Tour players 'what's in the bag'

I actually don't think a player should be allowed to appear to be playing a particular brand when he isn't. I know the majority of experienced golfers won't be influenced in their club choice by what a certain pro plays, but some people will, especially newbies. Is it fair that someone will splash the cash on a set of irons thinking his favourite player does, only to find that he's playing something else, but thanks for the cash ?

Apparently Norman never used any Cobra clubs except a driver when he was one of the top players in the world. You can be sure that Cobra shifted a lot of clubs on the back of Norman, it's just conning people. If they're taking the cash they should be forced to play the clubs.
 
Do folk actually buy golf clubs because a famous pro plays the same brand like colint? who plays what has bugger all to do with what I play.....pretty shallow if it does in my opinion.
 
I have previous with being a brand whore, be it Wilson in the early days, Cally and now TM and do like to have the bag and towel etc to go with my clubs. Thats just personal preference but every set of clubs I've ever bought have been done so after much ball bashing on ranges and at demo days and not because Seve, Wood, or uncle Tom Cobbly uses that brand (clearly no self respecting tour pro will use tour preferred burners!!)
 
Do folk actually buy golf clubs because a famous pro plays the same brand like colint? who plays what has bugger all to do with what I play.....pretty shallow if it does in my opinion.
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Do you think the manufacturers would pay millions in endorsements if it didn't make any difference to sales ? I'd be interested to hear why you think they do it. Every penny spent will be tracked against sales. You may not be influenced but many obviously are.
 
I fail to see how the marketeers don't see this as dire marketing principles in today's age. I mean. Who falls for that rubbish!? Surely we're a little more educated than that!
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You think? Who drunk Budweiser before the advertising? Who drunk Miller? I remember being at a wedding where the bar run out of lager, all they had left was Miller (pre-ads days) and it got a slating from everyone. Fast forward a couple of years, and everyone and his dog is trying to tell me this piss-water is the dogs baws.

Who ever heard of pear cider until a few months ago, now go into any beer garden in the country and you see dozens of gullible idiots with green foil topped cider bottles, yet another marketing success!
 
It is undeniable that a successful ad campaign will add millions in terms of sales be it in units sold or cash made (or both). However as golf is a uniquely individual sport (one mans Mizzy preference is another mans dislike) I would hope that many on here have purchased based on a clubs performance on a range or on a simulator or worse case scenario a personal recommendation rather than a brand name or an advert.

I could never buy a club based purely on what I see in the pages of GM or in the many Setanta ad breaks without trying it first. Maybe its just me but if I'm forking out £400-600 on a new set of irons I want to know I'm getting value for money. It won't be based on any recommendation from a tour pro (who wouldn't use the models I'd be looking at anyway) although I would look at reviews and the internet and do my homework (unless the review was in TG when likely to be biased towards 4 brands). I'm the kind of person ad men hate. A discerning punter.
 
I would be interested to see how much of a resemblance the kit in a pros bag has to what can be bought in the shops. If I recall it cost £20,000 to make Poulter's Cobra irons so they have little bearing on what can be bought anyway and I think it was only last year that Callaway released sets identical to those used by Else and Michelson at 2 or 3 times the price of their normal range.
 
I would be interested to see how much of a resemblance the kit in a pros bag has to what can be bought in the shops. If I recall it cost £20,000 to make Poulter's Cobra irons so they have little bearing on what can be bought anyway and I think it was only last year that Callaway released sets identical to those used by Else and Michelson at 2 or 3 times the price of their normal range.
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Gotta go along with this.

When I was sailmaking. If the National champ came in for a new set of sails, it would take four times longer, if not more, to make them. Yes, they were cut from the same cloth, and the same pattern as the 'off the shelf' sails. But they certainly weren't the same sails.

Anyone who thinks they're buying the superstars kit for tup'ence, is kidding themselves.

However, it must work. Or, as others have pointed out, why would these companies be paying for such players to be associated (note I haven't said played!) with their clubs.

We're just a bunch of cynics!
 
I have previous with being a brand whore, be it Wilson in the early days, Cally and now TM and do like to have the bag and towel etc to go with my clubs.
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I'm embarassed for you Homer.
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What is there to be embarrased about?

