so I called titleist today..... and a tad bit disapointed

[rollin]

because I wanted to learn more about athentication. Didnt get quite the sound response I expected when it comes to possibility of fake clubs.

i'll explain from the begining.

Looking at a club on ebay that does have the security/authentication sticker although it is mounted a bit crooked. This along with all the hype on counterfeit clubs gave me incentive to call titleist to find out more. According to titleist unfortunately the stickers are easily removable and cant really be trusted so this still doesnt mean the club is authentic. So then what is the purpose of the whole darn thing??

What i did just recently purchase was a 910D3 driver. I bought from "the golf club" or also on line as "teegolfclub". Turns out they are an authorized Titleist dealer which is great. My club listed (notihng to do with ebay) on their website as used/preowned. But was said to be in new condition and not played but described it as some shop worn. For all intensive purposes they told me (via phone) the club would be new as possibly can be without being called new. and just got it today and aside from no plastic, this thing is brand spanking new. Also has security stickers on it and all other stickers too.

I am confident the club is real. My issue is that when talking to titleist they even said that they dont have any way of knowing that even an authorized dealer could sell a fake or not. especially when they sell anything other than technically brand new.

also said as dealers can get used and shop worn, demo, overstock, whatever clubs from anywhere and no way of really knowing (even if they are honest)
that the club is real. it is possible that may not even realize it.

Well, anyway that is pretty desturbing to me. Aparently these new authentic security stickers dont really do anything at all for sure. And another thing titleist said was that they do not allow if one wished to send in a club for evaluation to see if its a real product.

I was just surprized titleist wasnt and isnt more informative then they were and also not able to tell me much of anything as to know if what you buy is real. And not allowing for a club inspection (if one wanted to do that) is even more suprizing still.

Almost no way of truely knowing what you get is real for 100% sure. Only thing is to buy fom an authorized dealer and basically hope that you dont have that wrong one out of the bunch.

I'm not concerned about my purchased club but it is bit disturbing ya cant better info for piece of mind from a company like titleist. I expected more espec sinse they do make a big deal about fakes.

 

[lambro2]

I think they're just covering themselves because there is no way for them to guarantee authenticity unless it comes directly from them. I'm sure they'd hate to lead someone astray without actually seeing the products. I think it's what they have to say.

 

[dtak84]

Unfortunately it is what it is and it will always be a risk when buying from anywhere online.

The only way you could avoid is just buy it in a brick&mortar store brand new. Unfortunately, when trying to save money, there will almost always be risks involved...

 

[rollin]

Unfortunately it is what it is and it will always be a risk when buying from anywhere online.

The only way you could avoid is just buy it in a brick&mortar store brand new. Unfortunately, when trying to save money, there will almost always be risks involved...

yea i guess so and unfortunately it is what it is when trying to save. That place i bought from is an authorized dealer (brick&morter) that is listed on titleist website so I'm confident but still (with all i said that titleist had to say) it was just bit dissapointing it wasnt better info that they offered me.

Thought i'd just share the conversation with all and due to this I will not buy from that ebay I mentioned first off in my open.

 

[fairband]

I guess I should be glad I'm not good enough to play Titleist clubs.

 

[mhachtx]

The Golf CLub is a legit business up in Austin, I go by there all the time since they are right around the corner from my Mom's.

 

[TripleBogieTim]

I wish there was a better way of prevented all the conterfiet stuff.

 

[Attempo]

Some owners, like myself, of Titleist 910D drivers are interested in just buying just the head of the new 913Ds since the old one can be easily removed from the shaft and the shaft can be used on the new 913, thus saving about $50-100 depending on the shaft. Titleist, however, is not selling the head by itself. But I have seen the 913 heads for sale on EBay for about $325. Are those authentic? Who knows? I believe the Titleist driver is manufactured in China and you can bet that a lot of unauthorized driver heads are somehow disappearing unofficially from the factory, so there probably are plenty of drivers for sale internationally at a greatly reduced price from shady online dealers. The thing is, some are probably counterfeit but a lot of them could very well be authentic.

