How to spot counterfeit golf clubs?

Considering the increasing popularity of golf, the demand for quality golf clubs has also increased. Amidst this, there has also been a rise in fraudulent manufacturers.

The manufacturers have upscaled the production of counterfeit golf clubs. There are an estimated two million counterfeit clubs circulating in the market. These counterfeit products are available on websites like Ebay and Facebook under bargains like the 'best budget-friendly, 'best-used golf drivers' and 'best-used golf irons' amongst others.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate counterfeits from genuine clubs due to better material, paints and attention to detail to make clubs closer to the real brands. This would leave budding golfers paying exorbitant amounts for fake products.

So, here are the six ways to spot a counterfeit golf club, according to Andrew Masterson of the US Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group and Luke Peterken from pre-owned retailer Replay Golf.

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1) Performance

Counterfeit products cannot compete with how cutting-edge golf clubs from original brands perform.

There is always a difference in the raw materials used to manufacture the product. Counterfeit shafts can be dangerous because they are not stable and strong enough to support some golf swings, and they have been known to splinter and snap in golfers' hands.

The lack of hollowing on various iron heads is one of the key indicators of counterfeit clubs' poor design and resulting performance. Also, the swing weights are frequently far off from manufacturer standards.

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2) Aesthetics

Counterfeit manufacturers have gotten very good at replicating the original golf clubs. However, it is not easy to copy the exact brand aesthetics. There are a few ways one can spot the differences in the appearances of a counterfeit and an original.

One of them would be the color of the paint synonymous with the brand model club. The font of the club's logo and other markings are frequently a dead giveaway. Brands will frequently create their own specific font that will not be available to those producing the fakes, and this is usually very obvious in a side-by-side comparison.

The shaft bands and detailing are frequently misaligned and are usually a slightly different shade of color than the actual club.

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3) Price

Although budget-friendly golf clubs can be a tempting offer considering how expensive golf is, most times things are just too good to be true.

It's always a good idea to look at the manufacturer's website for the retail price, and if they don't have it, look at an authorised retailer's website or consult a local PGA Professional. If one is looking at equipment online and it is significantly less expensive than the RRP at a recognised retailer, there is a good chance it is counterfeit.

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4) Product Listing

Counterfeit brands frequently use blurry or out-of-focus images of products, making it difficult to identify key details on fakes. There are still cases of fraudulent websites using stock images of products taken from authorized sellers and then shipping fake products, emphasizing the importance of only purchasing from recognised sellers.

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5) Shipping Information / IP Address

Although parts of the golf clubs are made in China, they are mostly assembled and shipped from the US. If golf clubs have a shipping address based in China, chances are that they are fake.

Another identifying mark of a fake website is the IP address. One has to be very careful with the web address because counterfeit websites will try to make theirs as similar to the original as possible. So keep an eye out for additional letters or numbers in the web address, if there is one then it is fake.

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6) IMPORTANT!

Scotty Cameron putters (Image via Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

Scotty Cameron putters are frequently regarded as the gold standard for the best putters in the golf industry, and the products they produce are highly sought after, resulting in a large number of counterfeits on the market.

Scotty Cameron manufactures a Circle T range of putters for tour players only, but a large number of them end up in circulation online and are frequently sold for upwards of $5,000, attracting counterfeit groups to try and copy these putters to maximize profits.

Despite the fact that these counterfeit Scotty Cameron putters look identical to the real thing, the fine milling, feel, and performance of forged stainless steel cannot be replicated on the cheap.