Brand loyalty hurting my game?

[The Golfing Polack]

This sort of things pops up a lot. I'm a fantasy sports player, and early on I would try and get all my favorite players from my favorite teams, without really thinking about how that would affect the end results. I'm kind of in the same boat in golf right now, as you can see by my sig, I'm playing all Srixon (except putter) right now. I'm trying to get my handicap down below a 10, but wonder if trying to stay with one brand and obviously limiting my choices is good for my game? The budget is tight right now, so I was thinking of selling my 403's on eBay and getting the 506's (in stiff, which would certainly help me out), but should I look at other manufacturers and stop limiting myself to a relatively unknown company only because I think it's cool to be different? This mentality has already burned me once, when I sold a fantastic cleveland 900 RTG gap wedge to get my Srixon wedges. I've been crying every time I line up a 110 yarder since.

Just wondering if there are any other thoughts on the subject.

[shinujk1]

you should always play the best equipment for you.....
I did that with all Titleist equipment before and paid the price for it.....
no club manufacturer has the best of everything....
plus you are not being sponsored to play that equipment....

drop the Srixons and play a variety that suits your game

[The Golfing Polack]

I really do like the driver and hybrid, and haven't found anything else that I like better yet, but I'm not exactly sure what to go to with the irons. I definitely need to go back to Cleveland wedges though.

Before I got the Srixons I tried Titleist DCI 962's. They really let me know that I needed a lot more consistency before I was ready for a real player's iron (even though they were slightly cavity backed). I don't want to make the same mistake twice, but I also don't want to spend $800 and regret selling my $200 Srixons.

[williethekid]

Get the wedges back, tons of players sponsored by one company use another company's wedges. I like to go to golfsmith every couples weeks, pick a few clubs and test hit them. Sometimes the salesperson seems a little pissed that I dont buy something, but w/e i spent over $1k there recently, and if they have a problem with it I'll take my business elsewhere. I like my 906f2 but it's definitely the weak part of my game right now, as well as my 2 iron (holding greens that is) I'll keep testing til I find something else I like. No sense to stick with what you have if you think it's hurting you, regardless of matching brands. Sorry to ramble on there.

[KingCobra]

if you like them stick with them. Go with what company and club feels right

[Dent]

I think maybe this brand thing is hurting. You have a wide range of clubs out there, and some that can definatly improve your game that are not srixon clubs. I think you should break out of it and get some different brands if you really feel that you can improve with different clubs. But again, its your choice.

[DDBowdoin]

it definately can hurt you, in your case I'm not sure but it definately is hurting me right now. I am in need of a new driver and making the jump to a taylormade superquad tp... I was recently on a launch monitor and I was hitting the taylormade almost 20 yards longer than my 905R

[hurley9192]

even the pros who get paid to play certain brands don't play that brand solely...especially with specialty clubs.

[beung]

I would say yes and no.

I say that because although different manufactures us different technologies and materials they all have to conform to the USGA rules.
With that said, not everyone has a repeatible swing let alone a perfect one. So the type of equipment you play probably has more to do with how well you score then the brand.
Taking all that into consideration, pretty much any touring pro could take anyone's set of equipement on this site and have very little problem shooting under par.

If one brand or another was truely better then another and your livelyhood depended on shooting well, as it does for touring pros, wouldn't you think everyone of them would be using the same brand?

The number one golfer in the world doesn't use a TM driver, doesn't use Cleveland Wedges (assuming Cleveland is the #1 wedge) nor does he hit a ProV ball.

Take a look at the ranking, there is such a variety of different brands that there is no way one brand is better then another. The type of club is more important then the manufacture who makes it and swing is the most important above all.


In your case is the Cleveland wedge that much better/different then the Srixon one you replaced it with? Is it a confidence thing and if you got the same wedge back, not the exact one but the same make and model, would it perform just as good as the one you sold? There is no certainty that it would, the bounce, loft, lie angle, ect might be off a half a deg or so and that is going to blow your confidence. When you find a peice of equipement that works for you never let it go, no matter how old or ugly it may be. If it works, then nothing can replace it no matter what brand. Pros spend hours trying to get their clubs just the way they like it because the only thing between a great shot and a bad shot is confidence.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I dunno... you're the only one who can truly tell us if it's hurting your game. You seem to have a lot more confidence with your old Cleveland 900 wedges so I'd say that part of your game is hurting. It's really all about confidence and performance. Pretty much every company makes quality clubs across the board. Obviously there isn't one company who makes the best at everything but it's not hard to play one companies clubs, because, again, they are all good. But if you think it is hurting you then my guess is it is. I play all Cleveland and while I don't think they are the best at everything I do think they are really good at everything and if I play poorly or hit a bad shot it certainly isn't the equipments fault. Bottom line is you have to play equipment you like and have confidence with. If you've lost confidence then maybe it's time to switch.

