Underestimated brands?

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slicer79

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I've been using a set of Cleveland CG7 irons for over 4 years and still getting on well with them. Got them for a fraction of the price I'd have paid for Titleist or Taylormade

Apart from their wedges Cleveland dont seem a popular brand. To me they're really an underestimated brand, I think they make great products

Wilson I think is the same with their FG tour range

MD golf make fine wedges


Have you ever had success with a product that was a bargain in relation to the bigger brands?
 
MD make more than just great wedges, they have produced some great woods over the years as well. Years ago I played with a set of MD Superstrong irons, a really lovely forged cavity/blade type of club.

Another brand worth looking at is Benross.
 
Wilson used to be one of the top brands in the business, played by the best players and premium priced products. But then they started to bring in more and more stupid designs, such as Fat Shaft, and lost their way entirely. Now they are coming back, but it will be a long way back to the very top. IMO, Wilson aren't underestimated, they get a fair shout based on the product.

Likewise MD Golf. They are not competing in the same space as TM, Ping, Mizuno etc, they compete in the mid market, and there they are considered very favourably. Whether they can step it up to the highest levels or not remains to be seen.

Underestimated brands are brands like Bridgestone who make excellent clubs but get little notice, probably because of a relative lack of Tour presence and advertising.
 
I remember at the time I got the cleveland irons for around £300. I was also looking at AP2's for something like £650 so basically double the price

I went from 9 to 4 so far using the Clevelands. Presume it would have just been the same with the AP2's so good idea to save the £350 to spend on other gear!

I've played a lot of golf this year but not once did I come across a playing partner using Cleveland irons, it got me thinking how much of a minority brand they are in the UK & Ireland
 
Ethan said:
Underestimated brands are brands like Bridgestone who make excellent clubs but get little notice, probably because of a relative lack of Tour presence and advertising.
Click to expand...

Bridgestone was the first to come to mind for me as well. In the 90s I had a Bridgestone 3 wood which was the dream, yet they didn't sell many of them as in that period of time the market for woods was dominated by Callaway and TM. The Bridgestone Js were the best drivers around at the time and their irons were also very good. In part it seemed to be Bridgestone's own choice - along with Mizuno they focused almost exclusively on the Japanese tour/market (although I recall that Mizuno did have the occasional US/Euro tour player - Faldo?). Not sure if that is still the case these days, but I know that I very rarely see Bridgestone clubs around.
 
Not sure if Orka are under estimated,but they were by me until I purchased my current 3w.
Awesome club off the tee & fairway.
 
Bridgestone (makers of my TourStages) and Srixon are certainly a couple of brands that feature hugely in Japan but nowhere near their 'potential' anywhere else. Both owned by huge Tyre corporations, so that may contribute. Cleveland, also part of SRI group, is rather more widespread, but that's probably because of its roots rather than current position.

Ecco shoes used to be 'under-valued' several years ago - and I still have 2 pairs of the 3 that I bought for 'bargain' price back then!

For 'best value' it's really a case of ignoring the name and simply looking at the product for what it is! Plenty of great clubs and other products out there if you do that!
 
I've been through a few lesser known brands mentioned here :

I still play cg7 cleveland irons (got them about 4 years ago off ebay for about £120). The ones with the yellow rubbery flashing at the back. I keep wondering whether some of the newer GI tech might help a little bit and was looking at wilson ci11 or di11s as a replacement. The great thing about lesser known brands is that they are cheaper than main brands new, but even better value 2nd hand. Some of the 2nd hand ping prices are extraordinary...

I also used the J36 bridgestone driver. It was famously low spinning and I should probably have had it in more than a 10.5. Sadly they hadn't invented "loft-up" back then. Shut the shaft in a car boot, think the head is still in the shed somewhere...

I think yonex are big in Japan, but have much less of a reputation over here. I wonder if that's because the product they send to Europe is of inferior quality, or they just can't market it ?
 
pendodave said:
I also used the J36 bridgestone driver. It was famously low spinning and I should probably have had it in more than a 10.5. Sadly they hadn't invented "loft-up" back then. Shut the shaft in a car boot, think the head is still in the shed somewhere...
Click to expand...

Another great head - as were later ones! And a classic shape (and colour!)

Get it reshafted with a decent shaft and it will still be as long as any out there!

pendodave said:
I think yonex are big in Japan, but have much less of a reputation over here. I wonder if that's because the product they send to Europe is of inferior quality, or they just can't market it ?
Click to expand...

More widely known for Tennis and Badminton outside Japan.

Plenty of Yonex Ladies gear about, but comparatively little Mens! Mrs Doubtfire was sponsored by them for a while.
 
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I now game a Benross driver and a wilson FG Tour hybrid. both fantastic clubs and performed better than more known and expensive brands.
 
Wen a were a lad.

A guy called Malcolm Gregson was one of Britain's top Pros.
He signed a contract for Ben Sayers and asked me what I thought of their irons.
I told him the top two models were rubbish and their cheap option set had the best heads.

'Not just me then' he said and had a set of the cheap heads made up with decent shafts and re stamped with the top models branding.
 
I went to a demo day at the Forest of Arden with Cleveland and love the CG16 tour. Had I not had the GM Centenary final to play I'd have probably had a full blown fitting there and then. I don't think they are actually an underestimated brand and have been putting out some excellent models in recent years. Hate Yonex, and never found a club I liked throughout their limited range and so not too sad that not many places seem to stock them.

MD and Benross are perhaps two of the most underestimated brands out there and both have some top quality heads in their ranges and are well worth a look if you can find a pro shop or store stocking them
 
I'd say Benross, and definitely Bridgestone and Srixon

My srixon 5 wood is a thing of beauty, I love it, long, great sound

All are great value in the second hand market
 
I am a Cleveland fan, have been since i bought the Classic XL driver.

Now don't get me wrong, i have chopped and changed both the loft and shaft options (OEM Myazaki to OEM Matrix) but i love it.

I have had fittings and played with a number of new drivers up at my local range. Everything from Titlest 913, SLDR, Jet speed, Xhot, X2Hot, BB etc etc. Nothing however gets close to this thing.

Granted i have not measured on track man or similar, but i just know this thing is sending them much, much further. it also feels much more accurate, though that could well be because i am more familiar with the club?

Regardless the thing is a quality, quality club. The shaft is "real deal" (so i beleive) and it is damn sexy to boot, with its classic smaller shaped head and funky headcover.

Loved it so much i bought the matching 3w and 3h. Both are crackers, especially the 3h. Goes miles with very little effort and can be hit from pretty much any lie (within reason).

In addition. the driver was bought of Ebay when a few months old for 100 quid. The 3w and 3h were bought new from AG new for the staggering price of £50 each.

Bargains

Just wish i had bought the 4h in stiff when i had the chance, as they they are rare as rocking horse jobbies.
 
Bang Golf make some very long hitting woods.

I have a Bangomatic Driver with a Harrison Striper stiff shaft somewhere in the garage. It really was a beast of a golf club.
 
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My irons (5-SW) and 2 hybrid are from Nickent. Nickent had a very high reputation for hybrids until they went bust a few years ago but their stuff is very good quality but hard to find.
 
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