Off brand clubs

[Mmarkiel]

Hi all

I am getting a lot of adds for off brand/small company brands, (bombtec, warrior) and was wondering if these have been tested here and /or are they just hype

[DPattGolf]

One is hype. Another is basically a scam. Maybe both are a scam....

[null]

One is hype. Another is basically a scam. Maybe both are a scam....

Correct. Both scams

[azstu324]

One is hype. Another is basically a scam. Maybe both are a scam....

Ditto.. Now don't be thrown off by small/off brand companies. There are some out there that are definitely worth their weight but you typically don't see a sickening slew of click bait adverts or junk mail from them. 

[GB13]

Both are mostly scams.

If you want off brand clubs that are good clubs, look at Maltby or Hogan (not off brand but still a small company that makes good clubs that most people haven't heard of).

[DPattGolf]

If your wanting off brand/cheaper clubs because you want to save money definitely check out Hogan or Maltby like GB13 said. If your just trying to get one of your first full sets or don't play enough golf to feel like you can spend the money on the "Name Brands" you might want to check out Centurion Golf while they are still doing their inventory blowout sale. Everything is at cost and you can get a full bag set (Technically 15 clubs plus a glove and 3 hats) for $500. 

[azstu324]

I play Maltby (golfworks) and will probably never play anything else..

 

That said, Gigagolf, Pinemeadow, & Hireko are a few other "component" companies that allow you to statically fit yourself online and can choose from a pretty decent variety of OEM shafts & Grips and they have their own proprietary head designs. Some similar to those we're familiar with but not enough to say they're copies or clones. I believe they're all based out of the U.S. so customer service is local. I played Gigagolf irons for a few years and they were actually decent. 

 

Hogan, Wishon, KZG, Edel, etc are a little pricier but still fall under the boutique category and aren't too outrageously priced. Hogan is probably the better known but they really have an attractive price point for a large-ish OEM. 

 

Most of these companies are owned, managed, run by ex club designers, pro golfers, etc so they really know their stuff. 

 

Fun fact: Tom Wishon was more or less an apprentice under Ralph Maltby when he got out of college.. he then went to run Dynacraft golf which is a brand heavily sold by Hireko. 

[Mmarkiel]

Not to change the subject but I have always wanted to build my own clubs however I don't know enough about the topic yet. For example I use an offset driver that I hit pretty good, do I offset all of my clubs?

[GB13]

Not to change the subject but I have always wanted to build my own clubs however I don't know enough about the topic yet. For example I use an offset driver that I hit pretty good, do I offset all of my clubs?

Well, there is no static answer to that question. That is something that will need to be addressed by a fitter.

 

I will give you my opinion though, (Warning, I am NOT a fitter, while I have a good understanding of equipment, I am still NOT a fitter)

 

My best guess is that if you hit an offset driver well, you come over the top some. So offset irons will help you keep the ball from going right. They will also help you hit the ball higher and longer and straighter (if I am right that you come over the top, I think I am though).

 

The trade off is less feel, workability, and control. All irons have some offset, what you need to figure out is, how much do you need?

 

Again based off your current handicap, I would say a good deal of offset is needed but there could be other factors contributing to that handicap.

[bluesmandan76]

My dad bought me a set of Lazrus wedges. Never heard of em but pretty good wedges. Very spinny because of the low kick shaft and the aggressive face milling. $100 for 3 forged wedges... hard to beat.

 

 

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[Kanoito]

Diamond Tour is also reputable off brand company. Got like 4 sets from them when I was just getting started and they were very affordable.

[azstu324]

Hi all

I am getting a lot of adds for off brand/small company brands, (bombtec, warrior) and was wondering if these have been tested here and /or are they just hype

Just to add some extra help in answering your question.. "Offset" is really a help aid that helps square the club face and create artificial shaft lean and better compression when you have a tendency to come over the top. Its purpose is to help correct the "power fade" otherwise known as a slice and the most common swing flaw. When your swing is corrected, an offset club usually results in a draw or pull. If you are ok with your current swing mechanics and the offset works then stick with that. If youre working on improving your swing, body/hip turn, shoulder rotation, you'll want to steer clear of too much offset because it will be tough to make those corections and have a decent ball flight. Hopefully that all made some sense.

