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It’s no secret that golf is often considered a rich man’s game. From the equipment, to the clothing, and even the membership and entrance fees to courses – everything essential for playing golf can come with pretty steep price tags. But that doesn’t mean you have to buy into all of the most expensive picks every time.
Branding is everything. So even if some clubs don’t have the features, the quality, or the durability to back up their price tags, something as simple as a well-known logo slapped across their handles can make them worth purchasing. Don’t fall into that trap!
If you’re a budget-conscious player, we can recommend some clone clubs that you might want to look into. You’d be surprised – the best clone golf clubs can sometimes perform even better than their name-brand counterparts. Of course, finding the right clones is a whole different story, which is why we’ve put together this complete guide.
Some people might call them Chinese knock off golf clubs, but the proper term for them is clone golf clubs. Essentially, these are imitation clubs that aim to replicate the quality and design of clubs that come from branded choices.
Why would you be interested in a clone golf club, you might ask? Simple – they’re cheaper. Most branded clubs have the gall to sport such steep prices because of the name that made them. So more often than not, you’re paying for the brand, and not really the club itself. That’s why there are expensive clubs that might even perform poorly.
Clones strip away the name, but maintain the quality of the club. So although not every single one will be a good performer, the ones that are made well can compete with those from leading brands.
Is brand the only thing that sets name brand golf clubs from clones the logo? Apparently, the answer might be yes. There aren’t a lot of factories that produce golf clubs, so most of the clones you’ll find are produced in the exact same factories where the originals are made. You can expect that Ping, Callaway, and Taylormade clone golf clubs are made in the exact same assembly line that produces these brands’ clubs.
Sometimes, clones fail certain parts of the quality assurance process. Minor defects like chipped paint, misshapen handles, and other small issues that don’t really make much of a difference can be enough reason for the clubs to be pulled out of production before they get branded.
Somehow, these clubs manage to wiggle their way into the market, and are dubbed “clone” golf clubs to indicate that they imitate original designs but without the name brand. In reality though, clones aren’t necessarily replicas and are exactly the same, featuring small defects that don’t interfere with performance.
For these reasons, clone clubs are often sold at much lower prices, often just set at the price of the materials and labor needed to make them plus a little profit. That said, they can cost as much as 50% less than their branded counterparts.
On the other hand, there are also cloning brands that aim to replicate the technologies used by better known golf club companies. These don’t imitate designs, and instead try to implement similar systems and features in order to produce clubs that perform like the expensive name brand choices.
The reason why these options tend to be cheaper is also because they’re lesser known. Without a well-established name, these companies resort to offering their clubs at attractive prices in order to reel in buyers.
Choosing a clone golf club can be tricky because there might not be as much of a wealth of information online to help you understand them better. Unlike brands that have websites to guide their buyers, clones don’t have extensive online resources to explain their design and quality.
So what can you do to choose the best clones? Keep these factors in mind.
We did say that clones typically come from the same factories that manufacture branded clubs, so they’re essentially the same. On the other hand, imitation clubs are a completely different story.
Manufactured in low-end factories, these cheap knock offs try to imitate branded clubs by using the same aesthetic design, but often utilizing different quality materials. This results to poor build quality which will translate to poor performance.
What makes them illegal is the fact that they breach copyrights and trademarks. These fraudulent products also aim to fool buyers by using well-known brand logos to make them seem like the genuine article.
Generally though, clone clubs aren’t ‘brandless’, and in fact get branded with logos and trademarks from lesser known companies. These clone companies and manufacturers establish their own identity by marking their designs with their unique logos. They also don’t hope to fool buyers but instead offer products similar to name brands and expensive designs without breaching any trademarks or copyrights.
Essentially, a clone golf club should cost around 50% less than their branded counterparts. Small defects significantly impact their prices, especially because most of the well-known brands that manufacture them aim for excellent quality that gives them their reputation among buyers.
While it’s normal for clones to be significantly cheaper than those with brands, be mindful of deals that seem too good to be true. If a price looks way too cheap, it might not be a clone, and may actually be an imitation instead.
There are limited resources online for clone clubs, but there’s always something to be found. Make sure you read up on reviews to help you understand your choices, and to give you a clearer understanding of how they actually perform on the fairway.
First entering the market in 1985, Pinemeadow Golf is one of the oldest clone club manufacturers the world over. Many of their clubs are available for purchase online, which makes them pretty accessible to the general public. To make it even more convenient, their online databases have information entries for all of their different club designs. So you don’t need to go scavenging for reviews on the internet.
They have virtually everything you might need on the fairway, offer bundles of clubs for buyers who want complete sets, and even manufacture specific accessories that are compatible with their clubs. So all together, the Pinemeadow Golf brand makes the ideal one-stop-shop for all of your golfing needs minus the steep price tags.
Gigagolf is one of the biggest players in the clone golf club market. Having been around for close to 15 years, this brand aims to implement some of the technologies used by the best golf club brands in the market, allowing them to create competitive club designs that perform almost exactly like their expensive counterparts.
Often, the clubs from GigaGolf have been dubbed Callaway clone golf clubs because the two brands produce clubs that closely resemble one another. The company also offers customization services to its buyers, which means they can produce specialized pieces like left handed clone golf clubs.
On top of that, they’re also exceptionally affordable. They also offer impressive after sales support which to us is extremely commendable in a company that simply clones products.
If you were hoping to buy a club for your kids but you were hoping to spend a little less than you would on a name brand club, we recommend Diamond Tour Golf. This brand specializes in cloning clubs from lots of different brands, and has often been hailed as the manufacturer of the best Ping clone golf clubs.
What sets them apart from other clone club manufacturers is the fact that they offer both junior clubs and smaller clubs for petite women. This makes them a good choice for parents who want to start out their kid on golfing, but don’t want to spend too much on a branded starter club that they might not be able to maximize.
You don’t really need to spend thousands on a brand new club from those expensive manufacturing companies. In fact, for the amount you’d spend on one name brand club, you might be able to purchase two or three different clone clubs of the same caliber.
If you’re looking for the best clone golf clubs, we recommend those from GigaGolf. This clone manufacturer has been around for years and is highly trusted when it comes to producing high quality clubs that closely mimic the performance of expensive professional golf clubs.
Of course, GigaGolf isn’t the only viable choice out there. With Pinemeadow Golf and Diamond Tour Golf, you can expect pretty much the same performance all within an affordable price range. So make sure to check what all three of them offer in order to find the right clone clubs for your specific needs and preferences.
