Clone Golf Clubs - Are They Good Enough? A Real World Answer

Clone Golf Clubs - Are They Good Enough? A Real World Answer

You've seen the ads. You've noticed the incredible prices. And you've undoubtedly wondered, "Are they as good as the brand names?" We're talking about golf club clones, of course, essentially imitations of brand name equipment that you can buy from various sources for dirt cheap. Well, cheap as far as brand new golf equipment go.

But are they as good?

Bottom Line

For those of you in a rush (who isn't?), here are my conclusions:

Irons. I sell lots of used golf equipment on eBay. And you can bet I try and play just about everything of interest that passes through my office. So, the prudent question would be: What would someone like me - who has access to and pretty much can put anything I want into play - have in my golf bag? Answer: The same set of inexpensive graphite-shafted clone irons I picked up from Pinemeadow Golf a few years back. I kid you not.

Drivers & Fairway Woods. Although no longer in my bag, my overall experience with the graphite-shafted driver I picked up from Pinemeadow is okay; performance and feel were both satisfactory. The corresponding fairway woods (3-Wood and 5-Wood), both also with graphite shafts, performed just as well, but I personally didn't like the way they felt. This is probably based mainly on sound - I prefer the distinct metallic sound and resulting feel produced by the Callaway Steelheads and Orlimar Trimetals that you'll usually find in my bag, a sound that I guess I now expect to hear every time I swing a wood - and the Pinemeadows didn't have the sound I wanted.

But to be fair, not many do. Again, they performed as expected. In fact, I once placed third in a tournament armed with nothing more than these Pinemeadow fairways as my woods! Stupid me, I forgot my driver at home and ended up using the 3-Wood as my driver. Now that I think about it, that was probably a blessing, actually, considering how inconsistently wild I can get with the driver (my fault, not the club's). The point is, the fairway woods did their job, and still can - I've kept the pair around as backup or loaner clubs.

I think it's important to note that these comments are based on "older" product. The latest woods releases from Pinemeadow and others may very well be better than what I've experienced - the current overwhelmingly positive customer feedback and comments on their site seem to indicate that - but I just haven't personally experienced them firsthand.

Hybrids. I can't comment much about clone hybrids either - or even brand name ones for that matter. I just haven't used them yet. My bag's equipped with a 7-Wood in place of the more typical 3-Iron, and this configuration has served me quite well, enough at least to help me not bother with hybrids just yet. In all probability I'll be jumping on the hybrids bandwagon soon enough. Until then, I can only say that quality-wise, there's no reason to think that clone hybrids won't be on par at the very least with clone manufacturers' woods offerings.

Wedges. Clone wedges aren't in my bag (I carry Titleist Vokeys I received as gifts), but I have used them, the classic Cleveland-styled models in particular. The clones are very good clubs and incredible values; I have absolutely no reservations recommending them as worth trying out.

Putters. I like to frequently switch and rotate my money sticks around - some days, for example, I inexplicably putt better with a 343 shaft instead of a 333, and vice-versa; or some days a mallet just feels better than a traditional blade; and so on - and clone club companies like Pinemeadow Golf allow me to assemble quite an arsenal of putters to let me do that. I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford such a "quiver of putters" (as my friends call it) with the prices the brand names are asking for nowadays. Of course, you obviously don't have to assemble this kind of putter collection; the point is, the clone putters are good and cheap and definitely worth your while to test.

Read on and learn a lot more about what I experienced specifically, particularly in the area of realizing the importance of choosing the right company to purchase clones from because, quite frankly boys and girls, sh*t happens sometimes.

Where it All StartedI'm literally going back to the very beginning, when I picked up the game just a few short years ago. As a beginner, I wanted to learn while using a better set than the typical department store variety. But man, paying the big bucks for those Callaways, Pings, or Titleists I fancied just didn't make a heck of a lot of sense then, not when it still wasn't clear whether I was going to stick with the game or not.

So, after doing a bit of research and clicking around online, I went with a set of Acer Sole undercut irons from Pinemeadow Golf. Why? Looks. They looked similar to the original and very expensive Callaway Hawkeyes. And - and this is important, to me anyway - the Acers themselves looked spiffy, presentable, and respectable, something that I wouldn't be ashamed to be seen using, unlike many of the hokey clubs with the cheesy cosmetics I see offered by other clone builders. (To this day, Pinemeadow's selection is up there among the best in the field in the looks department.)

