your Miura or Piranha irons, or Edel or Scratch wedges, or Edel putter, I would not have been impressed and would have put all of those in the same category as well.  Now I know better. :)

[tpj070]

considering most people in america buy retail items due to brand loyalty, and because people are sometime embarrassed to say so, your poll results may not come out accurately. alot of marketing research has been conducted on brand loyalty and it is a real thing. The idea is that even though you buy clubs because of the way they play you are more apt to buy the same brand again because of the positive experience you had with that brand. hence why this poll doesnt really make sense.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by tpj070

considering most people in america buy

generalized statement about people and the member content of this site?

Or do you know something special about players from other countries?

[tpj070]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

generalized statement about people and the member content of this site?

Or do you know something special about players from other countries?

neither i have done significant amounts of marketing research pertaining to American retail industry.

[RichWW2]

I voted "how they play" but it's probably a little bit of both for most people.  I've found clubs that I like and seem to work well for me, so in the rare instance when I do get new clubs, I would probably look at the same brand of club first just out of familiarity, but that would hardly be my final stopping point.

[RichWW2]

Originally Posted by tpj070

neither i have done significant amounts of marketing research pertaining to American retail industry.

So people will buy an inferior product or one they don't like based purely on brand name?  Interesting.

[tpj070]

Originally Posted by RichWW2

So people will buy an inferior product or one they don't like based purely on brand name?  Interesting.

they probably will "like" that product simply because of a positive experience they have previously had with that product. they may buy a product they "don't like" because of many different reasons including the one previously listed and some more: fear of change, not wanting to do research, habit, maybe its their first set and they have tried all sorts of clubs and say ping is what they hit best with but all they know about golf is "my dad hits taylor made" or my friend who's good hits "mizuno" they will buy a product off of a reference or even someone else's experience. Forget about golf clubs and think about cars for a minute. Say you have driven Chevy silverados for ever since you were 16 and need a new truck. First off most people of this situation aren't likely to consider a f150 but even if they drove one and it rode better had nicer features etc. The positive experiences you have had with a chevy and the loyalty you have created since driving it forever are going to push you towards buying a silverado. This isn't the case for everyone but it is the majority.

[SCfanatic35]

Yes and no. My favorite clubs are Callaway, so I will check those out before any others. I will buy the best feeling club. If there is a tie I guess I would get the Callaway because of past success.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by tpj070

Forget about golf clubs and think about cars for a minute. Say you have driven Chevy silverados for ever since you were 16 and need a new truck. First off most people of this situation aren't likely to consider a f150 but even if they drove one and it rode better had nicer features etc. The positive experiences you have had with a chevy and the loyalty you have created since driving it forever are going to push you towards buying a silverado. This isn't the case for everyone but it is the majority.

This is not apples to apples, by any means.  The most important thing when it comes to a new car (unless you are filthy rich) is its durability.  Also, if you get your services done at the dealer, then customer service there will matter as well.  If you have had success with one particular car brand over the years, it stands to reason you would stick with them, all else equal.

But golf clubs don't break down, and don't have potentially short life spans.  What you see when you first try them out, is exactly what you will get over the entire life of the club.

So, if your brand loyalty theory is based only on cars, I don't believe its accurate to apply it to golf clubs.

[newtogolf]

I think it's (c) both.  I agree with tpj070 that subconsciously brand loyalty is always a factor, whether we realize it or not, so is our bias against brands we don't like.  People that don't like TM may never even try out a TM club because of their bias, but if handed the club in a blind test could find they hit it the best.

Conversely, if you like and currently play Titleist, you may limit your choices to different models of Titleist clubs and pick the model that you hit best.  I'd suspect Ping, Titleist and Mizuno have the highest brand loyalty today with TM closing quickly.  Callaway has probably lost a lot of loyalists with their confusing product lines in past years.

I also believe brand loyalty plays a greater role in irons and wedges as most people seem more willing to experiment with different manufacturers woods and putters.