When everyone is making money there isn’t time to try to take down the competition. With shrinking margins, stagnate revenues and tougher competition, if you can’t innovate your way to profitability, the only choice is to sue. Take the recent court cases brought by Callaway against Titleist, Bridgestone against Titleist and DogLeg Right against TaylorMade. All are suing each other because of supposed patent infringements. In the case of DogLeg Right, they accuse TaylorMade of violating two patents that “…cover technology that allows the user to adjust the center of gravity of the clubhead in up to three dimensions in order to ...

Without the great fanfare that came with the world’s number one golfer announcing his Tiger Woods Learning Center, the world’s number two golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy have partnered with ExxonMobil to support a teacher training program called the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, which wrapped up the last of it’s 2007 sessions in July. Although modest in comparison to the Tiger Woods effort, the academy has grown to include three sessions this year – two regional academies in Texas and Louisiana, and the national academy in Fairfax, Va. – up from one in 2005, its first year. A total ...

I wouldn’t. Golf equipment isn’t a very good investment these days. Look at Callaway. It’s stock has dropped 20% since July ($15.71 vs. $19.49), Golfsmith has faired even worse crash-diving 47% ($5.77 vs $10.95). Two articles came to my attention on the golf equipment business recently: Cleveland Sale Appears Imminent and Huffy Corporation Sells Tommy Armour. Both appeared in GolfWeek Business. For leveraged buyout groups like the one that is selling Cleveland and the sporting goods conglomerate that is unloading Tommy Armour, golf isn’t fitting into their idea of making a profit. Quicksilver, the current owner of Cleveland because of its acquisition of ...

Oh boy! Annika just got hitched and you know what that means: limited schedule, retirement, clothing line, course building, babies. I mean, the girl is 36 and has been the best female golfer on the planet for the last ten years. What do you think it means for the LPGA? Oddly, nothing. Annika is no Tiger. She’s great, don’t get me wrong, but “Annika, Incorporated” ain’t “Tiger, Inc.” Annika is everything a good golfer should be: intelligent, understated, polite, well-spoken and a great golfer. But she is not a great interview nor does she look hot in a swimsuit. Tiger draws. And draws ...

I was driving to a client’s office this morning and I heard a radio ad for Viagra and its claim that an estimated 17 million men have ED. Yes, erectile dysfunction. I was shocked to hear that so many men can’t bring themselves to attention. I also didn’t know that we have an epidemic on our hands. According to Webster’s New World Medical Dictionary, an epidemic is defined as “The occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a community or region during a given time period.” How did our society reproduce ...

In the 100-degree heat of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the greatest golfer of my lifetime ceaselessly toiled to his 13th major victory. At 31, he showed no ill effects from the heat, no sign of being off his game nor of backing down. In the span of two weeks he wins the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by eight strokes, then he marches on to a convincing victory in the PGA Championship for his 59th tournament win. Saying that the greatest golfer in history was someone like Nicklaus, Hogan or Palmer will always be defended, but the strength of these arguments are rapidly weakening. It is impossible ...

I always knew that New Zealanders were crazy. In the Golf Observer I find a write-up on 40 year old New Zealander Ricky Bartlett who recently finished a year long journey in which he played every golf course and golf hole in New Zealand for charity. If you count every course (even the 9 hole ones) there are 419 golf course, which is the highest number of courses per capita in the world. Bartlett played 419 rounds in 362 days which amounts to 7,542 holes in 31,594 shots. All the courses, except for one gave Bartlett free golf in his ...

This has to be a cry for help because this statement is just plain stupid: “When Nicklaus and Palmer played, when [Ben] Hogan played and Sam Snead played, on a scale of zero to 10, they were a nine-plus,” Mac O’Grady said. “Tiger Woods is not even a one-plus.” Then, this dolt has to go out and show his continued ignorance by saying: “The reason why [Woods] can hit it on the green is because he has square grooves,” he said. “He doesn’t have that, he’s dead. He cannot do it – it’s impossible. For him to go after Nicklaus’s records ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #38 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on Duval Wimping Out at the British Open, and Virginia Tech Student wins British Amateur. In the State of the Game we hear about the golf industry’s Charity Golf Event Addiction. The Guru Rants about Golf Ball-sized Hail. In She Golfs Too we follow Natalie Gulbis for a Day. Visit the Component Corner where you can get your very own Starship Enterprise Putter. We return to Afghanistan’s capital Kabal to visit the World’s Most Dangerous Golf Course. Finally, Golf of the Weird learns about a Minnesota Grand Theft ...

