Are You a Brand Snob?

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

Playing all one brand doesn't make you a snob necessarily.  

Again, that's not what the topic is about.

It's about choosing Titleist and Bridgestone and whatever over Snell, RAM, etc.

[toast]

I like to stick to a couple brands in my bag, it's been a long time since I've found a company where I can comfortably play their entire line.

[PaddyMac]

Ha Ha just wondering how many voted no but are really yes... as was posted the poll is about being a brand snob ... would you look at a club and think no way would I bag that just on the name alone. Are you biased to particular brands, not having ever played/tested the ones you dislike. Now I know that a lot of the smaller company's don't have the R&D/Marketing budget to make them real contenders for no1 and there are people who buy based on budget, but if money was reasonably available is there a part of you that would dismiss certain brands like my playing partner regarding my Wilson Staff.

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Again, that's not what the topic is about.

It's about choosing Titleist and Bridgestone and whatever over Snell, RAM, etc.

Thanks for changing the Title

Edited November 1, 2017 by PaddyMac

[Midpack]

There are some brands I just won’t look at, but more that I’m open too, and three favorites. Don’t we all have some unique brand biases, though they may slowly change over time?

I only played MacGregor clubs when I started, had to get over that...

Edited November 1, 2017 by Midpack

[PaddyMac]

3 minutes ago, Midpack said:

There are some brands I just won’t look at, but more that I’m open too, and three favorites. Don’t we all have some unique brand biases?

I def think so, even I as I said at the beginning I myself would not buy TM preferring the more nostalgic brands of yesteryear

Edited November 1, 2017 by PaddyMac

[Wanzo]

I think I lean on the brand snob side.  For me it's a little bit of a mental thing, I want to believe in my equipment and part of that (for me) is trusting major brands and their tech.  When I try new clubs I usually have a pretty good idea based on reviews which ones i'll try, then i'll check them out in person and see if I actually like the look, if so, i'll hit them.  If they feel good when I hit them....i'll test the final contenders against each other on how they perform.  I do play Snell balls, so I guess I'm not a snob on balls....although I do think that they have a pretty strong following and support on this site and are gaining more mainstream acceptance. 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Wanzo

[Midpack]

Of ZERO consequence, my current radar is only:

• Woods: Callaway Epic, Titleist distant second. Used to be a TM disciple.
• Irons (hybrids): Mizuno or Titleist, maybe Callaway. Used to be a MacGregor (that’ll date me), then Wilson Staff disciple long ago.
• Wedges: tbd
• Putter: Sold on Evnroll, PING was only other contender. Only three putters in 53 years, don’t change often.
• Ball: Was Titleist exclusively, now Snell, maybe Bridgestone next year.
• Shoes: FJ, Adidas or Skecher.
• Clothes: Adidas, Under Armour, Nike.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Midpack

[mcanadiens]

My bag is a mix of all kinds of stuff I've been able to pick up cheap or free. I've got some Dunlop DMTs from the original set I bought six years ago. There are some Spalding Pro Calibre Plus irons that I was given. My driver is an old Nike VRS that I bought for $40. I have Taylormade Burner Bubble 3W and 5W I bought second-hand. I also have a Black Max SW and an ancient Cleveland 60-degree. The putter is a Knight. 

Pretty safely, no.

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by mcanadiens

[xrayvizhen]

Definitely not. When it comes to clubs, I've been playing the same irons for 16 years, shopping for new and driving myself nuts in the process because I'm not limiting my choices to just one or two names. I'm even considering Wishon, a company up until 3 weeks ago I had never heard of. Frankly, I'd hit the ball with a shovel if a: It was more effective than a club and b: it was legal.

As for balls, definitely not either. I have more unused new balls than I have hair and usually use found balls in decent shape, regardless of brand, before I open up a sleeve of new ones.

[allenc]

6 hours ago, Ty_Webb said:

I voted yes. I have had quite a lot of different brands in my bag over the years, but there are definitely some I generally won't consider.

I've had TM, Mizuno, Titleist, Nike and Ping woods

Titleist, Nike, Scratch, Wilson and Ram irons

Ping, Titleist, Yes, Wilson, Odyssey putters

But, I'd never play a TM putter and I'd never use Ping irons. That's because, at base, I am a little bit of a brand snob.

What kind of brand snobbery is it to not play TM putters and Ping irons? The current world #1 and a recent previous #1 (Jason Day) used TaylorMade putters.  Ping irons are some of the most famous in the world and also used by top players.

[cutchemist42]

8Where I live, you'd have to go out of your way to buy anything but the bigger brand names as thats what golftowb and sport checks carry. 

I've bought plenty of cheap balls tho. The only cheap ball I hated were some Tommy Armours that were cracking easily. You can also get cheap balls from kijiji entrepreneurs who have backyards to golf courses haha. (20 bucks for 4 dozen no matter the brand is great?

If I ever got fitted for new clubs, brand would never come into play, only results.

I personally play hand-me-down Lynx irons, I know the American branding of them is cheap now. I've been told I should have more upright clubs for lie, but they can't be bent.

