Tag: Lpga

Paying Too Much for Golf Clubs? Find Cheap, Quality Golf Clubs

Paying Too Much for Golf Clubs? Find Cheap, Quality Golf Clubs

Article by David L Stargel







Cheap Golf Clubs: Cloning is not Only for Sheep

Dolly the cloned sheep may have been, simply because she was the first successfully cloned mammal, the most valuable animal in the world. But Dolly the sheep was, on the chromosomal level, identical to the sheep from which she was cloned, and no one besides Dolly’s creators are likely to remember that particular sheep’s name. Cloning, when it comes to living creatures, is a value enhancer, but when it comes to golf clubs, cloning is a weekend golfer’s best chance of getting a quality club without dropping a week’s salary.

While clone golf clubs are cheap golf clubs, they are NOT cheaply made golf clubs. Clone golf clubs, which are rapidly getting the notice of the golfing community, are simply generic versions of the best Callaway, Cleveland, and other high-end golf clubs now available. And like the generic versions of some of the most expensive prescription drugs, they offer all the effectiveness of the originals, at a fraction of the original prices.

Every golfer who plays regularly fantasizes from time to time about how much better he or she could be with a golf bag full of the same clubs which are carted around in the wake of the PGA or LPGA pros every weekend. But unless you are able to spend thousands of dollars on a set of cutting-edge name brand clubs, your fantasy will have to remain a fantasy, or so you think.

But you are entitled to think again, because by choosing clone golf clubs over their name brand counterparts, you can save more than 50% on the price of your clubs, and sometimes considerably more. How is this possible?

Most of us in the US, even though we live in a consumer-driven economy, often forget that one of the biggest factors involved in the price of the consumer goods we buy is the cost of advertising. The top of the line golf clubs are, of course, painstakingly designed and engineered, and produced from the finest materials. But once they are ready for use, they are put in the hands of high-priced touring pros who then endorse the clubs, and that kind of marketing does not come cheap.

And when you head for you local pro shop or sporting goods store to get the latest wonder driver which has been heaped with praise from the likes of David Duval or Jim Furyk, you will also be socked with the store markup. There are many other reasons why a set of name brand golf clubs will easily retail for two to three times what it cost to produce them.

Clone golf clubs are made from material identical to those in the branded clubs; the only thing they lack, in fact, is the big name. So if you are fairly new to the game but enjoy it enough to think it’s time you invested in a set of clubs, why not look for clone golf clubs which handle as well as the brand name variety, without manhandling your budget?



About the Author

David Stargel:— David Stargel is an avid golfer who publishes several golf related websites as well as golf related articles and books. He is nuts about the game and a self-proclaimed Golf Nut.Get more information regarding golf clubs.

Read About Professional Golf

Read About Professional Golf

As with any other sport golf also does have a professional level. The difference between playing professional golf and amateur golf, however, can be a very fine line. There are a lot of amateur golfers that can score at the professional level, however, they are unable to do it consistently and often miss out on the tournaments that can qualify them to get on the tour.

Nonetheless, it is a dream of many golfers to play professional golf one day and make a living doing something that they truly, truly love. Your office is the course, and your co-workers are people who love the game just as much as you do. You share common interests at the professional level of golf and it can be a very satisfying career. But isn’t that obvious?

Qualifying to play professional golf is another story altogether. The field is very competitive and it can be extremely difficult to break through. Some people try their whole lives to qualify and always come up short. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of dedication, and an ability to take a lot of disappointment to play professional golf, so know what you’re in for!

To get started playing professional golf, you will first have to qualify for “Q School” or Qualifying School. Q Schools are annual qualifying tournament for leading golf tours like the PGA and the LPGA. In Q School, a fixed number of players win membership to the tour for the following season. In professional golf, this is referred to as your “tour card”. You will then be able to play in most of the tour’s events without having to qualify.

Getting through the Q school is very competitive and most professional golfers never achieve it. There can be up to four stages to negotiate each of them like a regular golf tournament with only a small number of players going on to the next state. The final qualifying school may be played over up to six rounds compared with the standard four rounds in a professional golf tournament. However, players who are successful at Q school can reach the elite level of competition very quickly.

You can also qualify to play professional golf in other ways. Finishing near the top of the money list on the tour’s developmental tour, winning a tournament on the tour after qualifying or as a sponsor’s invitee, or winning enough money on multiple events on the tour to meet whatever criteria the tour may lay down for promotion to full membership. This last one was how Tiger Woods gained his first tour card.

Playing professional golf is not an easy career to pursue, but it is a great way to make a living! Persistence, patience, and a great game of golf can all get you on your way to playing professional golf, but be realistic and know that it will take time.

Learn about pictures of putting and golf terms at the Putting Tips site.

Golf Tour Players and the Major Brands

An article by Robert Wilson, Director of Product Development at Giga Golf.

In my years in the golf club business, one question I am continually asked is, “Why do tour players always play golf clubs manufactured by the major brands? If your clubs are so good, why don’t the players on tour use them?” The answer is more complicated than “they are sponsored”.

Many of the best players are under endorsement contracts. These can be very lucrative and sometimes net a player several million dollars a year. However, every player on tour is a commodity.

When players first get their PGA tour card they are offered “Tee up money” to play a specific brand of golf club. It does not matter who you are, if you are in the field you get paid. If you make the cut you make more. If you win the check can be very large.

The goal is to win the “count”. Every week the Darrell Survey publishes how many players played with what product. These figures are then used in the manufacturer’s ad campaigns. Having more drivers in play dramatically increases you chance of grabbing the title.

Of course, tour players would not use the endorsed product if they did not feel they could play well with it. Brand name manufacturers go to great lengths to make sure the player is comfortable with the product. They adjust loft and lie, change the shaft and even customize the head weighting to fit the tour player.

This article is a couple years old, but it illustrates some of the points I am making. In the years since its first post, tee-up compensation has gotten more prevalent and lucrative. It now extends to mini tours and the LPGA.

I do not believe there is anything unethical or illegal about the practice. It is simply a way to advertise and market a product. It is up to the consumer to understand that the reason 46 players on tour are now using the newest generation Titanium driver is in part due to the brand name companies marketing budget.

Tour support is another reason tour players choose their equipment from one of several high profile nationally advertised brands. When a manufacturer decides that tour player endorsement is going to be a part of their marketing plan they must invest in a means to support the players needs.

To start, this includes a “tour van” and support personnel. These vans are well supplied golf club factories. They have the equipment to alter lies, change shafts, grind a bounce or anything else a tour player may require to play his or her best.

Obviously, this dedication to the tour player is costly and adds significantly to the cost of golf equipment. However, a tour player’s support does provide benefits beyond the marketing arena. It makes new product development easier and faster.

Manufacturers that employ tour players have an advantage when they are developing new products. A tour player’s feedback can be an important part of the development process. This is why innovations like moveable weight ports and 460cc drivers are usually introduced by manufacturers with tour staffs. Companies who follow the trends must wait a month or two before the innovations can be made available to their customers.

Both brand name and custom clubs offer golfers benefits. Custom clubs can be made to fit a golfer’s physical measurements and are generally less expensive than brand name clubs. On the other hand, brand name clubs have been successful on tour. This can inspire confidence over the golf ball. If off the rack standard specifications are right for you than brand name clubs may help you play better golf.

The idea is to get out there and play. Do not get too hung up on the equipment you use. A beautiful golf shot does not care where you bought your clubs. If you think custom clubs are right for you Giga Golf would appreciate your business. We strive to provide quality and service.