Well known branded golf clubs such as TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping can be extremely costly. Despite their high price point they typically perform well and are highly rated by a wide range of golfers. But these golf clubs are often out of question for the average golfer on a budget.
This is where clone golf clubs or knock off brands are perfect as they are meant to have the same functionality and aesthetics as the top performing clubs but at a significantly lower price point.
Clone club manufacturers are able to keep their golf clubs at the lower price point by using lower quality materials that aim to still provide a similar level of performance, usability, and durability.
My Top 5 Favorite Clone Golf Clubs
- MAZEL Single Length Golf Club Irons Set
- Pinemeadow Excel EGI Hybrid Set
- LAZRUS Premium Golf Irons
- PFT X9 High Moi Extreme 9 Iron Set
- iDrive Hybrids Senior Complete Full Set
What is a Clone Golf Club?
Clone golf club’s are produced to look like popular well loved golfing brands but at a much lower price point. They are usually able to do this by using different technology and materials when manufacturing the products.
Another way they are able to pass on the lower price is by keeping other costs down such as having a limited marketing budget or manufacturing overseas.
What’s The Difference Between Knock-Off Golf Clubs And Branded Clubs?
To a beginner golfer the main difference you’ll notice is the feel however with you just getting into the sport this shouldn’t put you off as it’s something you’ll hardly notice.
Whereas for a well experienced golfer you’ll spot the knock off clubs do not feel the same as Cobra, Callaway or TaylorMade. The biggest difference you will come across is the feel such as noticing a little more vibration on impact or slightly lower in quality.
MAZEL Single Length Golf Club Irons Set
Best Overall Off Brand Golf Clubs
In my opinion MAZEL single length golf clubs are the best clone golf clubs currently on the market. They are easily comparable to Cobra’s single length golf irons which remove the uncertainty of having to adapt or widen your golf stance for each iron, making it easier to have a consistent performance on the green.
Both myself and my boyfriend have tested out MAZEL’s single length golf irons and can confirm despite the height difference they are suited to both male and female golfers. As a less experienced golfer I personally found it easier to consistently and accurately hit the different irons as my setup and stance was identical despite the club differing.
Even though the clubs are quite long (similar length to a 7 iron) I found the graphite shafts helped to maintain the feeling of control through each swing, so I never had the feeling of the clubs being too long.
Overall I found this set highly versatile with clubs being available from the 4 iron down to the sand wedge with large sweet spots, making these irons very forgiving, increasing my levels of accuracy and straightness. So, if you’re looking for a slightly cheaper golf club set, MAZEL’s single length golf irons are the way to go.
Pros
- Perfect for beginners as they simplify the different shots.
- Very forgiving because of their large sweet spot.
- Easy to maintain control through your swing, improving hit accuracy.
- Reasonable price point making golf more accessible for all.
Cons
- The feel and quality of the clubs feels lower compared to the Cobra.
Pinemeadow Excel EGI Hybrid Set
Pinemeadow has been leading the way for clone golf clubs, having produced affordable beginner clubs for over 35 years and they now manufacture a full range of irons, woods and wedges.
With Pinemeadow mainly creating knock-off golf clubs for beginners their Excel EGI hybrid set is designed with a large clubface and sweet spot helping to support golfers who are in need of a more forgiving set to achieve better accuracy.
Despite the clubhead size this hybrid set’s weight is perfectly distributed with a graphite shaft helping you to hit the golf ball higher over a longer distance with greater levels of spin.
One of the reasons I like this clone set is because you get great value for your money as you can expect a full 8 piece set consisting of 460cc driver, 3-wood, hybrid and 5-pw irons with headcovers included. Meaning no matter how far away you are from the green you’ll always have a variety of clubs to choose from depending on your shot.
Pros
- Large clubhead and sweetspot making it easy to hit an accurate shot.
- Comes as standard with a complete 8 piece set.
- Ideal for beginners or high handicappers are they are very forgiving.
- Perfectly balanced club weight helping the ball go higher and longer.
Cons
- The set does not include a putter for the green.
LAZRUS Premium Golf Irons
One thing you’ll notice with none-branded golf clubs is that they take inspiration from well established and popular brands. In case of LAZRUS’s golf clubs you might notice some similarities between these and Callaway. Yet are a fraction of the cost.
A key selling point for choosing LAZRUS premium golf irons is that there is a wide range of customisations available to make it perfect for you. For example it’s really easy to swap the shaft if you’re wanting a slightly shorter length.
If you’ve tried the Pinemeadow Excel EGI Hybrid set but was disappointed by the shot consistency then LAZRUS premium golf irons could be perfect for you. In my opinion they are generally pretty easy to hit, including the driver, have a similar look, feel and build quality to the best rated golf clubs.
So, if you are looking for irons similar to Callaway but at a lower price point you should strongly consider these. LAZRUS premium golf irons are perfect for fair weather golfers who don’t want to heavily invest but want to still perform well during a round.
Pros
- Easy to hit high launching shots.
- Ideal for mid to high handicappers as they are very forgiving.
- Choice of left and right club direction.
- Easy to tailor to your style with lots of different variants on offer.
Cons
- Despite being produced in the same factory as popular brands these irons vibrate more on impact.
PFT X9 High Moi Extreme 9 Iron Set
Similar to LAZRUS premium golf irons, the PFT X9 clone club has taken a large amount of inspiration from Callaway’s X series irons, so they have been designed with a similar look to capture the high launch and ball speed.
This knock-off iron set was created to help golfers with a slower swing generate more speed to help them have greater levels of success. So when testing the PFT X9 high moi extreme 9 iron set I noticed a spring-like feeling of the ball jumping off the clubface after impact helping me to achieve more height and speed on the ball.
Considering this set is a clone the level of detail put into the design and quality is very impressive from the cavity back to the wider sole they have definitely been produced to help beginner golfers get more out of their swing.
Pros
- For clone clubs this iron set looks very good on a golf course.
- Designed for launch and ball speed.
- Ideal for golfers who have a slower swing.
- Manufactured using reasonable high quality materials.
Cons
- Grips might need replacing if they feel too skinny.
iDrive Hybrids Senior Iron Set
This clone iron set has been created to give golfers a club that they can pick up and instantly use with ease and therefore they are best suited to a senior golfer with a slower swing.
The iDrive hybrid senior iron set can be best compared to the Cobra king tec but just for a fraction of the cost. When testing these sets out the only thing that overly differed was the feel when you hit a great shot, however if you’re a high handicapper this shouldn’t deter you from considering this knock off.
Although I’m not a senior golfer I personally found these irons helped me generate more speed in my golf swing all while maintaining my shot accuracy helping me to hit further along the fairway after my drive.
Overall the iDrive’s hybrid senior clone iron set is a strong contender if you’re after a set that looks stylish yet doesn’t require you taking out a second mortgage to purchase them. The set consists of three hybrids and irons all the way down to pitching wedge.
Pros
- Exceptional price point for a good clone set.
- Super lightweight irons making it easier to generate momentum in your swing.
- Suitable for beginner and senior players.
Cons
- It’ll take a bit of time for you to adapt to hitting these short iron hybrids.
Conclusion: Are Knock Off Golf Clubs Worth It?
If you’re a beginner or an infrequent mid-high handicap golfer, off brand golf clubs could absolutely be worth it for you, it’s just a case of finding the right clone golf irons for you.
Like with any golf club it takes a bit of time to find one that really suits you so I’d recommend you complete as much research as possible as the chances are you won’t have heard of the clone golf brands.
Whereas if you are a low handicapper, you might find that clone golf clubs don’t have the quality performance you’re looking for and therefore the additional investment might be necessary.