Anyone here play fitted Wishon ?

Edited November 2, 2017 by cutchemist42

[Ty_Webb]

11 hours ago, allenc said:

What kind of brand snobbery is it to not play TM putters and Ping irons? The current world #1 and a recent previous #1 (Jason Day) used TaylorMade putters.  Ping irons are some of the most famous in the world and also used by top players.

That they have awful taste is their issue. Have you seen that TM thing? Yikes!

Ping make putters. Taylor Made make drivers. Mizuno make irons. A very narrow few make them all (Titleist - I'm looking at you). I wouldn't play a Mizuno driver or a Mizuno putter, because their irons are what make them great. Ping made the Ping Zing 2 irons. They are lost. I'll grant you that the iBlade is not a bad looking club, but I just couldn't do it.

(I'm saying a lot of this tongue in cheek, but there's a hint of truth behind it)

[Denny Bang Bang]

22 hours ago, PaddyMac said:

I recently picked up a new set of sticks, Wilson Staff FG Tour irons and wedges. My playing partner (without even trying them) thought it was a mistake. His motto is that if he’s going to buy equipment he might as well invest in what he perceives is the best, so he bought Taylormade everything except a Scotty putter. . He has a large cart bag; I have a Jones carry bag.  As I accused him of being a brand snob, I realised that I was a reverse golf snob deliberately not wanting to buy into what I see as marketing hype but opting for Titleist/Wilson Staff as it reminded me of my youth, allowed me to identify with older greats that played on tour that suited my age bracket more and my sense of identity better. We both used our ego to influence our purchase.... we are both brand snobs just different.

I agree with @allenc, the Wilson Staff FG Tour irons are a great iron.  They are right up there with all the other premium brands.

I tend to lean towards brands I am familiar/experienced with (I’ve never been disappointed with Ping woods and Mizuno irons).  But, a friend of mine plays the Top Flite Tour wedges.  They are actually a really nice wedge, and I will consider them next time I need new wedges.  I also play the Snell MTB, and get weird looks when I say “yea, that’s me”.  So I wouldn’t totally say I’m snobby, but maybe a little.

Now... maple syrup or chicken wings, huge snob!  Haha

Edited November 2, 2017 by Denny Bang Bang

[Vinny Cap]

1 hour ago, Ty_Webb said:

That they have awful taste is their issue. Have you seen that TM thing? Yikes!

Ping make putters. Taylor Made make drivers. Mizuno make irons. A very narrow few make them all (Titleist - I'm looking at you). I wouldn't play a Mizuno driver or a Mizuno putter, because their irons are what make them great. Ping made the Ping Zing 2 irons. They are lost. I'll grant you that the iBlade is not a bad looking club, but I just couldn't do it.

(I'm saying a lot of this tongue in cheek, but there's a hint of truth behind it)

Come on Ty, don't diss Ping just cause of the Zing 2's.  Everyone is entitled to at least one mistake!  LOL  

They did make some other pretty sweet clubs.  I do have similar thinking as you do..

Mizzy irons, Ping irons and putters, Callaway woods... that's what I like! 

[RussUK]

My irons are Hippo Beast's......I rest my case

[DeadMan]

I voted yes, because I really won't consider clubs for myself that aren't made by one of the big manufacturers. One of the biggest jumps in my golfing ability came from replacing my starter set woods with a Ping 3 wood and TaylorMade driver (also going from a TopFlite to a Bridgestone ball), and since then I haven't strayed from one of the bigger manufacturers.

For clothes and other accessories, I'm not a snob. Most of my golfing clothes are from non-brand names. I'm not a huge fan of spending tons of money on clothes, and I don't see the value in spending more on golf clothes.

[Ty_Webb]

1 hour ago, Vinny Cap said:

Come on Ty, don't diss Ping just cause of the Zing 2's.  Everyone is entitled to at least one mistake!  LOL  

They did make some other pretty sweet clubs.  I do have similar thinking as you do..

Mizzy irons, Ping irons and putters, Callaway woods... that's what I like! 

I almost went with "ehh" or "no" in the poll because I do actually have a Ping driver and 3 wood. I went to a fitting and decided to just go with what the guy told me. My numbers with the G30 LST were much better than any other drivers, so I went with that. Then I went and got the three wood to go with it too. I'm now toying with a G400, because there is too much money in my bank account (hahahahahahahaha - I wish!) Prior to that fitting, I would not have considered Ping for anything other than a putter. Even their putters I haven't been too impressed with their stuff lately, but the Anser 2 was a legendary thing.

[Yukari]

No. I chose my clubs after hitting different ones.  Driver: Titleist, 3-W Callaway, Irons Yonex, wedges, Titleist vokey.

Golf balls: any premium ball from Bridgestone Tour RB(x), Titleist ProV1(x), Taylormade Tour Preferred (x).  Lately, I've used mostly Taylormade Tour Preferred x as they were on sale for $24 a dozen (last year's model).

I don't shop for a particular brand.  I will purchase whatever fits me