Introduction to Buying Clubs Online

There is an estimated amount of up to 2 million counterfeit golf clubs being made every year. People are buying too good to be true deals for clubs that are being sold on non-reputable sites. There are a few things to know when buying clubs online. First, if the website does not have any way to contact them, that is a big red flag. In addition to all the reviews being all low rating reviews or has less than 100 reviews. Be cautious if the seller says that they won it in a raffle, tournament, or got the club as a gift.

Look at the site you are buying from as well as the pictures of the clubs they are selling to see whether they are real or counterfeit. Also, if the seller does not give you close up photos for the club you want, it is probably counterfeit. If the place you are buying from does not have a secure method of payment such as PayPal, be wary of buying products from that site. PayPal has Purchase Protection for buyers, which will reimburse your purchase if it does not match what the seller described the item(s) sold. Buying from eBay, helps make the transaction safer for the buyer. Due to eBay’s Money Back Guarantee, which helps protect the buyer in case the item is not what the seller promised or advertised. eBay also has a counterfeit item policy for listings.

Additionally, if the seller is asking for money with a person to person wire transfer, such as from Western Union.These types of money transfers are not traceable, which more often than not counterfeiters will use to sell these irons. For Ping G20 Irons, If your irons are being shipped from China or Hong Kong, the irons are most likely to be counterfeit. Do not buy from sites like this one, for golf clubs.

Physical Characteristics To Look For On The Ping G20 Iron

Grips

First off, across the board for seeing whether your club is real or counterfeit is to smell the grip of your club.The counterfeit grip will smell like rubber. In addition to the grip not being aligned with the club.

Craftsmanship

On the real Ping G20 Iron, the materials in the insert are rubber and stainless steel. For the fake club, it just has tin in the insert. Plus, the materials on the club make it cheap and hollow. In the picture below, the real G20 iron is on top and the counterfeit G20 iron is on the bottom. 

Serial Numbers

Also, the authentic club has a serial number on the ferrule, the counterfeit G20 iron does not have a serial number.

Materials

However, counterfeiters are getting smarter. Counterfeiters are copying real serial numbers and placing them on the fake clubs. But usually, the serial number on the counterfeiter is bigger and off center.  Due to the fake G20 using cheaper materials, the club will dent easier and will show signs of wear faster. Which will not happen on the real G20 iron.

Graphite Shaft

On the graphite shafts of the iron, the font and the coloring on the shaft of the counterfeit iron is subtly different. It is easier for this characteristic to have a real club next to a counterfeit. 

The real Ping G20 Iron graphite shaft is on the bottom, the fake graphite shaft is on top.

Why Is This Important To You?

This should be important to all golfers because counterfeit clubs are a big business. Despite the U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group's best efforts, counterfeit clubs are still prevalent. Golfers want the best deal for the betterment of their game. But, golfers should always do their due diligence when buying golf clubs. Buying counterfeit will affect performance. It could affect your performance by your ball going 10 yards or less than the real club. Which is crucial for any golfer no matter the skill level. 

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