While I was at it, I also picked up the 3-club set of Acer XDS 2+ Stainless Woods (Callaway Hawkeye VFT clones), which included a 10º driver, 3-Wood and 5-Wood, and the Pure Roll Series M-1 putter (a Never Compromise mallet clone). Standard Pinemeadow Aldila graphite shafts (steel for the putter) and grips for the lot. I was a beginner, remember, and knew next to nothing about everything, so I figured, play it basic, safe, and cheap. If I ended up not liking the sport, at least I wouldn't be out all that much.

Same Quality? Problems?

Needless to say, I'm now hooked on the game, and I'm doing what I can to try and bring that handicap down to as low a number as I can muster. I've also gotten involved in a number of golf-related business activities, like selling golf equipment on eBay.

Which means at least two things: I now not only know enough about the game to be able to competently judge my clone clubs performance-wise, I also get to regularly play and test out a lot of expensive brand name equipment so that I can actually do decent and fair comparisons.

The fact that my Pinemeadow irons are still in my golf bag as I write this should tell you a lot. It's not that I don't like playing with brand name irons - I do. In fact, I own a set of Clevelands and a set of TaylorMades for no other reason than that I like playing with them occasionally (I don't like all Clevelands and TaylorMades, mind you, just the specific models I've kept).

Thing is, I don't play any better or worse with the Clevelands and TaylorMades than I do with the Pinemeadows. Same thing goes with Callaways, Titleists, Hogans, Mizunos, or any other brand name equipment out there. My game pretty much plays out the way it should at my level regardless of what set of clubs I use.

Obvious conclusion: It's me, not the clubs.

So, considering that I'm satisfied with the way the clones look, feel, and perform, why in the world would I want to bother with brand name clubs that cost up to 8X as much (or even more!) but don't offer me any additional game benefits over the clones?

Even if we could say that there's a slight incremental advantage or benefit to using a brand name set over the clones, we would then have to ask: Would it be worth the extra cost? Yeah, I like keeping an eye on the good old cost:benefit ratio, and based solely on what I've experienced, for players at my level (mid-handicapper) or higher, these incremental benefits do not exist.

How about for better players? Do low handicappers and scratch players realize any benefits to playing with the brands versus inexpensive clone equipment? I'm not good enough to know. But judging from the feedback posted on Pinemeadow's site, it looks like more than just a few low handicappers/scratch players have "discovered" the benefits of going clone.

Do note, however, that I've also experienced a few problems with the stuff I got from Pinemeadow:

" Not long after I received my irons and woods, a few plastic ferrules popped loose. Nothing serious, easily fixed by pinprick drops of superglue. But...

" Within only a few months, the plastic ferrule on my 5-Iron not only popped loose, but broke off completely. The thing just split open. Then, within a few more days, so did the ferrules on the 3- and 7-Irons (back then, I tended to play the odd numbers more often).

Although I probably could have put them back on with more superglue, I figured that this was now in the realm of the strange, and I wasn't too happy about it. So I emailed Pinemeadow immediately. They quickly had me ship the whole lot back at their expense, even the clubs with the ferrules still intact. They said they'd fix the clubs, which they did. I think, however, that they eventually shipped back brand new replacement clubs instead of going through the time and trouble of disassembling and reassembling each of my original clubs just to fix some ferrules. Those clubs I got back sure looked new, shrink wrapped heads and all. I can't obviously say that this is what they do in every situation; I'm just relating exactly what kind of "service" I got.

That was a couple or so years ago. The set has been trouble-free since.

" After a round about a year after purchase, I noticed something new on the Acer XDS 2+ driver head: a very distinct dimple about a quarter of an inch or so in diameter on the toe. Must've happened on the 3rd, I thought, when I skied a drive. It apparently didn't affect the club's performance the rest of the round since it went unnoticed. My fault and not a Pinemeadow quality problem, I concluded.

