Judged by what clubs you use???

[Richuk123]

Hi There.

I played a few Corporate days / Members Invites days last year and i found myself spending more time explaing why i carried Dunlop Equipment playing off the handicap i did. One particular event ,This chap, playing of 10 had around £1k's worth of kit , looked the part and i noticed that on the tee and walking up the first was nosing around my bag.

We reached the 2nd. a 155yrd par 3, back into the wind and while we were waiting to tee off, he took my 7iron out of my bag, without any warning and starting swinging it ((i didn't know him 45 min prior)), to which he asked "i got to ask, but why are you playing with such !£$@??" i asked what he meant to which he replied "well, everything expect your driver and putter is Dunlop tat". I said nothing other than taking my 7iron off him to use. I then preceeded to Stiff the 7iron to around 1ft . I turned and said "yeah, its real tat!" :ears:

I didn't hear a peep from him again and shot a +1 72 in the process......Nice as pie afterwards. Strange that.....

This is sadly, a inherent problem within the game and it is something that is accepted, which i think is wrong. It winds me up. Sure , back when i played regular, i used predominantly used Titleist , but never changed my irons. Had a set of 990's from new and no one said a bean, but switching to an apparent inferior brand , instantly think your a chopper. I am Proud to say i use Dunlop and i have no need to change. (granted i got lucky with finding a set on the shelf with S300's in!) they feel solid of the face, grips are good look great..................erm, maybe the last one is a step too far!!! :mmm:

Cheaper Brands have a place in the market and encourages people to take up the game and allows people to get back into the game without spending a pile of dough. You can buy a Decent 02-03 plate car for the same price as a set of Honma's and its crazy. I see it a lot with Juniors over the years. It more of a case of "i must have the latest set of Ping's as they will turn me into the Next Justin Rose etc, and then take the mick out of the more talented kid that can't afford the set so makes use with what he has.

Attitude is all wrong. Can't take the snobbery away.

 

[stevie_r]

Clearly one of those people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing, thankfully I haven't met a golfer like this in the flesh yet.

 

[Mr A]

I think it's a mixture of the endless marketing we get subjected to, and the engrained snobbyness/elitism in the game.

But I guess it's no different to other aspects of life with property/cars/clothes etc.

 

[Birchy]

Being honest its the twit on the end of the stick not the sticks. A good player could play with any clubs imo.

 

[ventura]

I never take notice of what clubs others are playing.

Couldn't tell you what any of my last 10 playing partners were playing to be honest.

 

[sev112]

Sorry guys, you just don't understand it
golf is all about impressions and cliques, not whether you can play the game
That's why handicaps were invented -to give equal rights and power to people who think that what you wear, what you carry is vital to the sport

 

[chris661]

I never take notice of what clubs others are playing.

I do, but then I have been told I am a bit of a magpie I couldn't care less what they are though but I like nosing about looking. Would never criticise someone for choosing a brand though after all I don't know their circumstances etc.

 

[Imurg]

We've touched on this before, it's down to perception.
Years ago, Dunlop was the TM/Ping/Callaway of it's day.
Then times got hard and they started churning out rubbish you wouldn't even stir paint with. Build quality was poor and component quality even worse
This perception has stuck, even though their current products are not bad their image is still that of a low-budget brand.
This will take years to change, you only have to look at the similar story of Skoda. There are still people that regard Skodas as skips on wheels.....

 

[Junior]

Good on you Rich, I agree with you, its never the tool, only the workman. You have obviously got a settled bag and are an accomplished player to boot.

Me, i'm just addicted to tinkering with golf clubs......drivers in particular. I dont spend silly money and get them from guy's in work or ebay....I know its me and not the club, its just fun to try and more often than not I shift them on and breakeven.

 

[DaveyG]

I had a set of persimmon clubs when I was 16. In a half set with a random chinese bloke on the side. They were hideous and the grips were shocking from new... I remember taking up the game properly 2 years ago I took these clubs to a beginners lesson... The pro picking up my 7iron and demo'd a shot which any pro would have been happy with. I think that was the point I knew that new clubs wouldn't transform me. Although being honest 2 years on I am obsessed with the game and brought custom fit / an electric trolley. Loads on lessons etc.

Its each to there own though and i spend that money because I want too. Always love seeing a really good player hitting an old set/cheaper set well. It brings back how its all about the shot I make not the club.

 

[Slime]

I'd much sooner have a fabulous swing with rubbish clubs than my swing with my clubs!

Slime.

 

[Richuk123]

We've touched on this before, it's down to perception.
Years ago, Dunlop was the TM/Ping/Callaway of it's day.
Then times got hard and they started churning out rubbish you wouldn't even stir paint with. Build quality was poor and component quality even worse
This perception has stuck, even though their current products are not bad their image is still that of a low-budget brand.
This will take years to change, you only have to look at the similar story of Skoda. There are still people that regard Skodas as skips on wheels.....

