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As many golf enthusiasts know, new equipment can cost an arm and a leg. With such high demand for name brand equipment at rock bottom prices, a huge variety of counterfeit golf clubs has become available on eBay through countless sellers. The hard part is picking out the great steals from the fake deals.
Walk into any proshop or golf retail store and a brand new set of top notch irons will never cost between $300 and $500. I have seen auction after auction of "Taylormade" drivers and "Cleveland" irons going for prices so low it's unbelievable. Here are a few things to look for while searching for the deal that's right for you.
Pictures are one of the keys in promoting an item. Look for auctions with actual photos of the seller's item. Stock photos don't show you the details of the item you're actually bidding on. Compare the sellers pictures to those on company websites. Look for differences in lines, paint markings, letter size and spacing, and molding form(especially in drivers). Some websites out there sell fakes at wholesale prices.
A few select ones to look for:
Cleveland CG1 Black Pearl irons: Check the MICRO-MILL stamp size...small is good, big is bad.
Cleveland CG2 irons: Bottom groove on face should be filled with white paint.
Taylormade R7 drives: Look for the shape of the center screw mold imprint...if it is rounded, it's fake.
Nike SQ+ driver: line thickness between chrome sole plate and yellow back imprint.
Check out www.saga24.com. This is a website based in China that sells counterfeits, the majority of which end up on eBay and in the bags of unsuspecting golfers. If anything you are watching looks like theirs, don't buy it. This is by far my biggest help in determining if what I am buying is legit. I don't bid on anything without images to compare. No seller should be too busy to send you images if you ask them in advance. If they are "too busy" to send you images, imagine how the rest of their customer service will be if you have problems with the transaction.
Feedback is a great asset on eBay, the problem is many buyers don't know they've bought a fake and still leave positive feedback. This just adds to the seller's credibility and the likelihood of them making even more money at your expense. Inspect and test clubs thoroughly before leaving any feedback. Check for consistent feel, flight patterns, and trajectory. Ask questions about anything and everything. Legit sellers are always happy to answer questions and address all concerns. Customer satisfaction is what true sellers strive for. If they don't reply or try to make excuses, that's not a good sign.
Check the seller's other items for sale. If they have 20 sets of identical clubs up for auction stay away.
If in doubt, remember that there are auctions being posted everyday. You'll eventually find that club you've been searching for.
Good luck, be smart, and happy bidding.
WWW.SAGA24.COM
Walk into any proshop or golf retail store and a brand new set of top notch irons will never cost between $300 and $500. I have seen auction after auction of "Taylormade" drivers and "Cleveland" irons going for prices so low it's unbelievable. Here are a few things to look for while searching for the deal that's right for you.
Pictures are one of the keys in promoting an item. Look for auctions with actual photos of the seller's item. Stock photos don't show you the details of the item you're actually bidding on. Compare the sellers pictures to those on company websites. Look for differences in lines, paint markings, letter size and spacing, and molding form(especially in drivers). Some websites out there sell fakes at wholesale prices.
A few select ones to look for:
Cleveland CG1 Black Pearl irons: Check the MICRO-MILL stamp size...small is good, big is bad.
Cleveland CG2 irons: Bottom groove on face should be filled with white paint.
Taylormade R7 drives: Look for the shape of the center screw mold imprint...if it is rounded, it's fake.
Nike SQ+ driver: line thickness between chrome sole plate and yellow back imprint.
Check out www.saga24.com. This is a website based in China that sells counterfeits, the majority of which end up on eBay and in the bags of unsuspecting golfers. If anything you are watching looks like theirs, don't buy it. This is by far my biggest help in determining if what I am buying is legit. I don't bid on anything without images to compare. No seller should be too busy to send you images if you ask them in advance. If they are "too busy" to send you images, imagine how the rest of their customer service will be if you have problems with the transaction.
Feedback is a great asset on eBay, the problem is many buyers don't know they've bought a fake and still leave positive feedback. This just adds to the seller's credibility and the likelihood of them making even more money at your expense. Inspect and test clubs thoroughly before leaving any feedback. Check for consistent feel, flight patterns, and trajectory. Ask questions about anything and everything. Legit sellers are always happy to answer questions and address all concerns. Customer satisfaction is what true sellers strive for. If they don't reply or try to make excuses, that's not a good sign.
Check the seller's other items for sale. If they have 20 sets of identical clubs up for auction stay away.
If in doubt, remember that there are auctions being posted everyday. You'll eventually find that club you've been searching for.
Good luck, be smart, and happy bidding.
WWW.SAGA24.COM
Guide created: 03/26/07 (updated 08/28/08)
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