Much to the dismay of industry professionals, one aspect of the golf business that is as active as ever and growing is counterfeit golf.

As I write this article during the last week of 2007, the golf industry is closing the season with sales flat to slightly up depending on the part of the United Sates you live in.  Many things affect the golf business including weather, the economy, natural disasters, and jobs.

As recently as December 14, 2007, there was two men in Texas were arrested for operating an illegal fake golf club business that imported generic counterfeit golf clubs, affixed name-brand logos, and then sold them on a popular online auction site to unsuspecting golf consumers.

According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), in their 2007 Consumer Profile, forty percent of core golfers, defined as those who play eight or more rounds per year, use the Internet to visit golf-related web sites monthly.  

In addition, NGF’s 2007 year-end report cites a May, 2007 U.S. Department of Commerce report indicating that the 2005 statistics (the latest year reporting figures) show online sales were 27% of total golf merchandise sales, up by 17% over the previous reporting period.

The data illustrates that the Internet and Internet e-commerce is growing.  Online golf merchandising offers the consumer more choices, but there are pitfalls in the new online golf merchandise frontier.

If you do a Google search for counterfeit golf, you will see more than  270,000 web pages containing these two words.  Not all are unique, but this does illustrate that there is indeed a problem in this country with fake golf merchandise, a problem that has been going on for quite some time.

There is a big difference between buying low-end clubs that you can buy at the local “Mega-Mart-Shop” stores which are patterned after brand name clubs they resemble and ones you read about being confiscated by the FBI in stings across the country.

First, the cheap clubs you buy at legitimate retailers are not advertised as anything other than what they are; i.e., low cost alternatives.  They also are usually under $50.  

I actually bought a driver for $19.95 at a larger superstore retailer that was a no-name brand.  I bought it because it was an oversize (460 CC) club.  I had been thinking about getting one to add to my Callaway Big Bertha woods.  I was unsure if I could hit such a bigheaded club, so I figured I would start cheap and work my way up.

The reality was that while the “fit & finish” on this club was not what you would expect from the major brands, the club felt good so I bought it.

As it turned out, the club played well, and although I decided not to use it all the time, I could have.  What did NOT happen with this purchase is I was not fooled into thinking the club was anything other than what it was: a low cost replica of one of the new designs.

For people shopping online, it can be a different experience.  Referring to the recent arrests, people are gullible and perhaps a little greedy in thinking they can get a $600 golf club that was just introduced for under $300 from someone auctioning them online.

In most cases, scammers do not have their own web sites (which could be traced to them).  They prefer to sell on auction sites and try to mask their identity.

The truth is there are companies that make large purchases and offer slight discounts.  They are called golf retailers!  These retailers and sporting goods chains legitimately sell online.  You know when you shop with them that they are on the up & up, and the merchandise ultimately comes from the manufacturer whose name is on it.

When counterfeiters pop up (they usually are caught eventually), a new group of people are suckered into their game by the same lures that have worked for check scams, real estate fraud, stock swindles and gambling schemes and other schemes since the beginning of time.

This is not only bad for the golf consumer who is paying for something other than quality products but also for the company whose trademark has been violated.  If the item is returned, the legitimate company may sometimes mistakenly be responsible for the refund.  And they also suffer potential brand degradation.

I remember when I went to my first PGA Merchandise show in Orlando Florida back in 1996; they arrested a group of people who were holding meetings in nearby hotels selling knockoff versions of golf clubs that were themselves JUST introduced at the show to dealers and pro shops THAT DAY. 

This was not the first incident of its kind.

Being involved with a company marketing a patented product for golf, we applaud the efforts of law enforcement and business leaders in the industry who are working diligently to thwart the thieves at every intersection.  That way, the rest of us will be sure to get what we pay for.

Practice, practice, practice…Enjoy Golf!

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