It's very true. There is no denying that Dunlop have made some real rubbish over the year, generally late 90s and Early 2000's but for whatever reason, some budget and "lost" brands are trying to push themselves back into the mid range markets.

Dunlop & John Letters are the first two that springs to mind and with Progen coming back on the scene too, i think it is great to see. Sure , there coming back with Backing from major companies but Mike Ashley has done a great job with Dunlop and it will be interesting to see what he does with the Slazenger Golf Brand, having purchased it off the Failed JJB. John Andrew , similarly with John Letters.

Dunlop's New 2013 Irons, have had good reviews, 4 Stars from this very magazine. £279 for the materials used are a bargain but the question is, "would you spend near £300 on a set of Dunlops" and thats where the perception problem begins

End of the day it boils down to hard £££ and i for one am pleased that you can now get decent quality clubs that now suit your own personal budget and that is great for the game .

 

[TheClaw]

Cheaper Brands have a place in the market and encourages people to take up the game and allows people to get back into the game without spending a pile of dough. You can buy a Decent 02-03 plate car for the same price as a set of Honma's and its crazy. I see it a lot with Juniors over the years. It more of a case of "i must have the latest set of Ping's as they will turn me into the Next Justin Rose etc, and then take the mick out of the more talented kid that can't afford the set so makes use with what he has.

Attitude is all wrong. Can't take the snobbery away.

OMG Justin Rose uses Taylormade...you need to get with it and sell those Dunlops buddy

 

[ScienceBoy]

I would have no issues putting the NZ9 stuff in my bag, only got good reviews from what I hear and looks better than some stuff out there. Just shows how little the guy knows about golf gear!

I am just being slowly turned Cleveland at the moment but its going to take a lot to get the MP-57s out.

 

[Fish]

I don't think it helps when some pro shops only feature and stock a single brand. My club pro only has Ping so when I first joined the club and needed a set, I thought, what better than to have my pro set me up and teach me and of course, I then had no choice other than to go with Ping!

I've handed decent pick up balls to juniors on the putting green as I've come off the course, they just turn there nose up half of the time unless there ProV1's, I don't bother any more, I just build them up and sell them on in bulk.

As has been said, its all perception and the Skoda is an excellent example.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The guys who win the Hickory Championships post scores around par.

Golf and snobbery go hand in hand for many folk, especially in the SE of England.
Naturally equipment and clothing would be included for that scenario.

 

[chrisd]

Golf and snobbery go hand in hand for many folk, especially in the SE of England.

I'm beginning to find this, quite obvious tosh, offensive!

 

[Coatsy79]

I have an Nz9 lob wedge which is every bit as good as any ther wedge in my bag, and the £7.99 tp11 hybrid I bought when I first started seems to have found a permanent home in my bag

 

[duncan mackie]

It's very true. There is no denying that Dunlop have made some real rubbish over the year, generally late 90s and Early 2000's but for whatever reason, some budget and "lost" brands are trying to push themselves back into the mid range markets.

Dunlop & John Letters are the first two that springs to mind and with Progen coming back on the scene too, i think it is great to see. Sure , there coming back with Backing from major companies but Mike Ashley has done a great job with Dunlop and it will be interesting to see what he does with the Slazenger Golf Brand, having purchased it off the Failed JJB. John Andrew , similarly with John Letters.

Dunlop's New 2013 Irons, have had good reviews, 4 Stars from this very magazine. £279 for the materials used are a bargain but the question is, "would you spend near £300 on a set of Dunlops" and thats where the perception problem begins

End of the day it boils down to hard £££ and i for one am pleased that you can now get decent quality clubs that now suit your own personal budget and that is great for the game .

I think the important difference between 1975 Dunlop I purchased my forged blades from was that it was Dunlop the company. As you alude, what you have now are clubs manufactured by someone, somewhere, to a market niche selected by the current owner of the Dunlop brand or licensed by them.

This doesn't detract from the product, it's just different - the main difference being the ability to change fast.

It also has nothin to do with your general message either; sorry for that!

As a generalisation you can tell from someone's bag whether they are going to be interested in what's in yours - but this is no different in golf than any other sport, or more obviously cars!

 

[Pin-seeker]

The guy sounds like a right tool.
Can't help but notice the lack of Dunlop on people's signatures tho. & I wonder how many (when getting new clubs) walk into to shop
& say "ill try the Ping,TM,Cally,Cleveland oh & ill try the Dunlop"
MD golf always gets rave reviews Yet I've never even swung any of their clubs.
If we're honest we're all brand snobs,just not plain rude like the guy mentioned.