I've got all Mizzy gear, a Mizzy tour bag and a Mizzy towel attached to the side, I dont see anything remotely weird/sad/anything else to be embarrased about to be honest.
 
I think some folks deliberatly buy 'different' branded items so as not to appear a gear tart. It doesn't cost anymore more or less, it's just what kind of image they want to portray, or not.

I really don't buy into the critisum of the matching towel and cap. So what, you have a towel and cap! Okay so I might look a bit like a walking billboard. But my kit does look smarter with it being of the same design, imagery, colour etc.

PS The 'I' is a reference only and not specific to the singular person 'I'. That being me! Or not, as the case maybe!

What the 'eck am I talking about!?
 
Colint it is as Homer says undeniable why companys pay millions to sign players up but what I am saying is if you or any punter buy a set off the shelf on the back of a star playing that brand you need to be taking a long hard look at yourself...
 
just like the kids who all went out and spent Dad's cash on footy boots so they could look like Beckham. Dodger - it happens. Not everyone in this world is as sane as you and me and most of the guys on here. But we're a fraction of the golfing public. And yes they are shallow and should take a look at themselves. But it happens.

Buy the Wilson Staff brand and feel" like Padraig even if you can't play like him.
Buy Nike and "feel" like Tiger.
Buy Callaway and feel like Ernie,Phil.....you get the picture?
 
Colint it is as Homer says undeniable why companys pay millions to sign players up but what I am saying is if you or any punter buy a set off the shelf on the back of a star playing that brand you need to be taking a long hard look at yourself...
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I suggest you take "a long hard look" at my original post and point out where I suggest that anyone (me included) buys off the shelf based on what a pro plays. I said influenced, especially newbies. It's a fact, or marketing like this wouldn't exisit
 
morning all

as a few posters have said already player's contracts can be anything from playing a driver to a full 14 club, ball, bag, clothing, shoes and headwear contract

Nike for instance don't allow their full staff players (apart from Tiger) to have any other logo other than the swoosh on their clothing, headwear and bag and most will be on a 14 club and ball contract as that's the way the like it.

a 12 club deal is pretty common allowing a player to choose his own putter and possibly driver or 3 wood. It all really depends on the focus of the equipment company

Wilson and Mizuno for instance would probably see themselves as primarily irons companies who do make tour quality drivers, wedges and putters whereas TaylorMade's primary focus are metal woods but they obviously do the full range as well

As for Poulter's Cobra irons costing 20grand to make I'm not sure about that. Sure he'll have have them tweaked and ground by the Cobra club technicians to his own personal preference in terms of loft lie, how the clubs sits and looks at address but tall that is really is a mega-custom fit!

And finally, ref the sponsorship money manufacturers pay players I guess if they couldn't demonstrate it gives them a tangible return on their investment then they wouldn't do it

hope that's of some interest
 
I have previous with being a brand whore, be it Wilson in the early days, Cally and now TM and do like to have the bag and towel etc to go with my clubs.
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I'm embarassed for you Homer.
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What is there to be embarrased about?

I've got all Mizzy gear, a Mizzy tour bag and a Mizzy towel attached to the side, I dont see anything remotely weird/sad/anything else to be embarrased about to be honest.
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When I see someone with matching everything, I immediately think wally. Sorry.

I note this phenomenon seems to be one that afflicts the higher handicappers generally, rather than single digit players. I think there is some sub-conscious urge to look like a pro, in the vain hope that others see you as a good golfer becasue you have a 'pro-look'

And why would you go to the bother of having matching everything? Surely that is a form of advertising paying off right there? Do you not want to have the best bag for you, rather than the one made by the same manufacturer? A towel is a towel, but a logoed towel is an expensive rip-off.

I use whatever I have, I've never bought a golf towel myself in 25 years of golf, it's always been presents or even an old towel cut down for golf. Some are snootishly decrying anyone who would buy a set of clubs based purely on marketing, and yet presumably because of the relative low cost, and non-game impact, buying logoed gear is fine? And yet the mark up on stuff like towels is far more ridiculous and for no benefit whatsoever over something you could get 2 for 1 at the pound shop! (I never shop at the pound shop just for clarification ;))
 
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