Fake BooYaa? You will know and so will everybody else

Ruan Lotz, Group Chief Product Officer at BooYaa Golf.

If you have seen a cheap BooYaa cap at a market, you already know it is not the real thing.

As the brand has grown across South Africa and internationally, counterfeit BooYaa products have started appearing in low-cost outlets and informal markets. It is not unusual. It is what happens when a brand starts getting noticed. But it does come with consequences.

“We started noticing counterfeit products entering the market around a year ago. At first, I was angry,” says Ruan Lotz, Group Chief Product Officer at BooYaa Golf. “We are very protective of the brand. But if you step back, it is also a compliment. It means people want to wear BooYaa.”

The reality, however, is that not everything with a BooYaa logo tells the same story. Counterfeit products do not just copy a name. They distort it.

“The brand is not represented in its true form,” Lotz explains. “Luckily, the fakes we have seen are easy to spot. The quality is nowhere near what we produce.”

Most of the counterfeit items identified so far have been sold through low-value retail environments, where price, not product, drives the purchase. And that is where the difference becomes obvious.

“From the shape of the hat to the finishing details, it stands out immediately. Our original products use custom 3D silicone badges, premium materials and structured designs. The fakes use poor materials, incorrect shapes and low-quality embroidery. You can see it straight away.”

That difference is not accidental. It is built into BooYaa's operations.

“We never outsource our standards. Our designs, specifications and quality controls are deliberate. To replicate that properly would cost far more than what these counterfeit products are selling for. That is why they cannot match it.”

For customers, the message is that if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

“If you have owned a BooYaa product before, you will know what to look for. Always refer back to our official website. Look at the packaging, the swing tags, the fit and the finish. Those details matter.”

BooYaa has also taken steps behind the scenes to protect its brand. With trademarks registered across multiple regions, the company is working with legal partners and authorities to address counterfeit activity both locally and internationally.

“Actions are being taken but not everything can be disclosed,” Lotz says. “What matters is that we are dealing with it.”

Still, no amount of enforcement can fully eliminate counterfeit goods. The global reality is that fakes exist across every major brand category.

“You cannot stop people from buying fake products. They are everywhere. But people should ask themselves what they are actually buying.”

For BooYaa, the focus remains on what made the brand successful in the first place: quality, detail and authenticity.

The company continues to offer regular promotions and seasonal releases through its official channels, giving customers access to genuine products without compromising on standards.

“We run our own specials. If you are looking for value, buy from the source. That way, you know exactly what you are getting.”

Because in the end, the difference is not just in the logo. It is in how it looks, how it feels and what it represents. If you back the brand, back the real thing.