Question:
I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament. Do you think he will play it at Pebble? Anybody tried the Tour Accuracy? I play the Professional, what’s the difference?
Response:
As a matter of fact, I’ve tried the tour accuracy. I found the trajectory to be pretty good with out compromising spin control. A softer feel than I expected, I’ll be sticking with them- and that’s saying a lot considering that I am pretty picky about which ball I use. I can’t comment the comparison to the professional but it definitly outperfoms my Taylor Made InerGel. Tiger is drawing a lot of media attention by using the Tour Accuracy right before the big tourney. I can imagine he isn’t planning on using it there as well. I know I’ll be watching when the camera zooms in on his tee at the first hole.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament. Do you think he will play it at Pebble? Anybody tried the Tour Accuracy? I play the Professional, what’s the difference?
Response:
I can’t believe he’ll change from Titleist. They make a lot of experimental balls for the pros, and I’d have to believe Tiger would be high on their list. FWIW, in Australia the Nike ball is a non-event, I think because being a sporting goods manufacturer doesn’t automatically give you any advantage versus the traditional ball mfrs. Same comment goes for the Cobra - their Dista ball bombed out here, and is on special with a lot of the capital city retailers. It might also be of interest to everyone to know that Greg Norman recently purchased outright the Australian Cobra operation, and coincidentally an announcement came shortly after that Titelist and Cobra would now be distributed by the Greg Norman business – what a coup! Dunlop
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As a matter of fact, I’ve tried the tour accuracy. I found the trajectory to be pretty good with out compromising spin control. A softer feel than I expected, I’ll be sticking with them- and that’s saying a lot considering that I am pretty picky about which ball I use. I can’t comment the comparison to the professional but it definitly outperfoms my Taylor Made InerGel. Tiger is drawing a lot of media attention by using the Tour Accuracy right before the big tourney. I can imagine he isn’t planning on using it there as well. I know I’ll be watching when the camera zooms in on his tee at the first hole. I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament. Do you think he will play it at Pebble? Anybody tried the Tour Accuracy? I play the Professional, what’s the difference?
Response:
I can’t believe he’ll change from Titleist. They make a lot of experimental balls for the pros, and I’d have to believe Tiger would be high on their list.
I wonder if this is true? Does the PGA not have a conforming ball rule like you see in most USGA tournaments?
Response:
I wonder if this is true? Does the PGA not have a conforming ball rule like you see in most USGA tournaments?
A few years ago Greg Norman was DQ’ed from a tournament for using a then non-yet-approved Maxfli ball. I do not remember if that was a PGA or a USGA sanction. The ball met specifications (if my memory serves me untypically well) but had not been through the approval process. At least I think that is how it went. ps – Was it the Hartford Open maybe? I dunno. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm
Response:
In the Norman case the ball had been incorrctly labled. I think the letters were reversed, it was supposed to be something like "HX", but was labled "XH". Maxfli contacted Norman when the typo was discovered and Norman reported the infraction to the tournament officials. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few years ago Greg Norman was DQ’ed from a tournament for using a then non-yet-approved Maxfli ball. I do not remember if that was a PGA or a USGA sanction. The ball met specifications (if my memory serves me untypically well) but had not been through the approval process. At least I think that is how it went. ps – Was it the Hartford Open maybe? I dunno. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm
– Dan Driscoll Current USGA Handicap Index – 16.9 RSG Roll Call http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/driscolld.htm Keep Usenet Clean, Trash a Spammer!
Response:
I thought I remembered something like that…that is why I questioned the original post about pros using special experimental balls made especially for them.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In the Norman case the ball had been incorrctly labled. I think the letters were reversed, it was supposed to be something like "HX", but was labled "XH". Maxfli contacted Norman when the typo was discovered and Norman reported the infraction to the tournament officials. A few years ago Greg Norman was DQ’ed from a tournament for using a then non-yet-approved Maxfli ball. I do not remember if that was a PGA or a USGA sanction. The ball met specifications (if my memory serves me untypically well) but had not been through the approval process. At least I think that is how it went. ps – Was it the Hartford Open maybe? I dunno. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm — Dan Driscoll Current USGA Handicap Index – 16.9 RSG Roll Call http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/driscolld.htm Keep Usenet Clean, Trash a Spammer!
