Does it bother anyone else that pretty much EVERY professional golfer on tour uses someone else's brand of club(s) but puts their sponsor's headcovers over them? This is obviously done for one reason. To deceive the consumer....that's you and I. Most of these pro's even have it written in their contracts that they have to use so many of their sponsor's clubs but must use only their headcovers. This is a deliberate attempt by OEM's to deceive and we all just accept it. I'm not so much into using the exact clubs the pro's are using but feel it is unfair to both us and the smaller companies like Sonartec for example. Just yesterday I watched Luke Donald pull his 3 wood with a Mizuno F-50 headcover when I know he uses a Sonartec 3 wood. Sure enough you could see when he handed it back to his caddie after the shot that the sole was that of a Sonartec. So why the deception? I'm thinking the networks are involved in it too. Have you ever noticed how rarely we see the clubheads when they are at address or follow through and when you do get a look at one they seem to quickly cut away to another shot? I know we have 'what's in the bag' segments and can look it up if we want to on various websites but these only serve to prove my point. Only the truly informed know about this. I just don't think this 'fleecing' should be acceptable.
Okay,
Your turn.....
Some do that but they have to use like 13 of there clubs from there sponsor. Personally it doesn't really bother me because I don't pick my clubs by what Tiger or Phil are using me. I get the clubs I like (and can afford). I do think it's wrong that they can't just use the actual club's headcover but I don't really care what they do I just like to watch them play.
Is is a little deceiptful, but does it really matter to anyone?
Most people who go out to buy 'Tiger's clubs' are buying unsuitable clubs anyhow. It doesnt hurt their game whether they are playing what he actually plays or what the sponsor would have them believe.
The fact that these people so happily use unsuitable equipment means they dont really understand equipment matters properly so probably dont know the truth of the matter. Thus they have their off the shelf 'Tiger' clubs and are happy.
So everyone is happy, those of us who know more are also happy because we dont fall for the tricks and can just smile when we see someone who does!
Personally, I think it's a non-event. All it says to me is that the player uses his sponsor's head covers. It serves as no more than a billboard in a golf bag. Pro's clubs are so tweaked, the lofts are different than OEM...it's not the same club anyway. ... Sort of like going to your local Chevy dealer and trying to buy the car just won Sunday's NASCAR event!
Saw Tiger putting a Nike headcover on his putter during the British, and that ain't no Nike putter.
That's a well-known fact though. Tiger has said his Scotty Cameron putter is probably the only one he'll ever use. He said he'd switch pretty much every club in the bag to Nike, but that putter is too important to him. The Luke Donald situation definitely sounds pretty deceiving though (even I would be deceived by that unless I owned a Sonartec myself). I guess the average Joe Schmoe might not know that Tiger's had the same putter for 8+ years and could get confused by it, though. So it is definitely deception by Tiger/Nike, but typical golf fans know what a Scotty Cameron looks like.
What the pro's play does most certainly effect the marketplace. All I have to say to prove that is Pro V1. It's RIGHT there in the title. You don't think they named it that for a reason? If the pro's went to using a new ball I guarantee 99% of Pro V1 users would too.
If you saw more staff players not using the equipment they endorse you would be a little skeptical and less apt to purchase too. If you were thinking about buying a F-50 mizuno 3 wood to match your Mizuno driver and you noticed that the Mizuno staff pros weren't using it wouldn't you wonder why? Don't you wonder why none of the Cally staff pro's use the newer X 460 Tour instead of the FT-3?
Why do Vijay and other Cleveland players still use those HiBore headcovers when they all have switched back to the Comp driver? I will admit that I looked into Sonartecs when I saw Vijay was using one when he was the number one in the world a couple of years ago. I had not heard of them until then and I'm glad I did because they make very nice clubs. Best feeling fw and hybid in the business.
I just hate this fact for the reason that a little American company out of California like Sonartec doesn't get the credit and advertising they deserve because someone has another brand's headcover on it. LD is a top 10 player in the world. People watch him and follow him. Zach Johnson also uses a Sonartec 3.
It bothers me when others take the credit for someone else's work.
"Would you rather I be in bed with him yelling your name?"
To me all the Luke Donald situation does is make the Mizuno F-50 look bad and I am surprised Mizuno would want their cover on another club. You would think that Mizuno would want him to put a animal cover or some other non-name lid on it.
There are very few pros that carry just one brand - but they usually all have just one name on their bag. I guess it could be worse and Golf bags could look like nascar and have dozens of names on the bag
It does bother me...now all of us are much to smart and golf savvy to fall for the obvious traps set by club manufacturers (tounge firmly planted in cheek) the huge industry that is club manufacturing and advertising as far as golf is concerned gets a bit more dirty when we see the staff players not playing the products that they endorse...soccer players wear their sponsor's shoe whether or not it is their first choice and that is known and realized...but to claim to play a product and actually use another especially in an equipment intensive game like golf brings a bad taste to the mouth...fools are soon parted with money, don't play a club just because a pro does, etc....it still stinks...BTW Nike Sasquatch is a big ugly average performing driver with big chunks of bright yellow plastic that many need to reshaft after buying and it's main pitchman left it in the bag to win his last tournament, maybe he would be better off with a Titleist with a SQ headcover...
July 29th, 2006, 07:37 AM
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