Callaway "AUTHENTIC" Shaft Labels

[GolfSpy_X]

Waiting to hear back from Callaway so I can provide you more info on these. But looks like this is their next step in fighting counterfeits.

[tiger plays 18 hoes a day]

any idea where you could get one of those glasses to read the Genuine authentic hidden text?

[Xamilo]

Well, anything which is done to avoid counterfeits is great.

[TBone]

nice, good idea, what do you do if you get new shafts put in ? still great idea

[scottymac825]

My Titleist 910 came with one of those stickers on the shaft. Good idea I think.

[Matt Saternus]

Love it. Big ups to Callaway and any other OEM who is fighting the counterfeit $#& that's out there.

[birdieman26]

I know Cleveland has been doing this on their clubs for quite a while now... great idea

[jp.]

Where are these stickers made?

[GolfSpy_X]

Probably China

[reg]

Probably China

 

 

OEM's making their clubs in China are the reason why counterfiets have exploded, so they have to accept some of the blame.

 

Hopefully these stickers aren't made in China, otherwise in 2mths they will be copied and start appearing on fake clubs.

[Miboy62]

Probably China

 

To funny

[Manavs]

Probably China

 

fear not - i have forwarded this to my friends who are the 9x winner of the label maker in the world - they are based right here in the USA - they are golfers, and they are on it!

[GolfSpy_X]

From what I have been told by Callaway this will not be available on US products. Not much more explanation from their end. Sounds like it will be used in other markets.

[TBone]

Titleist has these on some of the 910 series woods I saw today, seems this could become the norm, easier then serial numbers on everything,

[TWShoot67]

From what I have been told by Callaway this will not be available on US products. Not much more explanation from their end. Sounds like it will be used in other markets.

Thats nice so it's OK to sell Fakes/Counterfeits to those dumb a$$ US golfers but we'd better make the real thing for our other customers around the world! Too Funny....

[Manavs]

Thats nice so it's OK to sell Fakes/Counterfeits to those dumb a$ US golfers but we'd better make the real thing for our other customers around the world! Too Funny....

 

i think there might be an issue on how much better they can control distribution here in the states, rather than overseas.

 

i mean think about it, if you were buying say a set honmas or other overseas brand, wouldnt be easier to buy a counterfeit import than a domestic product?

[harrison101]

I think Callaway has a great idea here. Honestly if these clone golf club makers would just switch jobs and make the real thing it would take them just as much time.

[Shambles]

it doesn't take all that much time to make labels, and I doubt it's all that difficult to make a fancy one if the money involved is worth it. The label might need a special machine or special paper, but these things are always available somewhere.

 

 

Shambles

[TWShoot67]

it doesn't take all that much time to make labels, and I doubt it's all that difficult to make a fancy one if the money involved is worth it. The label might need a special machine or special paper, but these things are always available somewhere.

 

 

Shambles

 

It's just like currency, the bad guys always have some way of figuring out how to make the fake stuff. But like earlier stated by harrison101 why not just get in the legit club making business and try being legit? Maybe the answer is there's more money to be made illegally then legally? it's just is it really worth the risk of getting caught!

[GolfSpy_X]

In a world first for Callaway Golf, Callaway Golf South Pacific has announced the launch of a major anti-counterfeiting initiative to protect the authenticity and quality of its products and the Callaway brand.

 

The new initiative introduces a unique Certified Authentic label, which will feature on all genuine Callaway golf clubs released direct to the Australian and New Zealand markets, and has been designed to protect consumers from purchasing low quality counterfeit Callaway golf clubs.

 

Using an innovative image shift label that can only be viewed using a polarised filter, along with several other highly technical security features, the Callaway Golf Certified Authentic label can be used by retailers and consumers to validate authenticity from certified resellers of the Callaway brand.

 

“By holding such a strong position within the golfing market as a leading brand, and with products so highly demanded by consumers, Callaway Golf is unfortunately subject to the perils of counterfeiters,” Callaway Golf Australia General Manager Leighton Richards said.

 

“With an increase in consumer online purchasing behaviour, we believe Callaway Golf has the responsibility to protect golfers from being mislead or deceived into purchasing low-quality products under the disguise of authentic products.”

 

“By implementing the Certified Authentic label Callaway Golf South Pacific aims to support our local authorised retail partners by raising consumer awareness of the risks of purchasing online and from unauthorised retail stockists,” Richards said.

 

 

 

 

FULL ARTICLE

[Shambles]

The thing with the OEM's is that they need to make the decision of spending the money to find and catch the counterfeiters, or just continue on defensive efforts that are going to be defeated regardless. There is no defense that cannot be defeated except a defense that is a knock out counter offensive, and even that won't be total because someone else will set up the facilities to make their own effort at making themselves a fortune.

 

The business of labels and serial numbers will prove clumsy and ineffective and also become a bigger overhead for the OEMs. Their only real solution is to go after the factories and even that will need a continuing effort because those guys will just set up elsewhere.

 

 

Shambles

[reg]

When I read that it was going to be used for non US markets I immediately thought asia, that's where the clones are made, so I'd imagine that's where the biggest problem would be.

 

I'm in Australia, with our $ now being equal to the US $ everyone is using the internet to buy clubs, a year ago you could buy a set of irons from golfsmith, pay the high shipping cost and you would pay about 60% of what the retail price would be here. They've finally realised this and dropped some retail prices, but it's still far cheaper to buy internationally.

 

I'd imagine plenty of people have been stung by fakes, the golf market and fake market are nowhere near the size of the US, maybe they are trying it out here before bringing it to the US.

[hendricks97]

So you can still counterfeit the heads as long as you "change" the shafts? Doesnt seem to be solving much of anything, especially in this day and age of "upgrading" your shaft.