Maybe the Frenchman was right!!!

AuburnWarrior

AuburnWarrior

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Many months ago 'the frenchman' stated that all the tour pros used certain clubs and simply had their sponsors name engraved on them. This notion was black balled at the first time of asking.

Now, I was talking to someone at my club today and he reckons that all the tour pros use different clubs to the ones that they use, for example, Justin Rose uses Cleveland wedges but with TaylorMade engraved on them.

He went further and stated that Tiger Woods uses Bridgestone balls but with the Nike swoosh printed on them.

Is this true???

I was under the impression that if a player appeared to use TaylorMade wedges then they were TaylorMade wedges. Am I wrong???
 
Now, I was talking to someone at my club today and he reckons that all the tour pros use different clubs to the ones that they use,
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Are you sure he didn't smell of garlic & onions and call you a peasant? :D
 
I would have to say I think it must be wrong. There must be all sorts of legal implications if Woods is promoting a Nike ball and using a Bridgestone. I'm sure Bridgestone would (rightly) want their exposure as the ball of choice of one of the best players in the game. Similarly I can't see any manufacturer not wanting to get an association with a player, especially with all the meida coverage.
 
Many months ago 'the frenchman' stated that all the tour pros used certain clubs and simply had their sponsors name engraved on them. This notion was black balled at the first time of asking.

Now, I was talking to someone at my club today and he reckons that all the tour pros use different clubs to the ones that they use, for example, Justin Rose uses Cleveland wedges but with TaylorMade engraved on them.

He went further and stated that Tiger Woods uses Bridgestone balls but with the Nike swoosh printed on them.

Is this true???

I was under the impression that if a player appeared to use TaylorMade wedges then they were TaylorMade wedges. Am I wrong???
Click to expand...


Muira make some of the Taylor Made players irons under the Taylor Made name.

I believe the Nike ball is a Bridgestone ball but with their branding on it.
 
So, do any of the top players use any of the gear that you and I can buy???
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I think pretty much all of them, you could get some Muira made Taylor Made irons if you have the money, may even be some on ebay......
They usually get access to it before we do and there is a lot of development of equipment done with the Tour players.

I heard that in the year 2000, there were over 10 versions of the Pro V1 on Tour of which 2 were then developed and put on general sale the following year.
 
Most players have contracts and sponsorship deals with the top golf companies, but the contracts are normally only for a certain amount of clubs.. i.e driver, woods and and irons. the player could then choose to use a separate company for his wedges, putter and other golf accessories
 
Most players have contracts and sponsorship deals with the top golf companies, but the contracts are normally only for a certain amount of clubs.. i.e driver, woods and and irons. the player could then choose to use a separate company for his wedges, putter and other golf accessories
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My point is, are the players using the sponsors clubs though?

Casey is sponsored by Nike - does he actually use Nike irons or are they Mizuno irons engraved with the Nike swoosh?

Woods uses Nike irons. Are they Nike irons or Mizuno irons engraved with Nike?

OR

Do the pros use irons that you and I have no access to at all? I.E hand made, forged clubs that would cost >£2,000 to make?
 
^^^^^^^

Utter tosh this whole thing, going by your theory or what is being branded about, how would we know that Mizuno actually make Mizuno irons and Muira make Muira, how do we know that Bronty don't actually make TaylorMade irons?????????


These companies are huge and spend millions every year on R&D they may tweek things for pro's but to say another company makes something and allows it to be branded Nike or TaylorMade is just nonsense.
 
Truth in advertising laws in the US means they have to play what they say they play I would assume. Shame we don't have that over here.

And a Frenchman has never, ever been right!! :p
 
One other thing he mentioned was that Callaway/Odyssey almost went bankrupt last year.

Apparently this explains GMac moving away from them as they couldn't afford to pay him.

Quite a lot of info I was given today... :cool:
 
^^^^^^^

Utter tosh this whole thing, going by your theory or what is being branded about, how would we know that Mizuno actually make Mizuno irons and Muira make Muira, how do we know that Bronty don't actually make TaylorMade irons?????????


These companies are huge and spend millions every year on R&D they may tweek things for pro's but to say another company makes something and allows it to be branded Nike or TaylorMade is just nonsense.
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From the Muira website:


Which tour players play Miura made clubs?

A. In fact many tour players are, and have been, playing Miura made clubs under the brands of other companies and to a more limited extent at this time, under the Miura brand. Miura Golf's policy is that we don't pay professionals to play our clubs.

Those that play Miura branded clubs play them because they want to play the best and that is more important to them than the money they would receive from an equipment company.

Since we don't pay professionals to play our clubs, we don't believe we have the right to use their names to promote our products. We recommend that you review public information sources in this regard.
 
I was talking to a Japanese guy who reckoned all those that play Miura clubs on tour are actually playing Ping i15's embossed with the Miura name so it gets even more confusing.
 
I don't drive an F1 car, I don't sail an Americas Cup, or Volvo Ocean Race yacht, why, because I'm an amateur, and as such, I will never be good enough to use what the pro's use. So what if its not exactly the same kit that I can buy at AG, DG, or at the golf club, the pro's are in a different league.

I used to make sails many years ago, the national champ used our sails. Cut from the same pattern as everyone else's. But where as his would take a week to get 'right', average Joes would be made in a day. Why? Because the nat champ would notice every minor imperfection, and could set them properly. Your average Joe, couldn't.

I'm not advocating that it's the right thing to do, but it happens.

But do we really think that Andy Murrys tennis racquet is the same as can be bought on the high street? I very much doubt it.

As for rebranding clubs and balls, I don't know about that, but it's already been mentioned in this forum that the Dunlop shirts that certain pro's wear, aren't.

It's an interesting debate.
 
I remember an interview with Ian Poulter a year or so ago where he was talking about his new irons that cost £20000.00 to make for him. Clearly not run of the mill Cobra irons then.
 
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