Could we "decouple" from golf equipment made in China?

[mjkladis]

With all of this COVID-19 talk is going on, I've seen some people declaring that it's time to "decouple" from Chinese-made products.
I don't want to argue if that's a good or bad idea, I just want to see if that's even possible in golf.

I know you could choose a ball made in the USA (or somewhere outside of China) fairly easily but what about everything else?

 

[wubears71]

Nope. We all say "Buy American" but then shop at Wally world. Until we accept a major increase in COGS, China will continue to produce our stuff, including golf clubs.

 

[Turtlerancher]

I'd give up golf before I'd buy some the hipster "bespoke" stuff made in the USA but, I believe we could all find enough stuff to play for quite a while.

 

[Flipit]

Of course it’s possible. It would cost a bit more but it would be a good idea.

 

[NullNomad]

I can make my current set up last a VERY long time, so I'm ready to ride that out if it were to happen. The lowest I would have to go is adding a ball picker in my bag....

 

[mtbloco]

For specialty good it will be very hard to do as you say. I think one of the big things to come from all of this will be that corporations will look to diversify manufacturing. So there will not be as much dependance on a single source country. that is easier for somethings and nearly impossible for others.

 

[mjkladis]

I think it's completely possible but it would involve another country like Vietnam or India.
Made in the USA equipment is difficult but its one way to solve the distance problem too!! BACK TO REAL WOOD DRIVERS!

 

[tahoebum]

Clubs would be two times the cost I'd guess if they were made here. I did choose my Srixon irons partially based on the fact that they are made in the Miyazaki plant in Japan and not China. IMO the irons made in Japan generally have tighter tolerances and more care in the manufacturing process.

Through my club, I paid only $865 plus tax for 8 irons with the DGX100 AMT shafts. Such a good deal that I have two identical sets so I don't have to travel with clubs. One set sits in Florida for the winter and at our cabin in the summer.

 

[Vortex]

Labor rates in Mexico are slightly lower and more stable than China. Decoupling from China, based on price, should be easy to do.

 

[Templet0n]

I would love to buy american made stuff. It just costs too much.

 

[wubears71]

Labor rates in Mexico are slightly lower and more stable than China. Decoupling from China, based on price, should be easy to do.

Labor rates may be but raw materials and tooling is not. There are entire shopping centers over in China full of every imaginable industrial part that can be purchased just like someone walks into Walmart to buy a chapstick.

 

[Vortex]

Labor rates may be but raw materials and tooling is not. There are entire shopping centers over in China full of every imaginable industrial part that can be purchased just like someone walks into Walmart to buy a chapstick.

I work for a CDMO with operations around the globe including China and Mexico. We often review pricing from both locations for low-cost geography opportunities. Prices are similar, or lower, from Mexico. Add freight, tariffs, stability, and potential IP concerns to the mix and Mexico is the preferred location at the moment.

Raw materials are definitely a variable. Electronics are typically cheaper in China but that's changing fast. Thailand and Malaysia are growing. Other things like resin can be higher in China. I don't know enough about steel prices for Mexico vs China. My gut says higher grades are cheaper in Mexico.


P.S. you're right about production tools. Our company has a 1M sq ft facility in China dedicated to tooling.

 

[Bryndom]

I do think we can (and some company’s notably have plants in the US). I also think that Mexico is a great option that helps a community in addition to our own.

I have never minded paying more for quality stuff made locally or that benefits our community. However, I do know that not everyone can afford to do so - which is where our issues tend to arise.

Golf feels like a necessity, even though I know it is a luxury, so again, I would definitely pay more for local quality golf stuff!

 

[annsguy]

I think product folks are already looking at Vietnam, India, Korea and other parts of the world. Shoe companies have starting moving out of China because of the tariffs. But it’s not coming here.

 

[Reframmellator]

I am pretty confident we will see some serious action to [re-]establish local or friendly sourcing of some key stuff, including active pharmaceutical intermediates (API), industrial and medical machinery and equipment, certain assembly functions, and finally, establishment of a strategic stockpile of rare earth elements. China's response to the outbreak and some of their not-so-subtle threats should be a wake-up call for even the most confirmed globalist.

