Sexism Alive And Well Files: "If a No. 1 player can’t get replacement clubs after a long and successful relationship, what kind of message does that send to up-and-comers?"

Forgive me for not seeing Beth Ann Nichols' Golfweek story from two weeks ago, but Bellerive had that kind of transitory effect. Anyway, we discussed on the latest State of The Game the absurdity of this story. Given the amount of free stuff given to young male golfers--young being 14 and up--the notion that a company said no to a future Hall of Famer, all-time great and player who actually might influence buying habits, I'm not sure if there is any way to defend the actions of Taylor Made as they relate to Inbee Park.

Here is Nichols' setup, though there is much more in the piece about issues LPGA players face in getting equipment as the free stuff flows on the male amateur and pro side of the sport:

Two months ago, when Inbee Park was No. 1, caddie Brad Beecher reached out to a TaylorMade rep on behalf of Park to get replacements for the 3-wood, 5-wood and two Rescue clubs she had in her bag. Park is a Srixon staff player but is only required to have nine Srixon clubs in the bag. For more than five years she has played with four TaylorMade woods. That timespan includes six of her seven majors, an Olympic gold medal and more than 100 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world.

Park received the same response as several other LPGAers: A new company policy stipulates that players must use a TaylorMade driver to get free product.

Anyone who has seen Park play in person is immediately struck by how well she plays her fairway woods to make up for less length off the tee. Next, you are struck by how beloved she is with Korean golf fans. One might think this would lead to companies lining up to stock her locker with fairway woods. All in hopes of being associated with an all time great and the strongest part of her game, driver counts be damned.

Apparently not for all. Taylor Made's response:

When asked to comment on their policy regarding Park, a TaylorMade representative said, “We don’t share information around our relationships with athletes (contracted or non-contracted) due to confidentiality reasons.”

It's a rare misstep from a player-friendly company and one that sadly screams of short-sightedness at best, whiffs of sexism at the very least.

Malbon Golf: From Instagram Account To Partnering With Puma

There are plenty of Instagram accounts turning into something their creators could not have imagined, so it's fun to see a few in golf joining the fray by making businesses out of good taste and fresh ideas. Even more fascinating: seeing the brands who are saddling up to them for products.

Golfweek's Brentley Romine with Malbon Golf's success story, which jumped to another level beyond pop-up shop and place where the cool kids go after they launched a stellar-looking new line with Puma last week. 

Last year the vision gained strength when Malbon Golf opened a pop-up shop on 800 N. Fairfax Ave. in the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Since its opening, the shop, which features a boutique store accompanied by a putting green and golf simulator, has welcomed guests ranging from Michelle Wie and Smylie Kaufman to Travis Scott and Justin Bieber.

Several collaborations have added to the snowball effect, as Malbon has teamed up with several companies, including Puma, Nike, Ecco and Jones Bag, to produce merchandise and apparel featuring the trendy Malbon logo – a golf ball wearing a hat; simple but stylish.

An Instagram account originally started as a way for Malbon to not annoy his non-golf-loving followers of his personal account has more than 37,000 followers. 

AT&T Betting Big On Golf Beyond "The Match" Or Just Making Their Best Possible Synergy Play?

Lost in the details and griping over pay-per-view of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson the day after Thanksgiving may be the role of the main backer: AT&T.

From Mike Murphy's MarketWatch.com item:

AT&T said it will distribute live pay-per-view coverage on a number of its platforms, including DirecTV, AT&T U-verse and sports streaming site B/R Live. The company said the match will also be available on other on-demand platforms, and a rebroadcast will air on the TNT network. The pay-per-view price was not announced.

In a statement, AT&T said the two will be able to make side challenges: “Woods and Mickelson will selectively make side-challenges against one another during the match. For instance, Woods or Mickelson could raise the stakes by challenging the other to a long-drive, closest-to-the-pin or similar competition during a hole as they play their match, with money being donated to the winning golfer’s charity of choice.”

While long focused on sponsoring tournaments and providing bonus coverage on its more recent acquisition, DirecTV, this is the first major play by AT&T on the golf content side. With CEO Randall Stephenson on the PGA Tour Policy Board, could their role in the match and use of TNT as the broadcasting brand to deliver the coverage--despite consistently loathsome reviews of their PGA Championship effort--give folks the impression AT&T is getting in the golf business. 

Or, is this all a way to justify their recent mergers by bringing together too many AT&T properties under the AT&T umbrella: DirecTV, TNT, Bleacher Report, HBO and AT&T U-Verse?

Time will tell, but a big PGA Championship bid does not seem too far fetched. Certainly bidding on some PGA Tour events for 2022 and beyond seems plausible. One question remains and probably always will go unanswered: what does Stephenson do when these matters come up before the PGA Tour Policy Board? 

For Some Unknown Reason, Mark King Has A Job In Golf Again

Overcompensated retread alert!