Up here in Minne “snow” ta, we are big watchers of the weather. Sometimes Northerners like us say: “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a few hours and it will change.” We often talk about record snowfalls like the Halloween blizzard (30 inches on October 31st) or record cold temperatures. We constantly argue every winter if International Falls really is the coldest spot in the nation and if Good Morning America reports that we are, aren’t we proud. The hardy souls in the land of 10,000 lakes seem to always be captivated by the local weatherperson, who ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #37 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on Ex-NFL Kicker is Now a Caddie, and John Daly’s Wife Attacks Him. In the State of the Game we read about Sound Patents. In She Golfs Too Dear Abby Gets into the Action and Dakoda Dowd’s Mother Dies. Component Corner explores the The Expanding Non-Conforming Driver World. In Why Can’t We All Get Along, there are some New Trademarks on the Horizon. Finally, Golf of the Weird hears about Golf Clubs Used in Late Night 3-Car Crime. As always, our show is sponsored by Golfknockoff.com. Check ...

I was wondering if the Wie Circus could get any worse. Was I ever wrong. Now remember, I predicted that this return was going to be a non-event. In her inglorious return to competitive LPGA tournament play, the phenom, the queen of hype, Miss Sparkly herself Michelle Wie, has again tripped over her huge pile of endorsement cash and fell flat on her face (er..wrist). What a joke she has become. When she quit the latest tournament she said to an LPGA Tour official: “We’re not going to play anymore.” Oh you big baby. Take it like a professional. I thought ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #36 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on Pro Athletes Who Are Golfers, Wie Will Concentrate on the LPGA, and Maxfli Kills Daly Ad. In the State of the Game we read about The Cost of Endorsements and She Golfs Too introduces Lady With 10 Holes-in-One. The Guru rants about the Idiocy of Draw Drivers & Moveable Weights. We find that Callaway Gets Caught in Non-Conforming Web, and Golf of The Weird learns how to The Compute Odds of One Women’s 10 Holes-in-One. Finally, at Website Spotlight, check out the legal website ...

Michelle Wie’s announcment that she will return on May 28th to play in Annika Sorenstam’s Ginn Tribute leaves me cold. Maybe in the past I didn’t express it in these exact words, but Michelle Wie is a circus act that is going nowhere. Yes, she has talent. Yes, she can hit the ball 300 yards. Yes, she is reasonably attractive. All these I accept. What I don’t buy is the circus act that has been created around her. She’s accomplished nothing on the LPGA and even less on the PGA and I predict that she never will. ...

After an absolutely horrible round of golf. After you have thrown your clubs in the pond and stomped off the course vowing never to play the stupid game again. You can alway pick up another ball, hit the lanes and bowl. Why not? It’s got a lot of advantages: -you don’t have to bring your own ball -you don’t need 14 different clubs -you don’t lose your ball in the woods -you don’t need Sudafed because you’re allergic to cut grass -you don’t have to wait for the beer cart girl -one game costs $4 not $40 -you don’t need to pee behind ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #35 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand a Special Report from the Verizon Windstorm, In the Shadow of Zach Johnson, and Nancy Lopez’s Return is Going Poorly. In the State of the Game we read about the Death of the U.S. Pro Tour and She Golfs Too discovers Rachel Ray - The Golfer and the Sorenstam Isn’t Returning Soon. We travel in Golf Around the World to The Perfect Scotland Golf Trip and find The PGA Tour is coming to Puerto Rico. In Can’t We All Get Along a Man of the ...

On the Chinese calendar, 2007 is the Year of the Pig, but in golf, it is the year of the Draw. The first major equipment company to the “Draw-ing” table was TaylorMade with their r7 Draw. Then Callaway added to their FT line and its innovative square head, but couldn’t help themselves and now offers a FT-5 in three flavors: draw, neutral and fade. In 2004-06, we saw the introduction of moveable weight drivers. Then they expanded the concept to irons, hybrids and putters. Now we can move weight around on everything in our bag except maybe ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #34 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that there is no news better than the start of the Masters. The Guru Commentary adds a new intro and talks about Minnesota Golfers Emerging from their Hibernation. The Perfect Fit asks the question: What is 2nd Swing Up to Now!!! She Golfs Too learns about The Firing of Female Caddies in South Korea and the Return of Nancy Lopez to the LPGA. In Golf of the Weird hear about The Golf Video that Has Been Downloaded 900 MILLION Times. View ...

Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, 2nd Swing is back in business. According to a feature story in my local paper Star Tribune, the new 2nd Swing has got one store open in Minneapolis and a second is slated to open in Minnetonka on April 2nd. Before the internet, eBay and sites like www.callawaypreowned.com, 2nd Swing had a lock on the used golf equipment market. But it didn’t last long. To keep ahead, 2nd Swing added new equipment to it offerings and expanded like mad until it had opened more than 50 stores. As quickly ...

….a new golf season. Each year, Minnesota golfers, looking like speared white whales, waddle onto the first tee, take a few practice swings, and launch our best drives of the year…or maybe not. If you like dodging snow patches, last year’s goose droppings, singed brown greens and dead grass fairways then Minnesota golf in March will be your cup of tee. It’s March 23rd and snow is still on the ground, but Minnesota golf courses are starting to open. I know that folks in Florida, Texas or Arizona are reading this with a blank stare, but you have to understand how golfers ...

Nike calls it a “voluntary product return", I’d call it overstepping, pushing the envelope, or a violation of the sacred rules of the USGA. No matter how you want to describe it, Nike Golf has gotten itself into, as the Brits would say, a sticky wicket. How could this happen in the dog eat dog world of golf equipment? They were ratted out by a competitor. Who? TaylorMade? Titleist? Cobra? I’m guessing Callaway. Not that I have any evidence to pin it on them, but who better to put the fear of “non-conformity” into the ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #33 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that a PGA Player was in a High Speed Car Race, a Japanese Company that Reprimands Golfers and Nike Issues a Recall of Sumo Drivers. The Guru Commentary uncovers An Equipment Spy that Finds Nike’s Sumo2 Driver Illegal. The Perfect Fit finds some odd Ralph Maltby Equipment Ideas and She Golfs Too learns about Colin Montgomery’s New Charity. Our Component Corner takes a look at the Golf Ball Launcher as well as listens to the Sounds of Today’s Top 3 Selling Drivers. In Can’t We All ...

Golfsmith, the leading golf equipment retailer is now providing the underpinnings of the EPSN.com website. They will be the official golf and tennis supplier of EPSN.com and will provide all the marketing, sales, fulfillment and administrative support as well as 30,000 golf and tennis products to the site’s 18 million monthly visitors. This is part of an ongoing effort by EPSN.com to capture more of their site visitors’ retail spending. What I found interesting was that Golfsmith, without the need to open a new bricks and mortar store, can expand its online footprint. Like Amazon.com, which provides content ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #32 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that The John Daly Circus Continues, Blindness Doesn’t Stop Golfer and Trump to Build Course in Dominican Republic. The Guru Commentary asks the question Why Can’t There Be a Double Standard in Golf Equipment? She Golfs Too introduces Princess Beatrice: A Hottie Royal Who Golfs. Our Component Corner takes a Step Back Into “Retro” Clubs and Golf Around the World visits Marshall, Illinois. In Can’t We All Get Along a Fuzzy Zoeller Sues a Blogger and Golf of the Weird reports on Officers Honored for Saving ...

Modern golf equipment has experienced a constant technological march forward. More distance, more power, more accuracy. With 460cc titanium drivers, cavity back irons, space age graphite shafts and high tech putters, golfers are constantly searching for the Holy Grail of equipment. At the same time, there seems to be a movement away from scoring low with the latest equipment, to the more ethereal 1920s when mashies, guttta-percha balls and cool clothes were all the rage. Players are donning knickers, finding hickory shafted collectibles and entering tournaments like the 3rd Annual World Hickory Open at Craigielaw Golf Club in Aberlady, ...