IMO the irons made in Japan generally have tighter tolerances and more care in the manufacturing process.

I think this is true of many things Japanese. However, some of the Chinese highly technical raw materials I buy for our company are the equal of anything in the West.

 

[DataDude]

We could, but I don't think anyone here will like the prices that come along with it and we are shutting down for a month too so it wouldn't solve the problem this situation has created anyway.

 

[PuffChippy]

Hogan makes their clubs in Ft. Worth, TX so why not. Things would be a little more expensive, companies would make a little less money, and we may not have as much selection, but sure you could do it. It’s never been a question of could you, it’s a question of how bad you want to do it.

 

[JB]

Hogan makes their clubs in Ft. Worth, TX so why not. Things would be a little more expensive, companies would make a little less money, and we may not have as much selection, but sure you could do it. It’s never been a question of could you, it’s a question of how bad you want to do it.

They assemble their clubs in Ft Worth.
They are made overseas.

 

[ArmyGolf]

I can't speak to the golf industry, but these times of global crisis really reinforce how I HATE being dependant on foreign countries manufacturing for damn near everything.
I'd gladly pay more to support Canadian/American manufacturing right now.

 

[Architex]

Nope. We all say "Buy American" but then shop at Wally world. Until we accept a major increase in COGS, China will continue to produce our stuff, including golf clubs.

In regards to golf equipment I don’t think the costs would be that much more. Yes it would be more but not 30-50% more. And with automation coming all this stuff will probably be onshored eventually but without the increase in labor costs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wubears71]

In regards to golf equipment I don’t think the costs would be that much more. Yes it would be more but not 30-50% more. And with automation coming all this stuff will probably be onshored eventually but without the increase in labor costs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You would be surprised. I am an engineer that owns a company consulting for manufacturing. A good portion of discrete manufacturing in the U.S. is assembly of imported parts. In other words, the manufacturer can claim "Made in the USA" but in very small print you will see "of imported parts". China in particular subsidizes raw materials like steel, flooding the market with raw materials that are produced well below true market value. It's just like what the Saudis are doing now in Oil - flood the market with cheap oil to drive down the price that U.S. frackers cannot make money and are forced to shut down or go out of business. I've been dealing with it since 2003. Furthermore, China and our competition have embraced Industry 4.0. I hate to say it, but our old curmudgeon boomers that won't freaking retire fall into the "we've always done it this way" trap and we are getting massacred from an automation and big data standpoint. I honestly get more traction when I work with others from Europe, China and India.

 

[CBaker]

Could we? Probably, yea. Costs would sky rocket though.

 

[CBaker]

You would be surprised. I am an engineer that owns a company consulting for manufacturing. A good portion of discrete manufacturing in the U.S. is assembly of imported parts. In other words, the manufacturer can claim "Made in the USA" but in very small print you will see "of imported parts". China in particular subsidizes raw materials like steel, flooding the market with raw materials that are produced well below true market value. It's just like what the Saudis are doing now in Oil - flood the market with cheap oil to drive down the price that U.S. frackers cannot make money and are forced to shut down or go out of business. I've been dealing with it since 2003. Furthermore, China and our competition have embraced Industry 4.0. I hate to say it, but our old curmudgeon boomers that won't freaking retire fall into the "we've always done it this way" trap and we are getting massacred from an automation and big data standpoint. I honestly get more traction when I work with others from Europe, China and India.

This is exactly why I laugh so hard every time someone says to buy American cars. What cars are those exactly? Every car here is made up of foreign parts. Hell the Toyota Camry is basically the most made in America car or something like that.

 

[Lou W]

I can handle buying non essential stuff made elsewhere. But when our pharmaceutical industry has shifted to chinese raw materials and finished drugs.......we have a major national security issue

 

[wubears71]

This is exactly why I laugh so hard every time someone says to buy American cars. What cars are those exactly? Every car here is made up of foreign parts. Hell the Toyota Camry is basically the most made in America car or something like that.

The most advanced car manufacturing plant that I've been in is the Nissan plant in Alabama.

Ironically I've been in a number of facilities in the U.S. that turn out parts for Toyotas but not Ford or GM.