 By Palm Springs Guides Golf Guide Phil Moore
Q: Why are brand-name golf clubs so expensive?
A: Advertising.
The brand-name golf club companies that design and market their own equipment are often referred to as Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). While the cost to manufacture golf clubs is relatively inexpensive (because it’s done almost entirely overseas), the marketing costs are enormous. An effective global advertising campaign is not cheap. Neither is paying the top players throughout the world millions of dollars to play your equipment.
The marketing costs obviously have to be passed along to the consumer, which is why purchasing brand name golf clubs is expensive. You’re paying for their advertising. You’re led to believe, however, that the added cost is justified because you’re also paying for the research, development and precision manufacturing that’s necessary to produce such a high-tech piece of equipment. Regardless of what they say — you are paying for their advertising.
As long as OEMs continue to budget huge amounts of money for marketing, their clubs will continue to be expensive. It’s simply a function of business. But that’s their problem; it doesn’t have to be your problem. If you’re not interested in paying a lot of money for advertising, don’t buy brand-name clubs. It’s that simple.
If you’d like quality equipment but don’t want to pay OEM prices, you have two options.
The first option is to buy last year’s model. Generally new designs sell at a premium price for a year to 18 months. As soon as the massively hyped new design is introduced, the price of the old model significantly drops. That’s good news because generally the old model is just as good as (and sometimes even better than) the new model. The downside is that you might have trouble getting the old design in your exact specifications.
Your second option — and far better choice — is to visit your local club maker. The same overseas foundries that are producing components for OEMs are also producing components for club makers all across the world. The better club makers use only high-quality heads, shafts and grips, and do a superior job in fitting. Because of their limited overhead, they’re able to sell their clubs for considerably less than what you’d pay a retailer of brand name products.
Certainly some club makers are better than others, just as some OEMs are better than others. You’ll need to do a little research, but your time will be well spent. A good club maker will save you money, do wonders for your game, and will always be there to answer your never ending questions.
 Palm Springs Guides Golf Guide Phil Moore can be reached through his Web site, MadScienceGolf.com. His book, "The Mad Science of Golf," is currently available at Amazon, Barns & Noble and through his Web site.
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