Response:
Don’t be so sure, Tiger wouldn’t be "experimenting" if he didn’t have intentions. Check out this article. Havin’ a ball Nike poised to become a major player in golf industry By Ron Sirak Golf World Swoosh. Just like that, a golf ball bounced magically off Tiger Woods’ wedge and then was whacked out of mid-air with wondrous force. Just like that, in a 30-second commercial last June, Woods –under contract to play Titleist — dropped a not-so-subtle hint that Nike had entered the golf ball market. And just like that, Woods made a loud statement last week that Nike is serious about selling golf balls when he used its Tour Accuracy model in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany. Forget that Woods blew a final-round lead for the first time since 1996. The attention Woods received for playing a Nike ball instead of the Titleist Professional 90 proved once again — as if any more proof were needed — that Woods is the most effective marketing man currently walking the fairways, if not the earth. When Tiger talks, the market listens. As Woods returned this week for the Memorial Tournament and the U.S. Open in June, the compelling question was when — and if — the switch to the Nike ball would become permanent. Meanwhile, the buzz goes on. "It’s a coup for Nike," said David Braham, owner of The World of Golf in New York City. "It’s a statement that they are serious about being in the ball market. Do I think it will cause an immediate dramatic uptick in their sales? No. Do I think it will hurt Titleist? No. But yes, we will sell more Nike golf balls. And if we sell 10 percent more, that is good news for them." The attention Woods received for experimenting with the Nike ball proved one other thing: what’s good for Tiger Woods is good for golf. Sports reports that routinely bury golf behind a mountain of baseball, NBA and NHL news this time of the year covered the European Tour event last week, and their angle was that Woods was playing the Nike ball. Just as he did when he signed his first staggering endorsement deals in 1996, or when he won the 1997 Masters, or when he won his sixth consecutive PGA Tour event earlier this year, Woods had people talking about golf. What does it all mean? In interviews with Golf World, industry executives, market analysts and retailers generally agreed that if Woods switches permanently to the Tour Accuracy ball, it can only help Nike. They differ as to how much it will help, but all were optimistic that the attention generated by the switch would bring more activity to the market, and most viewed Nike as a ferocious adversary. "Nike has a better ball than it had a year ago," said an executive from a rival company, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "They are in the game and they are not going away. They have invested too much. But they have to be concerned (with their market share), which hovers around one percent." Nike views that as a plus. "There is a lot of room for growth," said Mike Kelly, marketing director for Nike Golf. He noted that in addition to the $1.4 billion worldwide golf ball market — "and Tiger is huge in Europe and Asia," he pointed out — there is a $300 million a year market producing golf balls with corporate logos on them. "And if we have a good ball, one that Tiger will play," Kelly said, "that markets very well with the overall Nike brand strength to get us a significant share of that business." While the developments of last week appeared to be only good news for Nike, experts offered several words of caution: First, the consumer must like the ball. "There is still a question of whether the serious golfer will play the Nike ball," said Tim Conder, senior leisure sports analyst for A.G. Edwards in St. Louis. "Titleist and Callaway consistently finish one and two in consumer surveys of the most-respected brand names in golf. Nike doesn’t have the acceptance yet." Second, a study by one equipment company indicated that 50 percent of the golfing public already thought Woods was playing the Nike ball. "That survey also showed that equipment is less important in their perception of Tiger," said an executive for that company, who spoke only if his name or company was not identified. "There is a feeling among golfers that he could play with a rock and win." Third, the better golfer (the target for the Tour Accuracy) is the consumer most impervious to what others are playing. To them, performance is what counts. "Obviously, having the No. 1 player in the world would help anyone," said Edwin Watts, who owns a nationwide chain of golf shops. "But player endorsement isn’t the main thing. More important is the quality of the golf ball." The experts also agreed that Titleist so dominates the golf ball market and has such strong brand loyalty that it likely will not suffer significantly if it loses Woods. So who loses? The consensus is that Nike will take a little of everyone’s market share. With Titleist and Spalding controlling more than two-thirds of the ball market, some industry insiders predict a Woods endorsement of the Nike ball might trigger a period of "brand sampling" that could help other companies. Besides Nike, Taylor Made and Callaway have entered the ball market since the beginning of 1999, causing a slight downtick in market share for everyone except Spalding, Wilson and Srixon.) "I think the attitude among the other ball makers is: ‘Let Nike spend beaucoup bucks on Tiger and bring more