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Marketing - Do you buy into the hype?

SuperStroke
Hawk said:
I see some of you saying that you try things out and go with what you like, but how much do you think 'what you like' is at least partially a product of what you hear in marketing or even what you hear people saying on THP?

It's a loaded question, but it's meant to be. I've admitted my guilt lol.
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Add on and perhaps a better question...How much of what you even choose to try is based off of marketing?
 
I bought the Metal X DART without ever rolling one so I am guilty as well.
 
COLT said:
No offense, Yoccos, but is higher COR a cop out for short knockers? Is 460cc's a cop out for someone who can't hit it on the screws? Is a cavity back and thick soles a cop out for bad ball strikers?

The answer to all of those might be yes. It might not be. But regardless it has made enjoyment of the game the game more accessible to all. The pros enjoy winning and we enjoy sinking that 30 footer for 3 carry over skins and a measly $10 on Sunday. So cop outs aren't always bad. And we already have so many, what's one more?


Tapping and crashing with the new updated/downgraded Tapatalk.
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No offense taken! But I don't believe those are in the same category as taking a "putting motion" or stance and then changing it for a completely different club. Drivers can't be above a certain length and it's my belief that a putter shouldn't either. Do I care if i see someone using it? Nope. Do I judge? Not really because I'm not a great golfer. But I do dislike the idea of and long putter itself.

You're modifying the designs in both instances but the long putter to me, is on another level.
 
I buy into marketing for sure. Why else would I buy so much equipment?!?!

I do believe in a lot of the hype that surrounds some of the new releases. But if that hype isn't fulfilled when I start gaming it I'm a little more skeptical (but still hopeful) the next time around.


Tapping and crashing with the new updated/downgraded Tapatalk.
 
In all honesty, I really do not think I have. Even before the MC came along, I was playing the older 909 D2 driver, an old Callaway FT 3W, heavy hybrids, and component irons.

THP reviews will influence a purchase, but not the ads I see on TV and in print.
 
Yoccos said:
No offense taken! But I don't believe those are in the same category as taking a "putting motion" or stance and then changing it for a completely different club. Drivers can't be above a certain length and it's my belief that a putter shouldn't either. Do I care if i see someone using it? Nope. Do I judge? Not really because I'm not a great golfer. But I do dislike the idea of and long putter itself.

You're modifying the designs in both instances but the long putter to me, is on another level.
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Alright. I can respect that view. I guess I'm just a believer in them since I've seen success with mine.


Tapping and crashing with the new updated/downgraded Tapatalk.
 
COLT said:
Alright. I can respect that view. I guess I'm just a believer in them since I've seen success with mine.


Tapping and crashing with the new updated/downgraded Tapatalk.
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I believe it to for other people. I don't doubt they're successful though! I bet you're probably also a better putter than me lol.
 
mcook77 said:
In all honesty, I really do not think I have. Even before the MC came along, I was playing the older 909 D2 driver, an old Callaway FT 3W, heavy hybrids, and component irons.

THP reviews will influence a purchase, but not the ads I see on TV and in print.
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Please don't take this is as picking on you, because it's not!

How about the talk of 'forgiveness' in irons? I've heard a lot of talk about the DPC's being substantially more forgiving than other irons in their class, but I'll be honest and say I have doubts about that. I'm not saying they don't offer some forgiveness, but are they really that different than most other game enhancement type irons or has that just become common belief?
 
Marketing may get me interested enough to try a product out at a demo, but it won't sell it completely. I used to obsess about new toys but have learned to control it some. The best marketing or closest to my demographic I've seen lately is from the Cleveland Black line as it targets guys like me who don't have a super high swing speed. And they painted it black, not baby blue or pink. So it is still badass. So while marketting may get me to a demo it is just as likely I will find something else that suits me better. Double edge sword there.
 
Hawk said:
Please don't take this is as picking on you, because it's not!

How about the talk of 'forgiveness' in irons? I've heard a lot of talk about the DPC's being substantially more forgiving than other irons in their class, but I'll be honest and say I have doubts about that. I'm not saying they don't offer some forgiveness, but are they really that different than most other game enhancement type irons or has that just become common belief?
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Good question Hawk! I've been pondering this since we all ordered our BStone irons and even before. I was more behind that line of thought than I let on previous to my rounds at the outing. Since then, this question is in the back of my mind.
 
I'm far more influenced by folks here than what I see on tv or whatever, but that's marketing too. Why else would I want a Long Tom 2wood?
 
Hawk - stop picking on cookie

TC said:
I'm far more influenced by folks here than what I see on tv or whatever, but that's marketing too. Why else would I want a Long Tom 2wood?
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because it's awesome
 
TC said:
I'm far more influenced by folks here than what I see on tv or whatever, but that's marketing too. Why else would I want a Long Tom 2wood?
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That made me lol. It's true though. I think I become more influenced by you all more often than marketing, but then I think about some things I've thought or even written about golf balls for example.
 
I like to think that I ignore the marketing hype, and I am confident that all of the equipment in my bag has earned its way there through performance. Still, there is no way I am immune to the hype. For one thing, how do I pick which clubs I am willing to give a chance to earn their way into may bag? That's primarily marketing there, and I wonder if there is equipment that is better for my game which I have ignored simply due to poor marketing.

The Cleveland 588 CB is a club I almost ignored. Just based on its looks and the marketing, I thought it was too much of a "players" club and would be out of my league. I tried it at a demo day just out of curiosity, and now I'm trying to buy a set. Speaking of which, I was going with KBS Tour shafts in those 588s just because of the marketing hype, and the fact that I liked the KBS wedge shaft in the ATV wedge I hit.....now I have hit a few different clubs with KBS Tour shafts in them and I will be going a different direction.

