This part is very simple. Basically, with only a couple of caveats, if it is available, sell it.
Here is my reasoning. (I have never sold an obvious Knock Off) First of all, save some odd or weird shape that has been patented, there are no restrictions on shape or color or size of a head except for the USGA's rules. As tough as Callaway and Taylor Made are, the only thing they look for are Trade Dress, Logos, Names, etc., and prosecute vigorously. If you buy from a reputable dealer, you have to trust that the heads don't violate any laws or protections. If they are selling something that doesn't conform, it is not up to you to do the legal legwork. How many of us are qualified anyway. Non-conforming, by USGA standards, are another matter, and I leave that up to the customer.
The odd head, that is very obviously a Knock Off, such as a head that I recall, named King Snake, or those heads that had the same script and logo design as the Callaways, are easy pickings.
So if it doesn't reach up and slap you from being obvious, sell it.
Al
At 12:16 PM 12/17/2002, you wrote:
Hi;
It appears that the consensus about selling and ethics is pretty much in agreement as to the driving range issue. Simply selling a club out of one's bag isn't unethical, opening up a "business" at the range without the owner's permission is grossly unethical. I agree with that.
O.K. Now that we have that settled, here's another one for the ethicists on board our happy little electronic ship. Is anyone, hobbyist, cut and glue guy, professional, at all concerned over making clubs that are, if not exact duplicates of OEM stuff, close enough to be suspect? I think the most egregious example of this are the Ping Anser clones by Bettinardi and Cameron in the "big name" section of the business, and every other Chinese copy - there are dozens of brands - we all have assembled. Add to that the multiple copies of Callaway, Titleist, Cobra, TaylorMade, Mizuno, etc., and you may have an ethical dilemma.
So, has anyone sold any of that stuff and felt bad about it later? Or is it simply a matter of "I gotta make a living and besides, everyone else is doing it."
Is there anything unethical about selling that stuff?
TFlan