attention to the game. It will only help,’" said Conder. Certainly, with David Duval, Sergio Garcia, Davis Love III and other big names under contract, Titleist always had to be careful about upsetting its salary applecart by going too high to keep Woods. Titleist president Wally Uihlein has declined to comment until Woods makes a definitive statement on which ball he is going to play. There is one clear winner in all of this: Tiger Woods. Mark Steinberg, who represents Woods for IMG, is currently renegotiating the five-year, $40 million endorsement deal with Nike that expires Aug. 28, 2001. Woods’ original five-year $20-million deal from Titleist, meanwhile, was cut in half last year after the Nike television ad appeared. As part of that renegotiation, Titleist gave up the right to use Woods in its advertisements, and it gave Woods the right to test other golf balls. "When we sat down to restructure the (Titleist) deal we tried to clean up any existing problems and anticipate any future complications," Steinberg said. "This contract, while I can’t get into specifics, deals with all issues. Everything we could foresee. Everything is covered. And Tiger still has a contract with Titleist. Titleist is one of Tiger’’s sponsors. And they will be." Still, Nike clearly will have to up its figure when it re-signs Woods, plus make up for the Titleist reduction. Sources told Golf World the new Nike deal will include one significant change: Besides his base payments, Woods will get a percentage of the profits from the Nike Golf division, a proposition that could easily put him in the Michael Jordan stratosphere in terms of endorsement dollars. "If the golf division does well, (Tiger) does well," said Bob Wood, president of Nike Golf. "While we don’t talk about Tiger’s contract, he’s worth every cent. His impact is worldwide. It’s a great double hit for Nike. The Nike brand gets a great halo, and Nike golf has the best player in the world." The original five-year deal Woods had with Nike had one incentive clause: For the contract to retain its full value he had to earn his PGA Tour card within three years. Woods earned it in five tournaments. Now he stands to enter an area of income never visited by any other athlete. And to make it worth Nike’s while, they want to own as big a chunk of Woods as they can get. "Exclusivity is important to us," Wood said. "Look at Pete Sampras. He’s clean. We don’t want a lot of patches on his clothes." If Nike gets Woods to play its ball, the only non-Nike part of Woods” equipment will be his golf clubs. And Nike doesn’t make golf clubs — at least not yet. The whispered word in the industry is that Nike has already produced prototype clubs; other rumors have Nike buying an established equipment company, with Ben Hogan and MacGregor floated as possible takeover targets. "Certainly, (selling golf clubs) is something we’ve talked about," Wood said. "Managing other brands or getting into other business is something we have to do as a business. For a golf acquisition to make the cut though, it would have to be very attractive." By "attractive," Wood clearly means an established company with growth potential. From Day One, Woods’ career has been handled with calculated cunning: First by his father, Earl, who ushered him through the amateur years, then by Hughes Norton of IMG, who negotiated those initial record-setting contracts, and now by Steinberg, who is escorting Woods as he goes from being the most valuable athlete in the world to being one of the most valuable entertainers. Rarely has there been a misstep. Is it a coincidence, for example, that the week that Woods — who has an endorsement deal with American Express — played his lone European event during the PGA Tour season, happened to be the week of the MasterCard Colonial? Not likely. Would it be stunning for him to change golf balls going into the U.S. Open? Yes. But it would also be consistent with how dramatically he is able to capture the spotlight. Not to mention consistent with how well Nike promotes its products. In Wieden & Kennedy, the cutting edge advertising agency behind Nike’s ad campaigns (and all those great ESPN commercials), the marketing machine is in place for Nike to do with Tiger Woods what it did with Michael Jordan — make him a name bigger than the product and give him a piece of the action. The swoosh, which now extends from hat to shoes on Tiger, clearly has its design on the ball he plays, and possibly his clubs. Could there be a more perfect marriage of an … read more »
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A few years ago Greg Norman was DQ’ed from a tournament for using a then non-yet-approved Maxfli ball. I do not remember if that was a PGA or a USGA sanction. The ball met specifications (if my memory serves me untypically well) but had not been through the approval process. At least I think that is how it went. ps – Was it the Hartford Open maybe? I dunno. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm
Your close. I believe what actually happened is that he played a mislabeled ball. The ball met specifications and was on the conforming list but Maxfli mislabeled the thing so that particular ball was not considered to be on the list. I think it was a prototype XS but they left out the S so the Maxfi XS was on the list but the Maxfli X was not. Talk about a technicality. Mark Arrigo
Response:
I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament.
