Anxiety blossomed in my chest as I checked my new TaylorMade club’s serial number. I knew the club was a counterfeit. The signs were obvious.
The serial number, combined with a few telltale signs, exposed the fantastic-looking Sim2 Max D Driver for the fraud I suspected it was. Even if your club isn’t fake, you can check and register TaylorMade serial numbers by contacting the club maker directly. TM will confirm product details and compare the serial numbers to their records.
Let’s Locate The Serial Number First
We can’t check the serial number if we don’t find it, so grab your TaylorMade and get a pair of spectacles.
Follow the shaft downwards to the business end, where it connects with the club head. The section of the club head which connects to the shaft is called a hosel.
For Drivers, Rescue Clubs, and Fairways
Look behind the hosel, where the club head joins the shaft. TaylorMade etches the serial number here for their drivers, fairways, and rescue clubs.
For Iron Sets
For the TM Irons, the serial number will be on the 5-iron, or if you have the latest set, you might find it on the 7-iron instead.
For Wedges And Putters
For whatever reason, TaylorMade decided that wedges and putters were not worthy of any kind of serial numbers. I imagine this makes it tricky to track the clubs within the company while giving counterfeiters one less security feature to worry about.
Why Is Checking The Serial Number Important?
If serial numbers were overlooked, the world would be full of a lot more counterfeit products. Tracking those products would also be a nightmare for companies.
Checking your serial number can give you the option to register your clubs, for insurance purposes. You might be able to deduce whether or not your TaylorMade clubs are fake, just by examining the serial number.
How To Check Your TaylorMade Serial Number
Find your serial number first, you can check the first section of this article to find out how.
Register Your TaylorMade Golf Club
Confirming Your TaylorMade Golf Club Is Authentic
While it’s not a 100% tried and true method, there are some ways to use your serial number to certify legitimacy.
Support staff at Taylormade told me that “the first thing that is copied is the serial number.” Comforting, I know.
Take your club somewhere well-lit, and find your serial number. We are going to look at a few different indicators.
Etching Quality
Compare your serial number to an authentic serial number, here’s an image of one. At TaylorMade, the engraving process is done using a laser, and the workmanship is high quality.
The digits should be smooth to the touch, they should also not be skewed in any way.
Font Size
It’s not easy to do a comparison from home, but take a look at these photos here and here.
Notice how the serial number has a very uniform thickness, it’s narrow but consistent. The height and width of each character are also consistent.
The contrast is perfectly shown here in a side-by-side comparison.
So first check for consistency, do all of the characters look the same? Is the font blurred, smudged, or incomplete? TaylorMade etches these serial numbers in a precise factory environment. Counterfeiters don’t have the same production standards, thus abnormalities can always be spotted on their products after a little inspection.
Amount Of Digits
This varies from club to club, TaylorMade serial numbers change depending on year and model. Some have no serial number at all, such as the wedges and putters.
Confirm the amount you should have by registering your clubs or contacting TM product support.
Examine The Club
The serial number is just one way to identify authenticity, your club will tell you about its origins in a multitude of other ways.
Look up a photo of your club for comparison, ideally from a legitimate TaylorMade dealer. Those of you who are familiar with the game Spot The Difference will excel here.
The TaylorMade logo is always a good indicator, examine the thickness, spacing, size, and color fastidiously.
Look At The Grip
Font and consistency are important here too. Compare your grip to the authentic grip in your chosen photograph.
Does the design match exactly? Check how many lines encircle the top and bottom, ensure all colors are correctly located, and thoroughly inspect the TaylorMade logo.
How thick is the grip? It’s hard to compare sizes to a photograph, but measurements will help you overcome that. Check the length and diameter, then compare.
Inspect The Club Head
Fake TaylorMade clubs hit the market with wildly varying levels of quality. There are indeed “good” fakes and bad fakes.
The better-produced fakes will be trickier to tell apart from the real TaylorMades. You’ll have to take your Spot The Difference skills to new heights.
Take a gander at the logo and club name, and make a mental note of any differences you see.
Does the graphic take up the wrong amount of space? Even the most minuscule detail can be a giveaway, like the thickness of an outline, or gloss where there should be a matte finish.
Check The Adjustable Weights
Fake TaylorMade clubs with adjustable weights sometimes can’t be adjusted at all!
I’ve seen a few Sim2 clubs with weights that had no function at all, simply there for first impressions. This is a gargantuan red flag.
Create A Post On The TaylorMade Forums Or Reddit
The TaylorMade Reddit family is passionate and inviting. Several of my problems have been solved by another TM owner behind a keyboard, thousands of putts away.
Give detailed information so that knowledgeable users can easily help you out. Include photos or video if you can, and I’m sure you’ll get helpful replies the same day you post.
Take The TaylorMade Club In To A Dealer
If you’re the type of golfer who doesn’t like waiting around, head on down to any reputable golf shop. Find an authorized TaylorMade location here.
Once you’re in-store, swing over to the clubs and find a model identical to yours. Your TM club should match the store’s in every way, if you see multiple discrepancies, that’s a major concern.
If there’s one thing I know about golfers, and golf shop staff, it’s that they usually love talking about the sport. If you tell a staff member that you are concerned about the legitimacy of your TaylorMade club, you’ll turn them into a golf detective on the spot. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their opinion, they’ll be happy to give it to you.
The Sad Truth About TaylorMade Serial Numbers
The little laser-etched numbers look snazzy, but how helpful are they?
Regrettably, these serial numbers do almost nothing to assure us we’ve bought a real TaylorMade product. A counterfeiter can stroll into a store, copy down a slew of serial numbers, and slap them onto his less-than-legit clubs. The numbers and digits can only show authenticity through their quality and proportions.
Hopefully, the TM clubs of the future have unique serial numbers, so that customers can instantly verify their products.
The 18th Hole
Now you know where the serial numbers are, and which TaylorMade clubs have serial numbers.
Check all of your serial numbers, especially if you have been buying clubs from places like eBay or Amazon. You must know if you’re swinging the real thing, or carting around with a counterfeit. Putt your concerns aside, register, and examine all of your serial numbers. If you choose to sell your TM clubs, you’ve got useful info for the new owners.
If you’re curious about equipment to match up with your TaylorMades, we’ve got a great piece here on golf gloves, or golf shoes. Get out there and hit the driving range, or the course if you’re willing to shell out a little more green. Good luck and stay out of the bunkers!