But I did mention it in an email to Pinemeadow. I wanted to know whether this was common. I was told two things: (a) this was uncommon, and (b) I still had some time left under my original 1 year warranty, a benefit that had completely slipped my mind - only two days left, in fact - so I could send the club back to be replaced! Again, this replacement was made without it costing me a penny out-of-pocket, shipping and all! Now that was a pleasant surprise.

" That I like Pinemeadow Golf's service and support is an understatement. But I hated their standard grips; they felt cheap to me, and the fact that they wore out and needed replacement very quickly - darned if I got a full season of very casual play out of those grips - reinforced that conclusion.

I wasn't alone with this grip observation. You used to be able to find lots of negative customer feedback on Pinemeadow's site about those grips. I don't see the complaints anymore, and I hope that's because Pinemeadow's started using much better standard grips.

Even then, I say splurge a little and have Pinemeadow install one of the better brand name grip upgrade options they offer. The benefits far outweigh the negligible expense of going this route.

Recommendations

It should be plainly obvious that I highly recommend Pinemeadow Golf. Excellent products and prices, and even better, absolutely excellent service.

Another place to try is GigaGolf. I don't own a set from them, but have played with a friend's and was equally impressed with the quality of their work and low prices... no hesitation at all in recommending them to you to try out.

Replacement Gas Can Spout

Golf Ball Comparison - How to Select the Right Golf Ball

Golf Ball Comparison - How to Select the Right Golf Ball

The buzz in golf is all about the drivers, irons and the putters. But, we often forget another piece of golf equipment which is just technologically advanced as the rest - the golf ball. All golf balls like clubs are not all the same. They differ in a variety of features such as core composition, outer layer covering, compression etc. Well, which ball is right for you? The only way to find out is to do a golf ball comparison.

There are many different balls available for many different types of golfer, low compression balls are generally suited for novice golfers, and while high compression ones offer the best results for the tour pros.

The compression of the golf ball determines the core reaction you get when striking the ball. The lower the compression the less explosive the reaction, the higher the compression the more the ball will zoom off the tee. What is known as a softer ball or low compression somewhere in the range of between 70 and 80 units. This ball will not have the distance that a high compression like 100 would give you. The lower compression balls are actually great for control, and are ideal for short game shots like wedges and high irons.

Medium compression balls in the 90-compression range carry more distance than their 70-80 compression counterparts, yet still have a softer feel on contact and offer greater control.

And finally we get to the high compression such as the 100; this ball is for maximum velocity and distance. This ball is not easily manageable by the average golfer, as it has explosive tendencies. This ball will give you the distance to carry the fairway on a long par 4 or relatively short par 5, yet will be more temperamental when it comes to keeping it in play.

Besides compression, we also have to keep in mind the number of pieces used to make the golf ball, the number of dimples and any other features that help in control or feel.

maytag dishwasher reviews

Golf Instruction - Impact Drill

Golf Instruction - Impact Drill On YouTube.

New Golf Instruction duplessisgolf.com Let me help your swing yourgolfswinganalysis.com This drill gives the feeling of what impact should feel like using the Large Muscles to control the golf swing (not the hands).

Tags: golf clubs, golf setup, golf instruction, golf swing, golf balls, golf tips, golf chipping, large muscles golf, golf swing analysis, move less get good

coloud headphones

Hybrid Clubs or Fairway Woods?

Hybrid Clubs or Fairway Woods?

Hybrid clubs keep growing in popularity. And the lofts on hybrids keep getting lower. This gives you more options but blurs the distinction between hybrid clubs and fairway woods.

Some hybrids come in lofts as low as 14*. That's lower than many 3 woods. When deciding on fairway woods or hybrids, how do you know you're making the right choice?

Hybrids come in two flavors...

Before comparing hybrid clubs and fairway woods, you need to look at the two types of hybrids and decide which suits your game. They're a little different and affect set makeup differently too.

Knowing how to make distinctions between these clubs can help you develop a short list of hybrids and fairway woods to field-test the next time out.

Hybrid irons. These hybrids replace irons, have the same lofts and weights as the irons they replace and come in the same finished lengths and swingweights. That means they'll feel the same as the irons in your current set.

The advantages?

That's simple. Hybrid irons simplify the replacement of corresponding long irons. It also keeps your set's progression consistent. This maintains a predictable 10 yard gap between clubs throughout your set. That makes club selection easier.