Someone told me one of the golf mags did a review of all the golf balls and Nike was rated in the bottom half. Anyone else see this article?
Response:
I think it was a prototype XS but they left out the S so the Maxfi XS was on the list but the Maxfli X was not. Talk about a technicality.
Mark – You got it. That’s wha’ happened. Thanks. Sometimes the Shark seems snake-bit. — Joel T. Keys http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/keysj.htm
Response:
I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament. Do you think he will play it at Pebble? Anybody tried the Tour Accuracy? I play the Professional, what’s the difference?
This just in … Tiger is using the Nike ball at the Memorial. Titleist isn’t paying him his usual weekly feee. Here’s the surprise news. Instead, Titleist is paying ME the money. I am going to use it to buy myself an expensive nonconforming driver and 36 million unfinished golf tees. -joseph
Response:
(snipped) This just in … Tiger is using the Nike ball at the Memorial. Titleist isn’t paying him his usual weekly feee. Here’s the surprise news. Instead, Titleist is paying ME the money. I am going to use it to buy myself an expensive nonconforming driver and 36 million unfinished golf tees. -joseph
Joseph, Instead, why don’t you visit my website at smar-tee.com . My new tee is the latest in high-tech golf aids! You can tee the Smar-Tee to any height or angle you can conceive! It – just – doesn’t – MATTER!!! That’s because the Smar-Tee contains state-of-the-art miniaturized motion sensors that will plot the path of your swing, all contained in a new Elastopolyurethynolglycol matrix that reacts to signals from the motion sensors, and…stay with me here…re-positions your ball into your swingpath at the point of optimum contact!!! Sounds exciting doesn’t it?! But, here’s the really exciting part! With this tee, you will achieve "perfect contact" with every swing!!! That’s right!! There is no longer any need to spend thousands of dollars with a "Golf Pro", or hours upon hours at the driving range working on your "swing!" Let the Smar-Tee perfect your swing for you!!! Wouldn’t you rather be having a drink in the clubhouse with all of the money you saved on pro’s and range balls while your buddies are on the range swinging themselves into traction? With the Smar-Tee you can! And if you order within the next 72 hours, we’ll include a handsome custom faux leather tee holder – complete with belt loops – that holds two tees side-by-side, always at the ready. We call it the Smar-Tee Pants! So run, don’t walk, to my website NOW, or, call 1-800-SMARTEE to get your 12 pack of Smar-Tee’s for only 360 monthly payments of 99.95 each!! They’ll be the last tee’s you ever buy – trust me. Think of the money you’ll save!! — S. Pammer, Inc. "Innovative Golf Products, Because You’ll Buy Anything!"
Response:
In violate of the charter of rec.sport.golf this total loser posted an obviously inappropriate and false commercial post. I urge you to immediately do the following: 1. Put him on the Jehovah’s’ witness mailing list. 2. Force him to watch every single match of the World Cup soccer tournament. Mr. Chillidipper has promoted entirely false claims that his Smar-Tee will allow golfers to perfectly strike the ball every time. Every single golfer with an IQ above 6 knows that my product, the Graviton Internal Dampener and Enhancer is the only thing that will lower your golf scores. The GIDE is a culmination of space age nuclear lithium technology and good American know-how. The GIDE fits snugly on your head in the form of a football style helmet. (All professional sports team colors are available with the exception of the LA Clippers and Cincinnati Bengals because they are not really professional sports teams). The GIDE creates a anti-internial field around you and your golf ball. Once the ball is struck — from ANY ANGLE and in ANY DIRECTION — the GIDE instantly reads the neuro-impulses of your brain and sends the ball to the exact location you desire — RIGHT IN TO THE HOLE. "This thing really works," said John a formerly 67 handicapper who recently won his club championship with a score of 19. "I would have had an 18 but I got distracted by the naked woman on the 12th tee." The GIDE is completely free for the first charging which is good for 23 holes of golf. Each recharge of the Polyethellithium alloy insert costs $435.98 plus shipping and handling and requires you to sign a waiver holding the makers of GIDE harmless for any brain tumors that may occur.
