Attack of the Clones
Popular Style, Look-alikes, Knock-offs and Counterfeits.

In the golf world, at least, clones are what they used to be literally. Originally, the term "Clone" was used to describe only a true clone – or a club that directly mimicked more famous clubs. They would copy just about every aspect of the original club including: names, graphics design, lettering style, shape, markings color, and score line patterns. Most of these clubs originated in the Far East where they really feel that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Benchmarking is taken to an entirely different level in many of these countries.
As of late the term "Clone" has bee used to encompass many types of clubs that borrow or imitate other more famous clubs. Not all clones are created equal though so to help end the confusion, we here at USGolfer.net will do our part to distinguish between copy and crapy.
In today’s golf market there are mainly four types of clones and they are as follows:

Popular Style Clubs

Look-alikes

Knock-offs

Counterfeits

We will work our way through each category and explain what they mean and how to tell the difference between a knock-off and a look-alike.
Types of Clones:

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Popular Style Clubs - "Inspired by..."

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These clubs are not really clones. They are often "Inspired by" other famous clubs and are based mainly on those club’s successful designs. These clubs try to stand out from their famous counterparts by establishing their own identity on the clubs. These manufactures use the same high quality components that are used by the "inspiring" companies.

The Peerless Legend (left) is based upon the Callaway Big Bertha (right). These clubs look very different and would never be confused for each other. Still this Popular style club is a high quality head.
In some instances these Popular style clubs can become more successful that the clubs that inspired them. That is the Case with the Scotty Cameron Putter. This putter was originally inspired by the older Ping putters Scotty Cameron created such a high valued successful club that many other companies including Ping are basing their new putter designs on the Cameron putters rather than the original Ping putters that inspired them.

Look-alikes Designs - "Similar To..."
A look-alike is slightly different than a Popular-Style club. It is designed to remind the buyer of the particular famous club that inspired it. However, they don’t try to rip off the identities of the originals. They have their own identity clearly marked on the club. A buyer will definitely be reminded of the original club when looking at it, but will also clearly see that this club comes from another manufacturer. They still use the same quality manufacturing processes as the original club and are generally a good club.



The Dynacraft Hypersteel (left) is a Look-alike to the Kasco K2K (right). The Dynacraft has copied many of the design aspects of the Kasco, but is still obviously a different company than Kasco.

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Knock-offs and Copycats - "Just Like the..."

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If a company crosses over to mimicking the entire identity of another club, their "Look-alike" clubs become Knock-offs. These knock-offs copy and mimic logos, colors, and lettering styles. A Phony, copycat names are used like AR45 instead of Armour 845, which can be seen below. These clubs leave no clear sign of the manufacturers who produced the club. Every effort is made to make the consumer think they are buying a more popular brand club, or at least one that will match until close inspection.

The club on the right AR45 is a clear knock-off of the Tommy Armour 845s (left). No manufacture name is present and had the sole construction been made more similar, it would have become illegal. In this case the club may look like the original but is sure as hell won’t play like it.
Sellers often claim that their clubs have the same playing ability as the original. This is generally not true. They rarely meet the same high quality standards that made their predecessors popular. The similarity to the original club is purely cosmetic. In most cases a picture of the real club would be worth more than one of these knock-offs. If they did make the clubs like the clubs that inspired them they wouldn’t be knock-offs any more. They would move into the final Clone category, the illegal Counterfeit club.
Counterfeits and other illegal imitations

This is how a Counterfeiter works. A cheap manufacturer changes one or two tiny aspects of a club and then uses those tiny changes to forestall legal actions long enough so that they may cash in on the famous club’s popularity. Callaway Golf and others has been forced to wage a relentless war upon such sleazy manufacturers. These clubs are illegal! Don’t let me catch you playing with them!


Hopefully this clears up the whole cloning question that has been raging as of late. Well at least the golf cloning questions should be cleared up. I’m not a genetic scientist so for more information on actual cloning, try you’re local university, CNN, or watch Star Wars- Episode II "Attack of the Clones" opening May 16 in a theatre near you!

Till next month,
Keep your head down, your spirits up, and your stem cells in a safe place lest someone clone you!