The official keepers of the Rules of Golf are The United States Golf Association (USGA) for the United States and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R & A) in Europe. Periodically they come out with ways to make the game more frustrating. The latest is a potential rule change for the grooves on the face of an iron clubhead. The R & A takes issue with U-grooves, which according to an article in the Scotsman, “the combination of U-grooves and thin covered balls have enabled elite players to spin approach shots from the rough - ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #31 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand that Wie is Out for Month with Injury, Hockey Wants to Emulate Golf and TaylorMade-Adidas Inks Deal with Chinese. In the Perfect Fit section we learn about the R & A’s Ruling on Iron U-Grooves. The Guru Commentary asks the question Is TaylorMade Losing It’s Edge to the Square Driver? She Golfs Too explores About.com’s Top 50 Female Golfers List and Golf Around the World visits Colorado and the Newest Ice Golf Course. In Can’t We All Get Along a Golfer is Wanted in Course Vandalism ...

I got my daily e-mail from Golf Press Association. It is basically a regurgitation of the press releases they receive from equipment, apparel and marketing companies. I accept that. Sometimes these e-mails even contain some interesting announcements. What I don’t get is why I would care that in the recent AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, “6 of the 20 finishers at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, including the runner up relied on Izzo to carry their bags". Izzo is a great golf bag. They come up with innovative designs, cool colors and have bags that are easy ...

The “hottest” marketing trend in the driver world today is the square-headed driver. Both Callaway and Nike officially hit the market with their entries at the recent PGA Show. Yet, TaylorMade appears to be sticking with their moveable weight concept they introduced in 2004. Does this mean that TaylorMade is losing its edge in the driver market that it’s owned for years? According to president and CEO of TaylorMade-Adidas Golf who was quoted at the PGA Show, “the square-headed driver phenomenon will be over in about 90 days.” Wow! That’s a big time shot over the bow of ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #30 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on R&A Opening Clubhouse to Women, Goosen’s Win in Qatar and Alledged Mob Ties to New York Golf Course. In the Perfect Fit section we explore a recent Golf Shaft Survey by Golfweek. The Guru Commentary rants about Why We’d Rather Love Duval. She Golfs Too talks about a Couple that Decides Name on Golf Course and the Component Corner announces the Formation of a New Clubbuilders Association. We travel the globe in Golf Around the World and visit the Goofy Golf Miniature Golf Course. Our police ...

You may have noticed that Tiger Woods won again (ho hum). Same old, same old. The greatest golfer on the planet lurks in the weeds, let’s the rookies self-destruct and wins his 55th tournament and 7th in a row. Based on what I saw on CBS, he didn’t even work up a sweat. What was absent, again, was Phil and V.J. and the rest of the crew. As I said just a week ago with my Nostradamus-like predictions, Phil Mickelson “melts like overheated plastic in a microwave”. It seems that the same can apply to V.J. when Tiger ...

About four days ago I penned a blog posting discussing Why We’d Rather Love Duval Than Mickelson. Lost in Thursday’s hype of Brandt Snedeker’s flirt with a 59 at the Buick Invitational and Tiger’s T66, was the presence of David Duval tied, yes that’s right TIED with Tiger at T66. Also, as a footnote, Phil Mickelson sits at T124 with a lowly 74. To be fair, I do realize that these are just the results of the first round of a four round tournament and Woods & Duval will switch to the harder South Course for round 2. Now, ...

I was looking at the standings of the recently completed Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and noticed that former no. 1 golfer in the world, David Duval shot an 8-under 352 to finish T-39, AHEAD of Phil Mickelson who shot a 7-under 353 and finished T-45. Currently, Mr. Duval is ahead of Mr. Mickelson in earnings too, taking home a $20,000 paycheck to Mickelson’s $15,500. Now this might not seem like much, but it got me to thinking about two things: Mickelson will always be a bridesmaid never a bride and we’d love to see Duval rocket back up the standings and ...

CLICK HERE to listen. In Episode #29 of Golf Gear News, host Bruce Stasch reports at The Newstand on Wie’s Acceptance to Stanford, The Tiger Index and Tiger to be a Father. In the Perfect Fit section we explore the Benefits of Custom-Fitted Golf Clubs. The Guru Commentary rants about What’s the Deal with Pink Golf Clubs? Our police blotter in Why Can’t We All Just Get Along discovers Stolen Golf Clubs Worth $600K. Golf of the Weird tells about the 3rd Annual Fat Boy Open. Our Website Spotlight is Golf Movies. As always, our show is sponsored by Golfknockoff.com. Check out our new Media Kit. Next ...