This week I usually stick to Masters only golf blog posts. But this warrants a mention.
I’ve had some members sign up here and at The Golf Space, and I’ve gotten emails from people in China who sell brand name gear for really cheap. Mega cheap. I’m talking Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping and Cleveland.
I’ve forwarded their emails to my connections at some of those companies and booted those members off my sites.
I’m glad to see that three counterfeiters in Shangai have been raided are going to be prosecuted.
Full press release below:
Criminal Prosecution to Proceed Following Successful Raids of Three Counterfeit Golf Equipment Warehouses in Shanghai
Shanghai, PRC – April 9, 2009 – The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (comprised of Acushnet Company, Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Nike Golf, PING and TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company) reports that the Shanghai Changning Public Procuratorate has confirmed that criminal prosecution will proceed against the owners of the three counterfeit golf club warehouses in the Chang-ning District of Shanghai. The defendants are Shi-Feng and Shi-Chun-Ping.
The criminal case against the two defendants follows on the heels of a successful series of raids jointly conducted by the Changning Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) and the Public Security Bureau (PSB) on November 27, 2008. The raids resulted in the arrest of the defendants and the seizure of more than 4000 counterfeit golf clubs, hundreds of golf bags, shoe bags and articles of apparel and nearly 6000 golf balls. The Chinese Price Valuation Authority has valued the seized goods at more than $1 million.
This enforcement action was initiated after a complaint was filed with the AIC by the U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (the “Group”). The seized goods were illegal copies of products made by all six of the Group’s members.
The Group was formed in 2004 to petition governments to enforce their country’s laws against counterfeiters of golf equipment products. As a result of the Group’s petitioning efforts, dozens of successful raids of manufacturing, warehouse, assembly and retail facilities have been conducted by Chinese law enforcement and civil enforcement authorities over the past four years. Several business operators have been arrested and many have now been prosecuted and convicted in the Chinese courts.
The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group consists of the world’s leading golf equipment manufacturers. Its members and brands include Acushnet Company – Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra Golf; Callaway Golf – Odyssey, Top-Flite and Ben Hogan; Cleveland Golf/Srixon; Nike Golf; PING; and TaylorMade-adidas Golf and Ashworth.
For more information, please contact Rob Duncanson at (949) 589-5931.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
It is nice to know something is being done about this. I wonder how many of these counterfeit products are still out there. The Amateur Golfer should be wary of these products and know not to patronize this behavior. Thank you for sharing and doing the right thing.
Golfers of all ages are always exposed to this terrible merchandise and equipment. There are ways to steer away from them and one of them is to purchase all equipment from authorized dealers. Most authorized dealers will have a dealer number or an ID number that tracks it to the manufacturer. They should be able without hesitation to provide the costumer with their credentials.
Juan