GB72
Money List Winner
As an example, I saw Hi-Tec and Titleist adverts following Harringtons win but did not see many, if any, Wilson adds in the magazines. Would have thought then would be the time to plug like mad.
Fallen from the top
- Thread starter Boabski
- Start date
madandra
Money List Winner
Good point GB. Wilson are made in a factory in Irvine Scotland ( I lost the tip of my finger there in '91) so perhaps the European side of Wilson don't brag like the Yanks.
T
thecraw
Guest
I'll tell you who is fleecing their customers and its not the lower end market. These companies use the same system as callaway, ping, cobra etc etc. They have a cheap cast, mass produce their iron heads with cheap as chips stainless steel, buy in golf pride or rifle shafts by their thousands, equating to 10p a shaft or the like. Thereafter buy in thousands of grips at a time again for 10p a grip they buy in such bulk.
The production line is set up and bobs your uncle, £4,5,6 hundred pound sets for £2.50 a club.
Believe me I know what I'm talking about I used to work for John Letters! And they were not huge.
The production line is set up and bobs your uncle, £4,5,6 hundred pound sets for £2.50 a club.
Believe me I know what I'm talking about I used to work for John Letters! And they were not huge.
tpred
Head Pro
So you are saying that the big club producers use the same materials as the lower end market.
So we may as well go out and buy the cheap stuff.
So ive just spent £1,500 on ping clubs and could have got the same for much much less.
There has to be a difference
So we may as well go out and buy the cheap stuff.
So ive just spent £1,500 on ping clubs and could have got the same for much much less.
There has to be a difference
DCB
Well-known member
I think what we've all forgotten is that these companies that used to sell brands such as Dunlop, Maxfli etc were victims of takeovers / merges / asset stripping over a period of time. What was left was a brand name which was subsequently sold to some other company who would trade their equipment with a proven brand name.
I had a set of Maxfli Revolution clubs around 2000-2001 and they were great. Maxfli were still selling quality equipment at that time. They still sold the 'razorblade on a stick' Australian blades that were so popular with the pros 15 years ago. But they were about to be sold off when Taylor Made bought them over. 1st rule of a takeover, get what you want then get rid of the rest. Taylor Made no doubt got some good R&D out of the Maxfli company and then sold off the brand name to recoup some of their losses.
Some of the other companies have done exactly the same thing, RAM used to be played by Watson and by Price I think, nowadays they are a budget club company.
John Letters, they used to be a big club maker,many top players used them at one time or another now they exist in name only via a far east holding company I'll bet.
I suppose it's us golfers who are to blame, we're always on the lookout for the next new bit of kit, that extra 5 yards with the driver, that smoother roll with the putter........ wait a minute, it's old karsten who's to blame, if his putters had been useless maybe he wouldn't have developed the 'game improvement club' and we'd still all be striking/thinning/topping australian blades woudn't we. Oh the joy on a frost saturday morning of thinning a four iron!
Anyway I'm off to look at the my next shiny new bit of golf gear I want to buy on gulliblegolfers.com
I had a set of Maxfli Revolution clubs around 2000-2001 and they were great. Maxfli were still selling quality equipment at that time. They still sold the 'razorblade on a stick' Australian blades that were so popular with the pros 15 years ago. But they were about to be sold off when Taylor Made bought them over. 1st rule of a takeover, get what you want then get rid of the rest. Taylor Made no doubt got some good R&D out of the Maxfli company and then sold off the brand name to recoup some of their losses.
Some of the other companies have done exactly the same thing, RAM used to be played by Watson and by Price I think, nowadays they are a budget club company.
John Letters, they used to be a big club maker,many top players used them at one time or another now they exist in name only via a far east holding company I'll bet.
I suppose it's us golfers who are to blame, we're always on the lookout for the next new bit of kit, that extra 5 yards with the driver, that smoother roll with the putter........ wait a minute, it's old karsten who's to blame, if his putters had been useless maybe he wouldn't have developed the 'game improvement club' and we'd still all be striking/thinning/topping australian blades woudn't we. Oh the joy on a frost saturday morning of thinning a four iron!
Anyway I'm off to look at the my next shiny new bit of golf gear I want to buy on gulliblegolfers.com
HTL
Tour Winner
Think this would be a good test for Golf Monthly! "Crap clubs" V`s Wilson staff Di7, Ping Gi7`s etc
What you guys reckon?
Im confident in what will win!
Just look at Slazenger, all they go on about is their crap K1, its boll*%$s
What you guys reckon?
Im confident in what will win!
Just look at Slazenger, all they go on about is their crap K1, its boll*%$s
madandra
Money List Winner
thecraw, what is in your bag?
RGuk
Tour Winner
Ooohh, interesting stuff. maxfli were a big-ish name, as were slazenger and to a lesser extent dunlop. dunlop went the way of all british manufacturing, and since the demise has just been a name on some far-east tat....as far as I can tell. maxfli, um, always made balls...did they really do anything much else...the odd irons/woods i guess.
slazenger were the dogs danglies once (in the 60s?), i started on a set of 1970s blades.....tasty.
i remember when callaway were coming through, they spent money like it was water in trying to get the company moving and then reaped the reward. $4 m of sales in the late 80s $50 m by early 90s!!! they are a good company but the products are very pricey and i only buy 2nd hand or discount. back then cobra weren't exactly as big as now (thanks to acushnet, presumably) and cleveland aren't even as old as me!!! they were "zeros" until the late 90s, they have come from nowhere (virtualy) and it's only now that older folks (who know the history) are taking them seriously
at least they don't pretend to be old, like some companies.
it's a shame some of the big names have gone, but they might come back like the car brands.
now.....what happened to Tommy Armour Golf.....oh, I think they went bust?? maybe my irons will be collectors items one day.
Dave
slazenger were the dogs danglies once (in the 60s?), i started on a set of 1970s blades.....tasty.
i remember when callaway were coming through, they spent money like it was water in trying to get the company moving and then reaped the reward. $4 m of sales in the late 80s $50 m by early 90s!!! they are a good company but the products are very pricey and i only buy 2nd hand or discount. back then cobra weren't exactly as big as now (thanks to acushnet, presumably) and cleveland aren't even as old as me!!! they were "zeros" until the late 90s, they have come from nowhere (virtualy) and it's only now that older folks (who know the history) are taking them seriously
at least they don't pretend to be old, like some companies.
it's a shame some of the big names have gone, but they might come back like the car brands.
now.....what happened to Tommy Armour Golf.....oh, I think they went bust?? maybe my irons will be collectors items one day.
Dave
madandra
Money List Winner
I remember sneaking in to take my dads Slazenger V-neck to wear playing golf. I felt like I was Seve.
rgs
Tour Rookie
20 years ago Nike were not in the golf market-however along comes Tiger, Nike snap him up and start developing balls and clubs, spend huge money on marketing and hey presto their clubs sell. It helps that Tiger wins the odd event!!!.
The dogs B*****Ks of golf balls in the 1960's was the Dunlop 65.
The dogs B*****Ks of golf balls in the 1960's was the Dunlop 65.
madandra
Money List Winner
I remember the 65i but that was the 80's. My oldie fave was the Slazenger B51.
viscount17
Money List Winner
Who owns Slazenger ? Callaway!
Titleist and Footjoy are part of Acushnet
worlds getting smaller guys!
Titleist and Footjoy are part of Acushnet
worlds getting smaller guys!
Boabski
Challenge Tour Pro
Thats what i remember the 65i and Slazenger balls and the odd top- flite and when woods were made of wood the old persimmons i think you call them am still a pup and can only just remember them