[SuaSponteMn]

I think maybe this brand thing is hurting. You have a wide range of clubs out there, and some that can definatly improve your game that are not srixon clubs. I think you should break out of it and get some different brands if you really feel that you can improve with different clubs. But again, its your choice.

You are misinformed, Srixon makes excellent clubs. The I-503 and I506 are excellent forged irons, a lot of players would tell you they both have the feel of a Mizuno forging with a little bit more fogiveness than the MP60. The new 701's look to be some of the nicest irons coming out this season. You put those alongside the new MP-57's, and I only pick Mizuno because Srixon isn't offering the 701 Left-handed right away. I guess my point is, it doesn't have to say Taylormade or Titleist to be solid brand name.

Are they the right clubs for this particular player? Only his golf pro, a ceritifed club fitter, or himself would know the answer to that question.

[Dent]

You are misinformed, Srixon makes excellent clubs. The I-503 and I506 are excellent forged irons, a lot of players would tell you they both have the feel of a Mizuno forging with a little bit more fogiveness than the MP60. The new 701's look to be some of the nicest irons coming out this season. You put those alongside the new MP-57's, and I only pick Mizuno because Srixon isn't offering the 701 Left-handed right away. I guess my point is, it doesn't have to say Taylormade or Titleist to be solid brand name.

Agreed, srixon does have good clubs but if hes contemplating on weather to switch to something else then im just saying there are many other brands out there that have better or equally good clubs.

[BritBoy]

I would say that if you like the clubs you have, or the others you are looking at, who cares who made them. For me personally I say that as soon as there is a check with my name on it for playing a certain manufacturers clubs I will be playing whatever feels good, no matter what the brand name is

[Fletch09]

If you ever make a decision on purchasing a club based on brand name alone, then yes, you are absolutely holding yourself back.

[lamebums]

This sort of things pops up a lot. I'm a fantasy sports player, and early on I would try and get all my favorite players from my favorite teams, without really thinking about how that would affect the end results. I'm kind of in the same boat in golf right now, as you can see by my sig, I'm playing all Srixon (except putter) right now. I'm trying to get my handicap down below a 10, but wonder if trying to stay with one brand and obviously limiting my choices is good for my game? The budget is tight right now, so I was thinking of selling my 403's on eBay and getting the 506's (in stiff, which would certainly help me out), but should I look at other manufacturers and stop limiting myself to a relatively unknown company only because I think it's cool to be different? This mentality has already burned me once, when I sold a fantastic cleveland 900 RTG gap wedge to get my Srixon wedges. I've been crying every time I line up a 110 yarder since.

Doesn't matter what brand it is - as long as it gives you the confidence standing over the ball. Even if it's a cheap clone or Dick's Sporting Goods brand, as long as it gets the job done, take it.

[Manystyles]

Doesn't matter what brand it is - as long as it gives you the confidence standing over the ball. Even if it's a cheap clone or Dick's Sporting Goods brand, as long as it gets the job done, take it.

Agreed. I play Cleveland Irons, TA5 becauase I like the feel and the confidence at address. Had these Irons NOT worked for me (for whatever reason even if it was my swing and not the irons) I would be looking to change. All club use is subjective. I play TM Woods and Drivers because I hit them well. Straight and far. It happens that I can then save some Ca$h on the TLC kit since I use the weights for my wood clubs. I just got a cleveland 5 wood as a gift that I hit much better then my TM and this makes me think the TM is going to go on ebay soon. One of the best things about golf is all the choices you have and the exploration of gear. However, if you just walked into a store and bought all TM or all Nike b/c of something OTHER then "I hit these best" then yes, as has been said here before, the name brand loyalty may be an issue. If I found a driver that tacked on 10-15 yards with the same accuracy, that R5 would be out of the bag in a heartbeat.

[P3R3]

I am a strict proponent of playing what works for you regarless of brand. Look at my bag, can't get more diverse than that!

[getinthehole]

I only have Cobra clubs, but if anything, it's helped my game, as long as you like how it looks behind the ball, it's up to you, and I love Cobra's look.