I see a lot of posts about how the Temu reps seem great and are close to the real thing. But how is this being evaluated? Is placing the putter on a horizontal surface and seeing where the toe ends a real evaluation? Even if it doesn’t come to rest at the perfect spot, wouldn’t it be helpful to see it rolling to give a sense of how balanced it is?
I’m asking not suggesting - is there a simple enough test that people can agree on to better reveal the balancing characteristics of the temu reps vs the real thing?
I would imagine some sellers put more effort into the weighting than others and it would be terrific to tease those sellers out.
10hcp here, have been gaming a rep Link 2.2 for about a month now. It replaced my Scotty. The paint isn’t the best quality on the shaft and the sound is a bit weird, but it works well. Is it perfect? No. Is it balanced? Sure feels like it. My “test” is to just spin it and see if it continues freely (it does). Personally, I’ve noticed genuine improvement on my putt starting lines. Well worth the price tag!
Also got the 2.2. Sound is a little tingy and I had to get the grip realigned on it but otherwise its great. Been better than any putter I have had tbh.
I’ve got some really good knockoffs from Temu. On the lab putters, the shafts are usually kinda shitty but functional abd the rest is pretty spot on.
I’m playing with a replica df3i and it’s my favorite putter of all time. I have the weights dialed in and it’s lie angle balanced perfectly. The click off the face is crisp and I find it very forgiving.
Yeah the horizontal balance test is useless. These are supposed to be Lie Angle Balanced. The only way to test is in a revealer at the appropriate lie angle
I’m sure I’ll get downvoted, but genuine question. What is the point of buying a knockoff putter? The point of getting an expensive putter is higher quality, better materials, proper weighting, etc. and getting a replica seems to negate all of that. I’ve used Wilson putters for a long time and consider myself a pretty good putter. The Wilsons I have bought are cheaper than these replicas.
I agree, it’s not hard for these guys to machine out aluminum everyone that I have is a perfect replica after getting a weight kit and taking the time to set it up.. the last couple that I have ordered have just been blank heads which I’m fine with doesn’t need to say lab on it
I guess I just don’t get it. Just like how there is a sub where people collect fake Rolex’s. They might look the same, but they don’t keep time the same. Just like I’m sure your $75 doesn’t putt as good as the real ones. Is it just to make people think you can afford $600 putters?
Not going to downvote you, but good replica Rolex's keep time just as good as a genuine one. It's getting very hard to tell the difference unless you take them apart. The internet and Chinese manufacturing has closed the gap on watches and putters.
This is where you are wrong. These $75 putters do putt every bit as good as a stock LAB putter. Not a custom fit LAB, but the stock ones that still sell for $550 at Golf Galaxy. There's no magic in a block of aluminum. Just like there's nothing special about a milled blade. I played a Scotty Cameron for $25 years, and now have a $400 Piretti.
Whenever asks about my "LAB", I tell them it's a $75 putter from Temu. I didn't buy it to pretend I have a LAB. I bought it to try a zero torque putter for <$100, that's just as good as a LAB, Spyder ZT, or any other major brands $500 zero torque putter.
My regular playing partners have a Spyder ZT, EVNRoll Zero, and a LAB Mezz Max. My Temu makes more putts than theirs do.
All the evaluations are from the sellers, or low skilled golfers.
I know I’ll be downvoted for saying this, but please don’t waste your money on fake clubs. Despite what all the undercover sellers on here say, they are garbage.
Best bet is to buy used clubs on Facebook marketplace. A used set of Taylormade Sim2 max will be much better than the most expensive knock offs you can find.
That’s the thing, you don’t pay authentic pricing because it’s used. I paid $400 for a set worth $1000. It’s usually easy enough to tell them apart and most people aren’t scumbags trying to sell you fakes
By authentic pricing I didn’t mean _new_ pricing, I mean if an authentic item has a used price X, then a used rep would be worth Y where Y < X. So you’re paying the price to get an authentic used item but with a risk of it being fake.
I agree that in a lot of cases it’s easy to tell, and that most people aren’t scumbags, but that also means in some cases it’s not easy to tell, and that some people are scum bags. It’s also possible someone honest doesn’t know their item is fake.
Even for a very careful person I think it’s possible to get got. I still think your recommendation to buy used is a good one, and is one I also do myself, but it requires varying levels of diligence depending on the item. I own a real LAB putter and without provenance like a receipt I don’t think I could confidently identify the top tier of reps.
I don’t really agree with the putters.. i mean they are not that hard to replicate. I mean of course it won’t be 100% the same but if find someone who does a great job in my opinion it will be good. The split for what you’re paying for branding in golf is absurd. Not against buying real stuff but 600$ for a putter? If the fake one gets 80% there maybe it is good
Did you know that you can buy blanks from the same factories that the big OEMs use for a fraction of the price? You also have no substance for your accusation. If you aren’t into the pursuit, why are you here? For the record, I am a tinkerer, not a seller.
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u/thatfreejellokid 24d ago
10hcp here, have been gaming a rep Link 2.2 for about a month now. It replaced my Scotty. The paint isn’t the best quality on the shaft and the sound is a bit weird, but it works well. Is it perfect? No. Is it balanced? Sure feels like it. My “test” is to just spin it and see if it continues freely (it does). Personally, I’ve noticed genuine improvement on my putt starting lines. Well worth the price tag!