 

[rollin]

Some owners, like myself, of Titleist 910D drivers are interested in just buying just the head of the new 913Ds since the old one can be easily removed from the shaft and the shaft can be used on the new 913, thus saving about $50-100 depending on the shaft. Titleist, however, is not selling the head by itself. But I have seen the 913 heads for sale on EBay for about $325. Are those authentic? Who knows? I believe the Titleist driver is manufactured in China and you can bet that a lot of unauthorized driver heads are somehow disappearing unofficially from the factory, so there probably are plenty of drivers for sale internationally at a greatly reduced price from shady online dealers. The thing is, some are probably counterfeit but a lot of them could very well be authentic.

yea, its all kinda crazy and anything is possible.

Its also disturbing that such a prestigious and dominating american born company like titleist as well as others are not making the clubs in the U.S. with amercan workers. They research, test, develope, and design them here with so much money from here and yet they send them over seas to be manufactured yet they still charge rediculous prices for them. Its really sad but thats corporate america. They dont want to pay the american worker yet the ceo's, cfo's, coo,s and whatever other c's there are just stuff their pockets with more money than most can imagine. They will feed people dog food before they even consider sacrificing any money to have the clubs made here and support the economy in the very country that they for the most part earn it from to begin with.

sorry to get on a political rant but in a way related to the topic, perhaps if they were made here, maybe the counterfeit situation could be bit better controlled as well.

 

[CharlieMoy]

Titleist won't promote anything to do with buying ebay because the profits don't go to them. They'd always prefer you to buy new and I can't blame them.


TTing

 

[rollin]

Titleist won't promote anything to do with buying ebay because the profits don't go to them. They'd always prefer you to buy new and I can't blame them.
TTing

I wouldnt disagree , but they should still be able IMO to offer some better solutions and info when it comes to stuff that is out there. It still bares thier name.

 

[CharlieMoy]

I wouldnt disagree , but they should still be able IMO to offer some better solutions and info when it comes to stuff that is out there. It still bares thier name.

Why? They don't know how accurate your description is or the picture is, or even if the picture is of the item you are looking at. If they tell you one thing, and shows up another due to inaccurate pictures or your description being inaccurate, people will come at them for it.

Best thing they can do is just tell you to avoid it or be honest and say "I have no idea sir" which it appears they have done. Can't fault them for that.


TTing

 

[TheHeez]

Everything I've read about the robust counterfeit club market stated that there are entire factories set up overseas to produce fakes. Regardless of where the legit clubs are made, there is simply too much money to be made counterfeiting. So if Titleist made their clubs in the US the counterfeit market would be just as high, simply based on the margins and ? to be made.

And if you are really concerned about getting a fake, you will spend an extra 10-20% and buy local. If all the manufacturing is overseas, might as well make an effort to support the local stores as much as possible.

 

[Mr. Satchmo]

I guess I should be glad I'm not good enough to play Titleist clubs.

Me too haha

yeah but even on clubs that come straight from their custom shop- take Vokey wedge for example, I contacted them about a few with custom serial numbers and the lady from Vokey told me where they originated,
What specs they were and still told me that it didn't matter of the serial number and pecs were there in their system. It still doesn't indicate authenticity lol, they are clearly covering their a&$ in the event of a legal matter.

It's like the hand sanitizer companies, as a medical microbiologist, I know that in the lab the most widely used chemical to kill microbes is 97% ethanol which is in most hand sanitizer a, I've seen that solvent kill the nastiest bugs when we use it to Sanitize, yet the companies still put will kill 99.99% just in case an idiot wants to sue lol


Tapatalk on iPhone 5

 

[rollin]

Why? They don't know how accurate your description is or the picture is, or even if the picture is of the item you are looking at. If they tell you one thing, and shows up another due to inaccurate pictures or your description being inaccurate, people will come at them for it.

Best thing they can do is just tell you to avoid it or be honest and say "I have no idea sir" which it appears they have done. Can't fault them for that.

TTing

Yea, i guess thats all they can say. i just thought there must be a better way than just that. especially since i bought from an authorized dealer and if someone who does wanted to question it they still cant tell you 100%.

 

[CharlieMoy]

I hear you. Fake stuff is made with real stickers and real serial numbers sometimes too. So even those cant guarantee anything.