<totally outrageous and false advertising claims snipped — John Pflum, Jr. PKG Consultants, Inc. 5533 Fair Lane Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Web: http://www.pkgconsult.com
Response:
In violate of the charter of rec.sport.golf this total loser posted an obviously inappropriate and false commercial post. I urge you to immediately do the following: 1. Put him on the Jehovah’s’ witness mailing list. 2. Force him to watch every single match of the World Cup soccer tournament. Mr. Chillidipper has promoted entirely false claims that his Smar-Tee will allow golfers to perfectly strike the ball every time
(snip delusional fantasies of an inept golf product marketer/inventor) I would like to apologize to the group for my previous post. I have been lurking here for five or six years, I’ve read every commercial post and the subsequent emails notifying them that advertising of this kind is not permitted by the newsgroups charter, and, I’ve gone to the FAQ referenced many, many times containing the language referring to commercial posts. However, I was unaware that my post was against the charter of the newsgroup, and that commercial posts were frowned upon by it’s participants. I will not advertise my product here in the future so anyone interested in making "perfect contact" with the ball everytime using my Smar-Tee which can be ordered at my website smartee.com, or, by calling 1-800-SMARTEE, will have to learn of my product elsewhere, such as smartee.com or by calling 1-800-SMARTEE. — ChiliDipper RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/toyg.htm
Response:
Chilli, ROFL! I love it. Esp the part about the delusional fantasies of an inept marketer. I laughed so hard I cried! Keep up the good work. PS — For anyone wanting the TRUE secret to the game of golf call me and receive – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In violate of the charter of rec.sport.golf this total loser posted an obviously inappropriate and false commercial post. I urge you to immediately do the following: 1. Put him on the Jehovah’s’ witness mailing list. 2. Force him to watch every single match of the World Cup soccer tournament. Mr. Chillidipper has promoted entirely false claims that his Smar-Tee will allow golfers to perfectly strike the ball every time (snip delusional fantasies of an inept golf product marketer/inventor) I would like to apologize to the group for my previous post. I have been lurking here for five or six years, I’ve read every commercial post and the subsequent emails notifying them that advertising of this kind is not permitted by the newsgroups charter, and, I’ve gone to the FAQ referenced many, many times containing the language referring to commercial posts. However, I was unaware that my post was against the charter of the newsgroup, and that commercial posts were frowned upon by it’s participants. I will not advertise my product here in the future so anyone interested in making "perfect contact" with the ball everytime using my Smar-Tee which can be ordered at my website smartee.com, or, by calling 1-800-SMARTEE, will have to learn of my product elsewhere, such as smartee.com or by calling 1-800-SMARTEE. — ChiliDipper RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/toyg.htm
– John Pflum, Jr. PKG Consultants, Inc. 5533 Fair Lane Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Web: http://www.pkgconsult.com
Response:
Wait! I’ll bet that you know Lee Westwood and personally gave him one of your putting training aids, right? [...] I will not advertise my product here in the future so anyone interested in making "perfect contact" with the ball everytime using my Smar-Tee which can be ordered at my website smartee.com, or, by calling 1-800-SMARTEE, will have to learn of my product elsewhere, such as smartee.com or by calling 1-800-SMARTEE. Hmmmmm. You aren’t by any chance a PERSONAL FRIEND of many top European players are you? -joseph
– John Pflum, Jr. PKG Consultants, Inc. 5533 Fair Lane Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 Web: http://www.pkgconsult.com
Response:
[...] I will not advertise my product here in the future so anyone interested in making "perfect contact" with the ball everytime using my Smar-Tee which can be ordered at my website smartee.com, or, by calling 1-800-SMARTEE, will have to learn of my product elsewhere, such as smartee.com or by calling 1-800-SMARTEE.