Balls are another good example for me. I will try out a ball based on its marketing, but it won't earn a permanent spot in my bag unless the on course performance is acceptable. I don't know how much a ball spins when I hit it....all I can do is gauge how much rollout I get from iron shots, and how well my short game shots check up. That might be caused by spin, or it maybe its how hard the ball is, or something, but I have to see the ball in action to know for sure. I don't think I've ever just agreed that a ball was good for my short game because the manufacturer said it was a high spin ball.

Take a look at the Callaway Hex Black and Chrome thread. Posters are seeing very different results with the same balls. Some people think the Chrome is very spinny, while I don't think I can get the Chrome to spin at all. For me it rolls out more than the Black on iron shots, and it won't stop for me on short game shots.....so much so that I think Callaway is lying in its marketing. But other people are seeing tons of spin from the Chrome.


I am not going to point any fingers, but I think the marketing hype has actually confused some of the ATV wedge testers, so that they are raving about things that don't make sense. But, if the wedge is working for them I guess no harm is done.
 
Hell yeah I do. Two examples: right after Webb was in the running for PGA POY and Keegan won the PGA, I got myself a belly putter. Also, I've always played a "tour" ball. A four piece ball that the pros use because of the spin the generate around the greens. I recently switched to the Gamer V2 as my ball of choice because it simply performs the same for me or even better in some areas and is much cheaper.
 
TC said:
I'm far more influenced by folks here than what I see on tv or whatever, but that's marketing too. Why else would I want a Long Tom 2wood?
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Me too. HELLO I20s????? :)
 
Hawk said:
Please don't take this is as picking on you, because it's not!

How about the talk of 'forgiveness' in irons? I've heard a lot of talk about the DPC's being substantially more forgiving than other irons in their class, but I'll be honest and say I have doubts about that. I'm not saying they don't offer some forgiveness, but are they really that different than most other game enhancement type irons or has that just become common belief?
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Forgiving for me has a direct tie to turf interaction. Are they more forgiving than the VR Pro Combo's - ABSOLUTELY. And I also believe them to be more forgiving than the Wishon's I was playing but I mostly attribute that to a larger head profile which allows more room for mishits.

And no - don't take it as picking on at all. I have not hit a bunch of other irons in this class. Are they really GE? Personally, I would say they are more GI for the sake of labels. VR Pro Combo's are considered GE or players - the J40's are not in this class at all IMO.
 
ddec said:
what about Modus shaft?
PS Should have stayed with the CB3 hehe
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LOL. Dean the Modus shaft definitely had everything to do with Marketing of the shaft and Word of Mouth. Can I play it? Yuppers. Does it work for my game. Sure does! Is it optimal, maybe... maybe not. But I didn't pick it to be different haha.
 
It all depends on the type of marketing and where it is coming from. Bridgestone marketing their B-Fit program for ball fitting, I absolutely believe that marketing. Marketing when it comes to the Overspin putter on TV? I dont buy in to it.

IMO, buying in to marketing hype depends on where it is coming from. I like to read reviews rather than advertisements, which is why I rarely look to a large publication for information about equipment.
 
mcook77 said:
Forgiving for me has a direct tie to turf interaction. Are they more forgiving than the VR Pro Combo's - ABSOLUTELY. And I also believe them to be more forgiving than the Wishon's I was playing but I mostly attribute that to a larger head profile which allows more room for mishits.

And no - don't take it as picking on at all. I have not hit a bunch of other irons in this class. Are they really GE? Personally, I would say they are more GI for the sake of labels. VR Pro Combo's are considered GE or players - the J40's are not in this class at all IMO.
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It's sort of off topic, but I agree forgiveness means different things to different people. It is interesting to hear people's take on forgiveness and what constitutes being in one 'class' of irons over another.
 
I love the hype! Love the commercials! Love the technology talk about what club can do what. But at the end of the day, I come to THP to find out what the consumers have to say about something that interests me.........unless I'm the first to buy it cause the hype gets me!
 
Hawk: I entirely pony up to marketing playing a huge role in what I'll try out if I'm not looking to demo something specific. TM, Callaway, Titleist and Cobra all have their options hit and catelogued before I touch something from Adams, Cleveland, etc. After that it's about the results but marketing gets their clubs into my hands faster to try out. Doubley so if it's something where they "own" the category so to speak.

TC said:
I'm far more influenced by folks here than what I see on tv or whatever, but that's marketing too. Why else would I want a Long Tom 2wood?
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This. I call it 2nd hand marketing but I've bought clubs solely off the basis of reviews here without trying them first (mixed results)

mcook77 said:
Forgiving for me has a direct tie to turf interaction.
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Totally off topic but that's an interesting take and quite a bit different then what I think for forgiving in an iron.
 
One of the best ads I ever saw for golf, ironically (some could say) did little for sales and that was the Sheep ad that Callaway did. I dont think anybody could say marketing does not work. Do you think anybody was running out to buy orange Puma outfits before Fowler? Anybody running out to spray paint their driver before loads of them were on TV each week?

I believe that the #1 part of any marketing in golf is the term "most used on tour". Its amazing how much that phrase can dictate market share.
 
JB said:
Can you show me those by chance? Do you have a link? I am fascinated by that based on how exactly grooves create spin and 1000 rpms is a HUGE amount.
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JB, I will try to dig this up.
 
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