Launched in 2021, the first generation of 500 clubs was a success. But we must never rest on our laurels, and that's why we've already been working for several months on the second-generation 500 clubs.
The 500 irons are already well advanced. Now it's on to the driver and 500 woods. The team spent two weeks at our various production sites in China to work on the subject. A long-awaited moment after three years of strict zero covid policy during which the country's borders were closed.
- 14 days on site
- 22,000 km travelled
- 14 suppliers visited
- 90 people met
When the team arrives on site, they have a clear idea of what they want to do in terms of design. However, there are a thousand ways of industrializing the club, and this has a huge impact on the final result. Two visually identical driver heads can have significant differences in performance due to manufacturing choices. For the same head shape, use aluminum, steel or titanium and you'll have the impression of having 3 different clubs. The thicknesses of the face, sole and crown can be adjusted at any point, in order to influence weight distribution and performance when it comes to the face. A driver head can be made up of one, two, three or four parts, each solution having its advantages and disadvantages.
The team returns from its trip to China with some excellent news. The technical progress made by our production partners has enabled us to take a big step forward in the design of the Driver 500 V2 and return to our design center at Inesis Golf Park to finalize the last details.
Around 75% of the world's golf club production comes from China. It's a small world. All the world's major brands have their clubs manufactured there. And it's amusing to see that, on the production lines of local factories, products that are engaged in a fierce marketing war with each other can be found side by side. And what we can tell you is that Inesis clubs are manufactured in the same production units as the market leaders. No more, no less. And it's by working directly with these players that we're able to achieve the same quality as the others, at a more accessible price for golfers.
Decathlon est bien implanté en Chine avec un réseau d'environ 200 magasins mais aussi plusieurs centaines de collaborateurs basés dans des bureaux de production à travers le pays. Binny et Paul, deux anciens de Callaway et Titleist sont depuis 5 ans nos ingénieurs production sur place. Leur rôle est central quand il s'agit de faire le relai entre les équipes d'Inesis et les usines chinoises.
To manufacture a golf club, there are more than 200 steps involved. A very large number of operations, which can be explained by the variety of processes used and the high level of quality and finish we aim to achieve on our products. It's also worth noting that not everything is done in the same place. Each supplier specializes in a particular process: metal forging or casting, machining, surface treatments and so on. Definitely a complex process!
From our trip to China, we brought back this video illustrating the main stages in the manufacture of a golf club, in this case 100 clubs. Enjoy!
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