Honma Golf USA is apparently unable to do basic Google searches to read up on how Mark King is not the man to run your equipment company unless you want an unhappy ending. 

The former Undercover Boss star who wheeled out multiple Taylor Made drivers in a year in a move that set the company back with consumers, advocated 15 inch cups, sat on the two-meeting PGA of America task force to grow the game and eventually found himself stashed in Adidas North America offices somewhere, is back running Honma Golf USA.  

Mike Stachura reports on King joining the Honma brand in what the former Taylor Made CEO calls a consulting role, though employees are already calling that nonsense. Great start!

“He’s in charge,” said one former Honma employee who requested anonymity. The employee indicated King’s position was announced internally at Honma last month. “It’s been in the works for awhile. Mark’s taking over everything.”

Got to love his description of the new boss, Chairman Liu of Honma.

“There were two things that made this attractive to me and the first one right away was him,” King said. “He doesn’t speak a lot of English, but his enthusiasm is mesmerizing. On top of that, with this brand, I see the opportunity to do different things, the right things for this brand, to understand who its customer is and how to reach that customer.

“He was interested in having someone help him who understands golf and understands golf in North America and how to present that brand to the market. My role is to help them build the brand.”

WSJ On The Year Of The Golf (Equipment) Free Agency

This is a nice big picture consideration by Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal following up on post-Nike trend of players playing mixed bags either by force due to the Swoosh's equipment business demise, or going that route as club companies devote more resources to stars. (Thanks reader John). 

My ShackHouse colleague Joe House has noted on the show how the first three major winners this year are playing a mixture of clubs in looking for a wagering angle headed here to Bellerive, something Costa looks into and considers whether it's a trend. With purses rising and checks from companies flatlining or shrinking, the answer appears to be yes.

The math has also changed. Purse money continues to hit record highs each year, extending a boom that dates to the debut of Tiger Woods and survived his absence in recent years. At the same time, the market for equipment deals has cooled.

Agents and officials from the manufacturers say that a handful of star players—think Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson —still earn several million dollars annually on such deals. But the offers for most other players have dropped substantially. A midlevel Tour player who made $500,000 a decade ago might make $250,000 now.

Conde Nast Expects To Have Golf Digest Sold By Year's End

CEO Bob Sauerberg

The WSJ's Jeffrey Trachtenberg offers an update on Conde Nast's plans to have "signed agreements" to sell Golf Digest by year's end.

There was also this:

It’s possible that Condé could retain an interest in the golf business, depending on its future owner.

Why Are Golfers Less Prominent On Forbes Top Athlete Earners List?

Granted, we've seen the passing of Arnold Palmer, the injuries and struggles of Tiger Woods and the inevitable decline in endorsement dollars going to Jack Nicklaus as he gets older.

Still, golfers have always played a dominant role in Forbes' World's Highest Athletes list. But 2018's list only includes Woods in the top 20, followed by Mickelson, Spieth and McIlroy arrive next at 22, 23rd and 26th and Justin Thomas landed 66th on the back of his FedExCup win. 

No one will lose sleep over any perceived decline in golfer income given the number of millionaires in the sport. But it is fascinating that on the upper end of the endorsement pay scale, golfers appear less valued than athletes in other sports. 

My theories, substantiated by nothing other than observation?

They range from this being a simple transition period to strides made by many of the top athletes--particularly NBA players who take up 40 spots on the list--to improve their likability cache via social media, style and overall intrigue factor as golfers have become a little less accessible, less stylish and less willing to stand out. 

Bridgestone CEO Angel Ilagan Out...

Golf World's Mike Stachura reports that CEO Angel Ilagan is out after signing Tiger Woods and quickly guiding Bridgestone to the second spot in golf ball sales behind Titleist before slipping back 20% and well behind Callaway.

Ilagan was the only manufacturer CEO to endorse the idea of a distance solution involving the ball. 

Ben Alberstadt at GolfWRX.com has the full statement and wonders if Ilagan's stance on distance hurt his cause.

British-Based Group Working On $20 Million Purse "World Golf Series"

Andrew Both of Reuters reports on the British-based World Golf Group now a year into planning stages for a bold 15-20-event, $20 million purse series featuring top players and blue-chip sponsors. 

The players who join would likely say goodbye to the PGA Tour, a healthy retirement plan and world ranking points that help get them in majors and maintain endorsement deals.

“Every player’s deal is centred around world ranking points,” leading British agent Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, who is aware of the proposed World Golf Series, told Reuters. 

“This series will never get world ranking points, so it will cost people money in the end. I think there are a lot of obstacles to get over." 

As Both notes, the proposal sounds "eerily" similar to Greg Norman's 1990's idea for a world tour of elite players.

What I can't understand: what need does this fill? Between the WGC's and Rolex Series, are fans clamoring to see the world's best get together more for double the purse size? If the venues and locales were special, there might be some intrigue initially. But there still needs to be some other twist that captures our attention. 