Hmmmmm. You aren’t by any chance a PERSONAL FRIEND of many top European players are you? -joseph
Response:
LOL! Yo da man Chillspammer 
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In violate of the charter of rec.sport.golf this total loser posted an obviously inappropriate and false commercial post. I urge you to immediately do the following: 1. Put him on the Jehovah’s’ witness mailing list. 2. Force him to watch every single match of the World Cup soccer tournament.
Response:
From last I heard Greg norman now plays Titlitst Irons and woods
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t believe he’ll change from Titleist. They make a lot of experimental balls for the pros, and I’d have to believe Tiger would be high on their list. FWIW, in Australia the Nike ball is a non-event, I think because being a sporting goods manufacturer doesn’t automatically give you any advantage versus the traditional ball mfrs. Same comment goes for the Cobra - their Dista ball bombed out here, and is on special with a lot of the capital city retailers. It might also be of interest to everyone to know that Greg Norman recently purchased outright the Australian Cobra operation, and coincidentally an announcement came shortly after that Titelist and Cobra would now be distributed by the Greg Norman business – what a coup! Dunlop As a matter of fact, I’ve tried the tour accuracy. I found the trajectory to be pretty good with out compromising spin control. A softer feel than I expected, I’ll be sticking with them- and that’s saying a lot considering that I am pretty picky about which ball I use. I can’t comment the comparison to the professional but it definitly outperfoms my Taylor Made InerGel. Tiger is drawing a lot of media attention by using the Tour Accuracy right before the big tourney. I can imagine he isn’t planning on using it there as well. I know I’ll be watching when the camera zooms in on his tee at the first hole. I have heard really good things about the Nike ball that Tiger was playing last week. Azinger won and Stadler almost did a few weeks back. Tiger must be teeing it up in the US Open if he is messing with it this close to the tournament. Do you think he will play it at Pebble? Anybody tried the Tour Accuracy? I play the Professional, what’s the difference?
Response:
: From last I heard Greg norman now plays Titlitst Irons and woods and his new caddie is Bernie Looper according to the mammoth golf commersal. — my opinions, blah, blah, blah
Response:
Norman signs equipment deal with Titleist Shark.com staff report Greg Norman talks to Shark.com about his new equipment FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — Greg Norman will play Titleist golf clubs and golf balls for 2000 and beyond, it was announced Friday by Norman and the Acushnet Company. The agreement signals the continuation of the two-time British Open champion’s relationship with the Acushnet Company, whose golf brands include Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra. Norman has been affiliated with Cobra since 1990. As the exclusive distributor for Cobra Golf Equipment in his native Australia, Norman will also become the distributor for the Titleist and FootJoy brands in the near future, thus creating a powerhouse branded distributorship that is likely to evolve into a larger distribution and marketing enterprise. "The success Greg has shown both on and off the golf course has manifested itself as a strategic business-to-business relationship between our respective groups," said Wally Uihlein, Acushnet Company president and CEO. "Titleist and the Acushnet Company look forward to working with Greg for the continuing development of our performance golf balls and golf clubs." Norman, who will be resuming a full tournament schedule in 2000, will be playing three tournaments in Australia (Heineken Classic, Greg Norman Holden International, Australian Masters) before returning to the States to play his first tournament on the PGA TOUR, the Andersen Consulting Matchplay Championship. "I believe we have put together an unprecedented agreement that plays to Great White Shark Enterprises’ strengths and mandate to create long term sustainable businesses," said Norman. "We have created a strategic relationship between two companies of similar standards and philosophies." Among Norman’s 86 worldwide victories are 18 U.S. PGA Tour titles including the record-breaking 1994 Players’ Championship where he won with an incredible 20-under-par 264. As part of his 1993 British Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, the Great White Shark played what many have called the greatest final round in major championship golf by firing 64, under extreme conditions, to win by two shots. The Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra brands comprise the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. More featured golf articles
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : From last I heard Greg norman now plays Titlitst Irons and woods and his new caddie is Bernie Looper according to the mammoth golf commersal. — my opinions, blah, blah, blah