V Krishnaswamy: Fakes on the course
SIMPLY GOLF
| Inevitably, the huge amounts of dollars thrown at R&D on equipment like clubs and balls often drives up the prices at your local golf pro shop. And high prices inevitably, create a demand for fake or counterfeit equipment. |
| One of the biggest manufacturing hubs of these counterfeits is China and South-East Asia. As golf becomes a big industry in China, there have been scandals about land deals "" selling of farmland for golf courses "" and other shady deals. |
| Alongside, there is a growing industry manufacturing counterfeit golf equipment, ranging from clubs, to balls, gloves and other accessories. Illegally made equipment carry prominent global brand names like Callaway (Odyssey and Ben Hogan), Nike Golf, TaylorMade-Adidas, Cleveland, Ping, Acushnet (Titleist and Cobra), among others. |
| The Chinese government has been hoping that golf courses and golf industry will result in more tourism with an increase in number of high-end designer courses in major cities in China. |
| Of late they have been flooded by complaints from American manufacturers, about Chinese counterfeits hitting the market in various countries. These counterfeits are smuggled into other countries and sold at a much lower price than the genuine stuff. |
| Recently, a Chinese enforcement agency conducted raids at different manufacturing locations in Jiangmen, Putian and Xiamen in mainland China. |
| The seizures included moulds, which means that at least for sometime, the capacity to manufacture duplicates will be reduced. The most recent raids yielded 'fakes' worth more than a million dollars. Similar raids are expected in some other South East Asian countries as well. |
| Globally, the biggest market for golf equipment manufacturers do not comprise of top pros, but the lower rung amateurs. Top pros get custom-fitted equipment from the manufacturers. |
| Most equipment manufacturers send their representatives to take care of the needs of the pros. And, pros are often paid to try out new stuff and then, of course, there are sponsorships. It is the amateurs and new golfers, who are tempted by the 'fakes'. |
| In Delhi, golf shops, by and large, sell genuine equipment. But the problem arises when the imports are from China or Taiwan. |
| Chances of 'fakes' sneaking in are high because even many of the retailers are not equipped to spot the difference between genuine and the fake. In turn, unsuspecting customers end up buying fakes. |
| For the time being, the scale of the problem is quite low in India, but golf bodies like the Indian Golf Union, the Professional Golfers Association of India, coaches and professionals would do well by coming together on a common platform and ensure that the problem is stopped in its tracks. |