What prompted me to write this post was a blog post on the “My Golf Spy” web site entitled “Are you brand washed?”. If you are thinking about buying our clubs, I highly recommend reading this article because it deconstructs the marketing hype that big brands use to give many golfers false hope.

I don’t usually like to comment on other brands or the equipment industry. I prefer to get on with the job at Lind Golf and let the big brands get on with theirs. In fact I endorse competition because it raises the bar for everyone and invokes innovation, and customers end up winning which is what is ultimately important if your goal is to succeed in business.

However, having said that, one of the emotions that Lind Golf invokes to new customers is that of the underdog, the “David” in David Vs Goliath. I mean, who do we think we are trying to compete in a multi billion dollar business dominated primarily by major brands, the top 5 of which in their own right are billion dollar businesses with significant market share. I guess the opportunity that existed for us was not one in the market, but instead, in the minds of the golfers who we seek to target with our excellent service, product, customisation and personalisation experience – and direct pricing.

Golfers have been brain washed into believing marketing hype around golf equipment. And of course this marketing works, and it will continue to work, however at the end of the day you can choose to save money or believe the hype because in reality your strokes will be dropped if you practice more and not if you buy the most expensive clubs.

Today’s golf clubs today are so similar in construction, design and performance that the slight variances which are marketed between brands are hardly noticeable to the average golfer. These technologies are tested on swing arms that are 100% consistent. Nobody’s golf swing is 100% consistent. Marketing conclusions are then drawn on these results.

The fact is whenever a brand has released a technology to increase distance (high COR/MOI and oversized drivers) or accuracy (milled wedges) the USGA and R&A have intervened my limiting these characteristics or by making them illegal, keeping the game of golf a game of skill.

So moving forward, where do I see the equipment business going? We see the technology stagnating relatively, and the performance improvements happening incrementally, not monumentally. The biggest feat in golf technology has been the transition from wood to metal wood then to large drivers, fairways and hybrids; drivers were limited at 460cc. For the time being I don’t see such monumental shifts occurring so soon (but I will never say never!). What we are doing is focusing on the buying experience and customisation – we are innovating differently, making golf equipment fun, and our customers are loving it.

Once a golfer plays their first purchase they almost ALWAYS buy again. In fact, 94% of customers who demo our clubs end up buying a set. The customisation experience and personalisation experience that we offer are unique but if we assume performance is equal, how else do you make yourself different? Yes, we are barking up a different tree but we are certain that all of our equipment performs within a range of +/- 5% of any other brand on the market. We’ll give you your money back if you think otherwise.

So what’s the bottom line? – seek value, get some lessons and practice more.