Developing...

Puffy Shirt Return: Phil Signs With Mizzen+Main To Allow "Move From The Board Room To The Golf Course"

The Forecaddie on Thursday-and-beyond's return of...the shirt. 

The full, and frankly spectacular, press release here:

Mizzen+Main Announces Partnership with American Golfer Phil Mickelson

Dallas, Texas, May 10, 2018: Transformative menswear brand Mizzen+Main announces a new partnership with one of the most renowned golfers and professional athletes of all time, Phil Mickelson. The five-time major champion has signed on as an official Brand Ambassador of the hyper growth, performance menswear line that has transformed an industry with its “best damn dress shirt.”

The long-term partnership makes Mickelson an equity holder in the company, joining Houston’s JJ Watt as a major partner in Mizzen+Main.

“I was waiting to find the perfect apparel partner that allowed me to move from the board room to the golf course. Mizzen+Main’s performance dress shirts enable me to do that. A big part of why I’m so thrilled to partner with them is I know all my endorsement partners and the thousands of professionals that work at those companies will love this shirt for their day to day too. These dress shirts not only look incredible but are so comfortable and versatile I can actually play golf in them. It’s remarkable to have a dress shirt I can wear from a meeting to the course. The game has changed,” remarked Mickelson.

Mickelson made waves in the sports world after wearing Mizzen+Main in a practice round with Tiger Woods at Augusta in April this year. His record as one of the best golfers of all time who represents several of the world’s greatest companies, along with being a maverick who charts his own path makes him a perfect fit for the brand.

“I started Mizzen+Main six years ago to make a dress shirt that performed at the same level as athletic apparel. Partnering with Phil is an extraordinary opportunity as one of the most renowned global athletes puts our product to the test on the course in a fun and unique way. We’re thrilled to have Lefty lead the way in the years ahead,” said Mizzen+Main Founder and CEO Kevin Lavelle.

As Brand Ambassador, Mickelson will wear Mizzen+Main’s performance fabric dress shirts regularly in tournament play, kicking off this week at the Players Championship®.

Callaway's First Quarter Sales Rise 31% To $403 Million

The only down side in these numbers: Jim Cramer will be feeling good about himself for bullishly pegging golf stocks as buy opportunities.

Otherwise, great to see golf companies selling stuff, indicating interest in the sport.

Highlights from Callaway's earnings report where the company earned $63 million/65 cents a share in the quarter, compared with $26 million/27 cents a share in the year-ago period. 

The earnings call transcript.

Have New Course, Need Sponsor: Memorial Park In, GC Of Houston Out

As the Houston Open tries to remain on the PGA Tour schedule where it's been since 1946, Golf Club of Houston is out as the host venue.

The Houston Business Journal's Jack Witthaus reports on the potential move to the downtown muni going forward. (A Memorial Park change in operator to the Houston Golf Association has been proposed.)

The move to Memorial Park would return the PGA Tour to a course it last played in 1963. Even if no sponsor is found for 2018, let's hope this leads to a long term goal of saving the event and carrying on the Houston Golf Association's efforts to refurbish the Houston city courses.

What Has Wall Street Bullish On Golf Stocks?

We know about the bizarre correlation between Tiger Woods' play and market bullishness, but given the recent market fluctuations Luke Kerr-Dineen understandably tries to surmise what seems to have Wall Street placing buy ratings on Callaway and Acushnet, among others.

The Tiger factor is again in play, but it may also be something as simple as this:

The growth is supported by an encouraging uptick in overall equipment sales as reported by golf research firm Golf Datatech, including a 23-percent increase in woods sales (in dollars) in March year-over-year, and a 46-percent increase in wedges.

Costco Is Selling A 4-Piece Ball Again

Thanks to reader Brandon for the alert on Costco's return to the 4-piece ball market, the same construction as their disruptive original. Last summer they unveiled their second ball, but it did not test as well and was of different construction.

They are also currently selling a 3-piece ball.

And the wholesale-ish retailer is not shying away from the ball business as they continue on-going litigation with Acushnet.

Patrick Reed Says Masters Win Validates His Manufacturer-Agnostic Strategy

It's interesting to see Patrick Reed suggesting his Masters win validates a strategy to go equipment-deal free. I wonder if other players will forsake the money and full support of a tour team?

Wait, this just in, sources close to 300 of the world's best golfers just whispered in my ear and said no &^$#%* way. 

Bill Speros with a roundup of Reed's New York visit following his Masters win.

“This has freed me up to use whatever equipment I want. On the equipment side, I’m just out there doing my thing. I’m using whatever I want to use,” Reed said. “I’m able to put 14 golf clubs and a golf ball in the bag that I feel are the perfect fit for me. To do that and come out with a my first major, it was a risk. But it was a risk that was the right one.”