Another benefit?

Higher long iron trajectories. The lower center of gravity (CG) in hybrid irons produces a higher trajectory with the same effort. Players with lower swing speeds can take advantage of hybrids to get back the long iron yardages for longer approaches to the green.

If you never thought you'd be able to hit a two iron, hybrid irons deliver the out-and-out perfect solution.

Hybrid fairways. These mimic fairway woods to some extent. They're longer in length than hybrid irons and use different shafts. Hybrid fairways use wood shafts with a .335 tip diameter instead of the .370 tip found in irons.

Hybrid fairways are not as deep from front to back as fairway woods and that affects how they play. Hybrid fairways have the center of gravity (CG) closer to the clubface than traditional fairway woods. This tends to lower trajectory a bit.

How this works...

Fairway woods are a little larger in volume than hybrids, and are wider from front to back. This places the CG farther away from the clubface. During the swing, centrifugal force and gravity push the back of the clubhead down raising the dynamic loft of the club and elevating trajectory. The farter away from the clubface you position the CG the higher the dynamic loft.

Who benefits from hybrid fairways?

My theory is that high swing speed players looking to flatten trajectory do well with hybrid fairways in place of fairway woods. Most fairway woods tend to drift a little higher. Anyone looking to keep the ball under the wind can do that easier with a hybrid.

There are exceptions. An example? The KZG U-Series utility comes to mind. Its very low profile quickly gets the ball up the air. Make sure you know the design characteristics of a utility wood before diving in.

Another advantage? A hybrid fairway's smaller size makes it a better club from difficult or fluffy lies. They simply won't get hung up in the grass as easily as a fairway wood.

Fairway woods have their place too...

Traditional fairway woods are good choices when you want a club that works well from either the tee or fairway. Their slightly larger appearance instills confidence at address.

If your swing speed is about 90 mph or less, a good fairway wood with a low center of gravity helps keep your trajectory a little higher. The lower center of gravity also means you can use stronger lofts for a slight increase in distance.

Putting it all together...

If you struggle with long irons take a look at hybrid iron replacements. They work better for slower swing speeds and integrate easily into your current iron set. Stay with traditional fairway woods with a low center of gravity for an elevated trajectory, better hang time and more stopping power on the green.

Manufacturers are now creating iron sets that progress from traditional short irons to hybrid mid and long irons. The seamless progression from blade-like short irons to hybrid long irons makes more sense for players that have difficulty with long iron distances.

Faster swings and players with naturally high trajectories do well with hybrid fairways. Their higher center of gravity keeps trajectories in check.

Match the right hybrids, fairway woods, or a combination of the two to your swing and you'll have more options when facing long approach shots on par fives, long par fours or tee shots on tight driving holes.

Moulinex Juice Extractor computer drawing tablets mirro pressure cooker instructions

How To Play Golf Better On Your Golf Course And At Some Else's Golf Club

How To Play Golf Better On Your Golf Course And At Some Else's Golf Club

With Effortless Power you will have a fabulous golf swing. Having Amazingly Long And Straight Drives that Blow By Your Golfing partners By 30 Yards On Every Hole.
Dear Golfer,
Can you imagine the look of pure horror on the faces of your golf buddies as you unleash the sweetest drives and crank out one great swing after another?...
If you've taken lessons, bought the latest greatest equipment and your garage is filled with those crazy gimmick training aids...
If you've tried the golf pros and the newest clubs and you still can't get those drives in the fairway, or that darn ball near the hole, this is the most important piece of information you'll ever read.
Golfers spending hundreds of dollars on lessons, only to be more confused than ever... and not being able to hit the ball at all! With this scenario, what's left?
Do you take more lessons? Do you hit more balls? I'll bet you've already done that. Did it help? Be honest. I'm a straight shooter... and fessing up is the first step to ending the frustration and getting on the right track quickly.
What the pros won't tell you is it's your BODY that's keeping you from a high level of performance.
When things get diffuclt in the swing all you needed to do was a simple stretch or strength movement to solve that particular problem.

It's that easy!

