Are you open minded to smaller companies?

this is where I’m at. For wedges and putter I look to small companies and see what they have going on. For the rest of the bag I look to bigger OEMs just from a pure comfort standpoint. I’m sure smaller companies make great gear but I have to feel comfortable with what’s in my bag
Once you get into the categories where the technology seems to separate the top dogs from the rest it’s hard to not feel like you’re leaving something on the table by going with a lesser known brand.
 
Once you get into the categories where the technology seems to separate the top dogs from the rest it’s hard to not feel like you’re leaving something on the table by going with a lesser known brand.

that’s a big part of it.
 
I’m curious on this one, where do you stand when it comes to smaller companies? Are you interested in their releases? If there is buzz do you seek them out? Are they non starters for you no matter what?

I like this one because each of our definitions of smaller can vary based on our own perception. Could be a fun convo!
Absolutely. Theres a lot of smaller Japanese companies who put out amazing gear and are able to pay much more attention to quality and craftsmanship because they dont produce clubs in huge numbers.
 
I am especially fond of the smaller putter companies. Sik, Directed Force, and so many others have great product. I have tried and found success with many smaller putter companies.
 
I’m curious on this one, where do you stand when it comes to smaller companies? Are you interested in their releases? If there is buzz do you seek them out? Are they non starters for you no matter what?

I like this one because each of our definitions of smaller can vary based on our own perception. Could be a fun convo!

always interested...till i see they are part of the "RH only" club :LOL:

 
Rightly or wrongly, it’s a no from me. The main reason is I rarely buy sight unseen. I want to get fit for stuff, and at the very least be able to hit it first. Second, I prefer to stick with the stuff I know from brands I’ve heard of.
 
Absolutely love my Sub 70s. And also about 1500 cheaper than if I went with big brand. They are great clubs and a great company that stands behind their product. Built my entire set on the phone with the company COE. Say what ya will about the smaller companies but sometimes they care more about building something to make you play golf better than selling something to make a big buck.
 
Oh yeah. I was 100% all in on a set of Sub70 irons. Until I built them the way I wanted and the base went from $500 to over $1000.

I have and most likely will use a set of Hogan PTx Pros. I have to get them on actual grass to make sure the turf interaction is what I think it’ll be,

I also have to have a repeatable swing when I’m testing out some PXG’s. I’ll probably be better off with them, but hit them horribly my only session (not clubs fault, I couldn’t hit anything).
Interesting. How did you build yours? I didn't have that issue. I love my Sub 70s and the price, quality and the service I got.
 
I'm willing to try anything that will help me improve my game.
 
As far as balls and such, yes I'm open to the DTC companies. As far as clubs, if they are just rehashing/badging with no R&D, I'm not interested. I like a company to be vested in their products and strive to improve them for the benefit of the consumer.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (y) Balls especially open to smaller companies probably only because of the low price point of balls as a whole. But clubs, unless they have been proven in one way or another, thru R&D or a lot of advertisement, I tend to not be interested in.
 
Interesting. How did you build yours? I didn't have that issue. I love my Sub 70s and the price, quality and the service I got.

I added the 4 and GW, installed Dri-Tac grips and F4 Recoils.

They might have changed their pricing since then, but it took the base set and made it more than doubled still. Base set at $425.00 now. I thought it was $499 but I might be thinking of someone else.

F76CEC40-1DD2-4165-BEFE-ACE268E0D2CD.png
 
I added the 4 and GW, installed Dri-Tac grips and F4 Recoils.

They might have changed their pricing since then, but it took the base set and made it more than doubled still. Base set at $425.00 now. I thought it was $499 but I might be thinking of someone else.

View attachment 8994413
Yeah I got the 4-AW, 3 Hybrid, 3 Wood, and 54 and 58 286 wedges with GP grips. All with custom shafts. And I paid $1150. Incredible price for all that. And got a free hat, ball markers and some stickers.
I added the 4 and GW, installed Dri-Tac grips and F4 Recoils.

They might have changed their pricing since then, but it took the base set and made it more than doubled still. Base set at $425.00 now. I thought it was $499 but I might be thinking of someone else.