TTing

 

[rollin]

Everything I've read about the robust counterfeit club market stated that there are entire factories set up overseas to produce fakes. Regardless of where the legit clubs are made, there is simply too much money to be made counterfeiting. So if Titleist made their clubs in the US the counterfeit market would be just as high, simply based on the margins and  to be made.

And if you are really concerned about getting a fake, you will spend an extra 10-20% and buy local. If all the manufacturing is overseas, might as well make an effort to support the local stores as much as possible.

Thats what i did and will only do.

 

[Damaikis]

Why? They don't know how accurate your description is or the picture is, or even if the picture is of the item you are looking at. If they tell you one thing, and shows up another due to inaccurate pictures or your description being inaccurate, people will come at them for it.

Best thing they can do is just tell you to avoid it or be honest and say "I have no idea sir" which it appears they have done. Can't fault them for that.


TTing

Thain is spot-on. It's kind of what they have to do. They could get screwed otherwise.

 

[dfhoule]

Wanting a new set of irons and having searched for a decent deal on line I tried something different. I went to my local mom and pop shop and asked if they'd match a price I found on line. We discussed the options of what I wanted and they agreed. They ordered my clubs directly from the factory and because I knew I would be changing the grips upon receipt, they ordered them without grips. Upon arrival they quickly installed my desired grip and I was on my way. Couldn't have been easier. The 6 day wait was tough since I had already sold and shipped my previous set and my "First Flight Blades" hadn't seen any action in some time (luckily, fairly new grips made them workable).

 

[Croll326]

I once got sucked in to a group buy of clubs that supposedly walked out the back door of the factories during the night shift when all the managers were gone. They were 100% fake. Luckliyl we got refunded. I say it all the time to friends trying to save a buck on clubs, "IF THE DEAL IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!"

 

[rollin]

I once got sucked in to a group buy of clubs that supposedly walked out the back door of the factories during the night shift when all the managers were gone. They were 100% fake. Luckliyl we got refunded. I say it all the time to friends trying to save a buck on clubs, "IF THE DEAL IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!"

yea but trouble with that logic is that counterfeiters have gotten smarter and are often up with prices so that one will not think it too good to be true. You may pay the same for a demo, overstocked, clearance sale, whatever have you for newer club as you might for a fake.

 

[Texasbrons]

I once got sucked in to a group buy of clubs that supposedly walked out the back door of the factories during the night shift when all the managers were gone. They were 100% fake. Luckliyl we got refunded. I say it all the time to friends trying to save a buck on clubs, "IF THE DEAL IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!"

That's probably not a story you should ever share again. Buying something that you know is counterfeit or that turns out to be counterfeit is bad enough due to the lowlife element that is involved, but at least there is an actual production of a product taking place and you are paying for what you get. You knew this was product that was theft and is the lowest life thing possible. I'm all for a good deal, but I won't do it to support a crime. And your willingness to buy these knowing they were stolen just reenforces that theft to continue and puts money in their pocket to embolden their actions. I know you may try to justify it because it is a big company that will not notice the difference or can absorb it, but theft is theft. If they were stolen off of your front porch step upon being delivered, you wouldn't like it if you found that your neighbor was the new purchaser. Just my opinion and quick rant.

 

[Attempo]

I still believe Titleist ought to sell the head only of the 913D. People like me paid $400 for the 910D which included the shaft. We like the product, and it was designed with a detachable head, so why force loyal Titleist customers to ante up an extra $50 or $75 or $100 when they want to use the exact same shaft they are using now? It smacks of greed and it opens the door for counterfeit heads to be found on EBay and elswhere.

 

[CharlieMoy]

yea but trouble with that logic is that counterfeiters have gotten smarter and are often up with prices so that one will not think it too good to be true. You may pay the same for a demo, overstocked, clearance sale, whatever have you for newer club as you might for a fake.

That is why titleist doesn't allow things to be sold as clearance, overstock, or demo.


TTing

 

[Mark]

That is why titleist doesn't allow things to be sold as clearance, overstock, or demo.


TTing

They do, just only when the old is being replaced for new a la 910---913. Golftown had a ton of 910 stuff that they got from fitting centres. Regardless, I hope everythign works out for the OP.