Are we shortchanged?

RE: Are we shortchanged?

jaymay82 — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:11:17 GMT

The Japan market is definitely different than the US market. For instance, most consumers there don't even bother shopping for irons that are not forged. Guess that's why they get to have the vokey forged line. Still hoping that one day it will be available as a standard in the US. Rakuten is a good place to shop for JDM Titleist stuff. Especially since the US dollar is stronger than Japanese Yen right now.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

John C — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 03:42:08 GMT

Went to Tokyo in august and wow do they love golf! Great culture and I would love to have played there but very expensive and didn't have the time (there for work). A few people in the office I went to had Titleist lanyards (which I have been dying for if you haven't seen my other posts). Not sure if they were genuine but didn't see a lot a grey market stuff while I was there. China on the other hand... they would put a Titleist logo on anything if they thought it would make you buy.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

Stove_N — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 23:56:13 GMT

I feel ya. It quite well could be authentic. Go back to the titleist website and change the country locator. Or go to titleist.co.jp you'll find all the cool stuff in the other markets have that we don't. Chances are you won't find them stateside, but have seen some JDM stuff in koreatown in Los Angeles and also in Hawaii.
I go to Korea often, they have same stuff as Japan. I get bags, wallets, belts, small leather goods. They have awesome clothes too but unless youre slim you won't find much to fit. XL is non existent and L is like a small. Their clubs differ too, i.e. Vg3's and c16's I believe we're available there before here. 816s they had in stores 6 months before I saw them in my Roger Dunn.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

Caleb H. — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 19:35:00 GMT

I have seen all that stuff state side.. be cautious looking on eBay cause sometimes when they say Japan edition they truly mean counterfeit. If you go to the right golf shops and a lot of courses that are strictly titleist typically care all those items or at least can get them very easily. At least we could at the golf course I worked at, and the golf galaxy I worked at.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

LBazzard — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 14:15:42 GMT

I know, they have some very cool stuff over there.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

rymail00 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 04:08:26 GMT

Yes you are referring to what's called JDM equipment (Japan Domestic Market). Like all things people in different parts of the world have different tastes.

So with that being said, just about every company has US market, as well as JDM market, Titleist included. Looking at what Titleist offers on the JDM market, as far woods and hybrids it seems to be the same as US market but maybe styled more along the JDM type style, which may be perferred in that market (just my opinion, no facts to back it up). But all the irons are the exact same. Maybe some different Vokey wedges, like a slightly different forged version of a vokey wedge.

The only thing I think that the JDM gets that we don't "see" in the US market (but still can be easily ordered through JDM sites) are "caddy bags", or as we know them as staff bags. They definitely have alot of cool leather bags that have a bit more aggressive styling that I think is just killer. I wish it was offered here in the US, but even if it's not offered here it can still be found with an internet search. But as far as clubs go I'd says its all the same just with different coloring or whatever to fit the eyes of each market.

Hope this post helps!
Ryan aka, rymail00

RE: Are we shortchanged?

Dave N — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 00:12:23 GMT

Your sure it's authentic ?

RE: Are we shortchanged?

CRennie — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 23:11:18 GMT

From my perspective as a Titleist loyalist and CPGA professional, I think what you see on eBay may 1) be knock-off merchandise, and 2) be much lower quality than authentic merchandise and equipment. Although it may seem great, it is always best to ensure you reap the rewards of authentic Titleist products by ordering from a certified dealer. I can assure you that the authentic Titleist products I have are built to last and are engineered in a way that knock-off producers cannot replicate.

My Two Cents,
Chevy

RE: Are we shortchanged?

E92335 — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 22:36:22 GMT

Remember that's for the Japanese market, tastes and pocketbooks and they also don't get things we have.

Grass is always greener.

Some of the stuff marketed there wouldn't be viable, profit wise. For example, they offer cold forged Vokey wedges. I, for one, would be all over that, but I don't the general American market would plunk down that much for a wedge. Not when the normal version performs just as well.

Also their irons are segmented even further than what we have. Like offering the VG3, from what I recall, is positioned between an AP1 and AP2 - forgiveness and playability wise. I don't think that would fly with typical US Titleist client profiles. That may work for cally and their zillion offerings in the same product cycle, but it's a different target market.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

Chuck Zirkle — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 21:36:56 GMT

Buyer beware. There are a lot of knockoffs in the far east. Sometimes it is really hard to tell.

RE: Are we shortchanged?

Wade W — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 21:29:06 GMT

Try Tour Spec Golf. They sell all kinds of Titleist Japan stuff stateside.

WW