 

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[azstu324]

Not to change the subject but I have always wanted to build my own clubs however I don't know enough about the topic yet. For example I use an offset driver that I hit pretty good, do I offset all of my clubs?

I forgot to add.. If you're really serious about wanting to learn about club building/repair, etc, https://www.golfworks.com is an excellent place to start. This is Ralph Maltby's company. Here you can find various books and help aids on club building. Theres a club makers forum and they have every tool imaginable for all levels of building whether it be tinkering or opening a business. You'll also find all of Maltby's club offerings here. Enjoy!

 

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[chemclub]

I have actually hit Warrior clubs. They were purchased by a friend who is a high hdcp (like the OP) who was looking to save a buck. They aren't bad at all for his purposes. I found the wedges were nice around the greens. Are you going to wring every ounce of distance out of the woods? Probably not, but my guess is a causal golfer with a high hdcp can play those things for a while. Work on your game for a bit and then upgrade.

 

That said, you can buy used name brand clubs a few years old pretty cheaply.  

[PlaidJacket]

There's a guy at the office that recently bought 2 clubs from Warrior. Yes... I had warned him about the email harassment. He bought a wedge of some loft and a HB of some loft. When they arrived I took and a look and both clubs looked quite nice. Of course as most of us would already say... "who knows how they might play." 

Keep in mind an expert "player" like myself    wouldn't buy a Warrior but for many guys I think these might be perfectly acceptable and playable. Especially for someone who might not play often and doesn't want to spend much.

Who says golf has to be expensive?

[HOBMAN]

I just got some Centurion irons to try them. I figured that if I didn't like them I could donate them to the First Tee or give them to a friend. Shortly before that I had ordered a set of the new Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Black, a completely different club obviously. I went out and hit the Centurions and could not believe how they hit. They were shipped from North Carolina but I don't know the country of origin. The have a website that explains some interesting things like using oversized grips, etc. First of all, they are a carbon steel club that is very soft. The shafts have no markings but I ordered stiff and they are that. They are black clubs that I'm sure will wear quickly like my Nike Vapor Fly Pro did. I was so impressed that I bought 3 more sets, a 3 wedge set (I had bought a 56 degree wedge w/milled face) a 5 wood and putter all for under $500. You can't go wrong with this brand and I still can't figure out why they're so inexpensive, but I took full advantage. I even had a college golfer at our club hit one and he was overly impressed.

[HardcoreLooper]

Warrior's clubs aren't necessarily bad, but their business practices certainly were. I don't know if they've cleaned up their act or not.

[cnosil]

I think it depends on the club. Some will be scams, some will be decent, and some will be great. A large aspect will be the customer support and the marketing practices of the company as well.

 

There are company's such as Edel, new level, Hireko, and Wishon that are small and are high quality with good customer service. Warrior probably has okay clubs but their business practices are a bit sketchy. I would just do some research, google is a great way to gather information quickly, and see what people are posting.

[DPattGolf]

There's a guy at the office that recently bought 2 clubs from Warrior. Yes... I had warned him about the email harassment. He bought a wedge of some loft and a HB of some loft. When they arrived I took and a look and both clubs looked quite nice. Of course as most of us would already say... "who knows how they might play." 

Keep in mind an expert "player" like myself    wouldn't buy a Warrior but for many guys I think these might be perfectly acceptable and playable. Especially for someone who might not play often and doesn't want to spend much.

Who says golf has to be expensive?

Should have told the guy to follow Bryan Colangelo's lead and get himself a Burner Account!

[tommc23]

I really like my Wishon clubs and I look forward to getting my KZG built

 

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[excourse]

I bag a variety of brands, and am a big fan of Wishon. Spoke with Tom several times before he sold to Sterling and retired, a very nice guy. On a side note and not to derail the thread, if you haven't read "In Search of the Perfect Golf Club" by Tom, put it on your list.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

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