That's the way your golf improvement approach should be. Simple. Easy. With quick results.
No more "band aid" swing adjustments that don't last. Just simple tips and techniques you can use immediately,
In fact... we are so confident about the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide... that we would go as far as saying even one of the simple golf stretches or golf exercises could increase your drives by up to 20 yards... almost overnight!
The beauty of getting your body fit for golf... is you don't have to swing harder to hit it farther. In fact, you'll swing MUCH easier... and watch those tee shots blast down the middle of the fairway.

hobson bicycle seat luxury men watch wd wdavn00bn hd media player for usb storage devices

Refiner Golf Club Review - Will it Fix My Golf Swing Flaw?

Refiner Golf Club Review - Will it Fix My Golf Swing Flaw?

To enhance your golf swing by feel and not by swing mechanics, try out the Refiner Golf Club. If your golf swing is inappropriate, the hinge will break at once, allowing you to know there's a flaw inside your golf swing.

The entire golf swing can be corrected because the hinging technique permits you to feel and see where the club should be. To have an excellent golf swing, getting your golf club to the top in a right fashion on your back swing is vital and if you happen to be cupping your wrists, the training aid is able to inform you of this by breaking right away. Such a notice at an early stage enables you to correct the flaw first before proceeding to complete your golf swing and it is almost impossible to complete your golf swing without correcting the flaw first.

The Refiner Golf Club is an excellent instrument to use if you're searching for ways to attain the correct pace and timing as it's going to hinge once a swing fault is discovered. This is especially useful as poor shots usually are the result of swinging too fast.

Other areas which can benefit you as claims from the manufacturer are detecting excessive grip pressure, open / closed club face and improper swing plane.

What I favor regarding the Refiner Golf Club is it allows you to train at home without making use of the golf ball. It is also perfect to be use on the driving range since the Refiner Golf Club can be used as a standard club when swung correctly.

The Refiner Iron plus the Refiner Driver are two swing trainers available to improve your golf swing. The need for two different kinds of trainer is because the proper manner for those iron shot is to hit down on the golf ball and the opposite applies for those driver. These two training modes can lead you to execute exactly like that.

For those of you who are left handed, you will be delighted to know that the Refiner Golf Club is also available for left handed golf players. Various club lengths are available to cater for ladies as well as for juniors, and should the regular length isn't fit for you, there's also an alternative for it to be made-to-order.

Both training aids come with full instructional videos, featuring PGA trainer Rick Bradshaw leading you with the best manner to get the full benefits of the training aid.

luxury womens watches reviews ez cube light tent

Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club - Jamaica - Video Profile - On Voyage.tv

Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club - Jamaica - Video Profile - On Voyage.tv On YouTube.

Visit www.voyage.tv for more hotel profiles and travel videos. The all-inclusive Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club is an adults-only resort set on a stretch of pristine beachfront on Jamaicas famed North Coast. Resort buildings are nestled amongst swaying palm trees, and the grounds include landscaped gardens, pathways and pool areas. Guest rooms and suites are decorated with traditional furnishings and all have private balconies or terraces with views of the gardens, pools or ocean. The newest Ocean Front Suites boast seaside verandas and private plunge pools. Breezes Runaway Bay has several onsite restaurants and bars. The Beach Terrace dining room serves a casual buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For dinner, guests can choose from Pastafari Italian restaurant, Munasan for sushi and Japanese cuisine, and the Reggae Café RASTAurant, which offers authentic, spicy Jamaican fare on the beach. The open-air Starlight Grill offers a vegetarian menu six nights a week. Five bars including the swim-up bar, the Piano Bar and the late night spot Club Hurricane keep the drinks flowing day and night. The beach is the main draw at Breezes, offering a variety of water sports including diving, snorkeling and sunfish sailing, as well as instruction for those wanting to learn. The resort has an 18-hole PGA golf course onsite, well suited to both amateur and accomplished golfers. Other activities include tennis, bicycling and an unusual circus program that allows guests to try ...

Tags: Jamaica Hotel, Jamaica, Jamaica Travel, Breezes Runaway Bay, Jamaica Resort, Jamaica all-inclusive, Breezes Resorts, Golf Resorts, Hotel Profiles, Voyage, Voyage.tv

wind resistant patio umbrella neutrogena acne stress control foam wash