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Clone Drivers
What does fellow members think about clone drivers, after the problems I had with my R7 Draw driver regarding distance I have ordered the Acer power play system Q square driver its a clone of the R7 quad with delivery to Spain from the UK it was only 106 euros. so I will keep you guys updated on the progress I make with this club ( or not ).
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Re: Clone Drivers
Problem if you want to play tournaments, since you have very little guarantee that the driver conforms to regulations. -
Re: Clone Drivers
Yes and No. I understand why instinctively you might you might feel safer with a big name OEM but if the Q Series driver is new - and being square its likely to be - then there's not a lot of commercial benefit to it being non-conforming so you should be safe.Originally posted by Mox View Post
In any case both the USGA and RANDA publish lists of non-conforming clubs; the PowerPlay is made by Hireko, so you can easily go and check.
As for quality I know it can be variable with clones but a good mate have mine has an old Power Play 3000 (based on an earlier Taylormade) which he loves and it smacks the ball a mile - luckily for me not always in the right direction.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.
You may not be able to get it to fit to you, but you can certainly smack balls around with it.
I'll repair them, but I won't build them.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
To be fair though Ben, you stand as much chance of getting clubs that fit from Pinemeadow or Acer as you do with a big name bought off the rack from Mega Golf Discount or Ebay.Originally posted by LowPost42 View Post
Only two arguments against clones that I can see:
One the possible ipr violations implicit in the process but given the big boys prices my heart doesn't really bleed for them - remember we are talking "honest imititation" here not counterfeiting
Two the quality issues and here I think there is a point; not so much with manufacturing tolerances (I don't the big boys are that hot) but with the alloys etc used by some cloners. Again the better cloners are pretty reputable businesses who probably use the same Chinese foundries anyway.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
At least with the big names, you can bend them and work with them a little without a gigantic fear of breaking them.
As you say, the clone clubs do not have near the quality control that OEM and OED's do - from the alloy mix to the castings to the painting.
The big boys and OEDs (Wishon, SMT, etc) have the same quality controls and tolerances in place. The big difference is that with OEMs, you pay big money to buy them off the rack, then pay your clubmaker to bend them into spec (because they most assuredly are NOT in spec off the rack). With OEDs, they're built to you and delivered in spec right from the get go - at 1/2 to 3/4 the cost of the OEMs.
It's a simple equation to me.
And as far as foundries go, there are only 5 foundries in China producing ALL clubheads (save the few Pings made in the USA). By all, I mean OEM, OED and clone heads.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
Mox the company I bought this club from say its legal for 2008 www.golfcraft.co.uk there website gives some interesting reading.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
No matter what - it is not on the R&A conforming driver heads list.
According to R&A:
However, there is a Power Play System Q² driver from Hireko Golf that looks very much like the driver in question, so there probably is no problems with this one.Any post-1998 drivers which do not appear on either of these Lists should not automatically be assumed to be either conforming or non-conforming without further investigation by the player. Such drivers may not have been submitted to The R&A or the USGA for a ruling or they may have been ruled non-conforming for another reason. In the event of any doubt over the conformance status of a club not included on either of these Lists, please contact the manufacturers of the club or The R&A.
It IS something that should be taken into consideration when you buy clone drivers. You might end up playing somebody that could protest you, and end up in a right mess if you're not CERTAIN of your driver's compliance.
Yours:
http://www.golfcraft.co.uk/nss-folde...00_squareQ.jpg
Hireko Golf Power Play System Q²
http://www.usga.org/equipment/images...s/20070905.JPGComment
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Re: Clone Drivers
Wow - something for everybody, but they make SnakeEyes sound like clone junk.Originally posted by grumpyespana View Post
Interesting how they list the Integra iDrive as a Titleist 907 clone... it was out before the Titleist!!Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
DOH!Originally posted by bdbl View Post
You had already answered. LOL
Re: your friend. Notice that there are also Non-Conforming Power Play driver heads!Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
Here is a photo of my club.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
I suspect his driver IS Non-Conforming but since we don't enter comps and any distance advantage he gets is mainly in the direction of the trees I'm not too bothered.Originally posted by Mox View Post
Seriously though I pretty much agree with Ben on the benefits of getting fitted with decent components by someone who knows what they are doing, BUT if that's not a valid option then a reputable clone is not the end of the world.
Come to think about it my mates PowerPlay 3000 was custom built by a UK club fitter using clone components - ironically though not for my friend who got given it by the original owner who it didn't suit
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Re: Clone Drivers
I can't imagine a better way to get a club that fits you perfectly.Originally posted by bdbl View PostCome to think about it my mates PowerPlay 3000 was custom built by a UK club fitter using clone components - ironically though not for my friend who got given it by the original owner who it didn't suit
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Re: Clone Drivers
Some years back I purchased my first titanium driver when I was working in the USA, it was an ACER XL made by Pinemeadow and was a great club, good materials well made with nice performance. I gave it to a mate who played it successfully until recently when it became illegal due to it's high COR rating.Comment
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Re: Clone Drivers
Had the Acer driver for over a week now but was not happy with the shaft and grip, just hitting the ball the same distance as my R7 Draw driver so had a word with Ed my local club maker and asked him to put my old shaft from my plus ten driver ( illegal head ) to see if this will help me. getting it back today so will keep you in the picture on how things pan out. Maybe I need a senior shaft cheers all.Comment
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