Golf Scam?

Like everybody, I get spam in my email all the time. Normally I don't give it a second thought. Yet today, I almost fell for something. Almost.

I received the following email via golf.com

Wood or Iron? How About Both?

Get our New Warrior 20 Degree Hybrid Custom Built for you absolutely FREE*
This club usually retails for $199.99 but our R&D Department needs your feedback.
All you need to do is contact one of our club fitters at 800-600-5113
and mention code HD43 so we can make sure your specs and shipping
information is correct.
*s&h not incl. Offer available while supplies last. No purchase necessary.

I've wanted a hybrid club for some time, so I figured this was worth investigating. My first step was to google Warrier Custom Golf. Among one of the results was this, with stories of people who are out quite a sum of money due to this company. The Better Business Bureau has apparently received quite a few complains about them as well.

Now I have no further information then what I found on the web to back this up, so if the company is legit, then I take all of this back. Yet when you find several links taking you to complaints by consumers who have been scammed, it raises my antennae.

Therefore, buyer beware.

As for me, I deleted the email, but it bothered me that golf.com would be in bed with such an outfit. That's why I nearly fell for it. As consumers, we put our trust in the hands of what we feel are reputable folks. Golf.com is a product of Sports Illustrated and CNN (via their respective web sites). I understand that they have their own limited liability and what-not, but don't they value their own reputation and good name?

So once again, we have proof that if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

Incidentally, I will finally hit the links a week from Monday for the annual Greenwich High Football Tournament at The Griff in Greenwich. I'm really looking forward to it.