View attachment 8994413
Yeah I got the 4-AW, 3 Hybrid, 3 Wood, and 54 and 58 286 wedges with GP grips. All with custom shafts. And I paid $1150. Incredible price for all that. And got a free hat, ball markers, be coozy and some stickers.
 

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I would consider smaller companies especially for putters.
 
I’m open but usually cautious if it’s equipment, more so if it’s a newer company without a long record of quality. For apparel brands I love supporting small up and comers.
 
Yeah I got the 4-AW, 3 Hybrid, 3 Wood, and 54 and 58 286 wedges with GP grips. All with custom shafts. And I paid $1150. Incredible price for all that. And got a free hat, ball markers and some stickers.

Yeah I got the 4-AW, 3 Hybrid, 3 Wood, and 54 and 58 286 wedges with GP grips. All with custom shafts. And I paid $1150. Incredible price for all that. And got a free hat, ball markers, be coozy and some stickers.

I agree 100%. But I swear I was just north of 1k the last time I put that set together. I could be wrong but that takes it from inexpensive to about what I’d pay anywhere. Even at 850ish, that’s an almost new set of almost anything, even with upgraded shafts and grips.
 
As someone who hits Snell golf balls with New Level irons, Maltby wedges, and a Yes! putter ... yes I am.

The costs of R&D and innovation end up being passed to the consumer. If you can find what you want in trailing edge technology, or identify parts of the bag where new tech doesn’t matter for your game, this expensive and somewhat gentrified hobby can be significantly less costly.
 
As long as they are developing new products and not buying catalog pieces, absolutely! @Jman do you consider Tour Edge a smaller company?
 
Not really. With a lot of them not having any R&D of their own, it’s hard for me to get behind them. I tend to trust the big names more as the innovation is something I gravitate towards. Smaller DTC companies just don’t really seem very appealing to me.

I know marketing is a huge part of it, but I have a level of familiarity and expectation with those big names that I don’t with other, smaller manufacturers. The worry of leaving something on the table is very real to me.
 
The down side is when you begin to like a small companies stuff then they go belly up. Snake Eyes, MacGregor when Norman owned it are a couple of examples. Even the Perfect Club.
 
I’m a big fan of companies who try something different. I think my #1 here is SeeMore. Yes, the putters look different but I firmly believe they work well. Despite their size overall I’d actually put nikes equipment business in this category. They weren’t big by the Callaway AND TM standards and were not afraid to try some out there stuff. And a lot of it was really good.

the only pause I have with some of the smaller companies emerging now is that they’re essentially selling blanks or ball designs out of a catalog. But there are companies like hogan and Snell doing their own design that I’d buy in a second.
 
I'm certainly more open to it than I used to be. I've really enjoyed the Bridgestone wedges the last year and a half and the Ben Hogan driver was much better than I had expected it to be
 
i am totally on board with a smaller company for irons, wedges and putters.

but i feel like a company needs a good bit of capital and budget for proper r&d to design competitive drivers, fairways, hybrids and golf balls.
 
i am totally on board with a smaller company for irons, wedges and putters.

but i feel like a company needs a good bit of capital and budget for proper r&d to design competitive drivers, fairways, hybrids and golf balls.
This is where I come down as well. Iron and wedge design seems to change less and you see more small players with well reviewed options. Advanced material incorporation (microspheres, MIM, etc.) could change this in the long run, but even Sub 70 has an iron with injected elastomer.

Woods are a tougher nut to crack. Ben Hogan makes a competitive driver but it’s still $350. Sub 70’s $150 wood has done well so I am very curious to see how their upcoming driver is received.

Reverse engineering (i.e. tear it apart and see what’s inside) is a crucial tool in the world of microelectronics manufacturing. I wonder if golf club manufacturers are doing this to compare notes on one another’s clubs. Not having these tools due to personnel, budget, etc. could really be a barrier to entry there.
 
if im able to hit the product and try them first then yea ill give the smaller companies some love... Sub70 HQ is an hour away from me. When I saw their clubs 2 summers ago I was able to go there and try their product lineup. Liked the irons so much I bought a set and played them that whole year

New Level has a demo program I tried also and its how I originally ended up with their utility iron 2 years ago. I now have 2 sets of irons from them along with 3 wedges

Would I buy from a small company without trying???? No
 
I'm looking at the Sub 70 irons for my next set. Son is getting them this spring
 
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