Taylor Made's New Golf Ball Promo Is Just Empty Marketing Hype

I’d like to bring to your attention the lame attempt by Taylor Made to try to sell us more of their new TP golf balls. According to their recent press release, “My TP Ball allows golfers to connect with their number and make their golf ball an extension of themselves.” Oh boy! Even more, “the program allows golfers to design their own golf balls in a new and individualized way.” Golly gee!

According to Taylor Made a golfer can print out a special form, take it to their local retailer, order at least three dozen golf balls, wait 2-3 weeks, and presto, new golf balls will be delivered to their door with a preprinted number on it (mine would be 11). Wow!

So, after I downloaded their special form, I checked out the price. Ouch. These balls cost $39.99 a dozen. If I bought three boxes I’m looking at $119.97. Then if you add local sales tax (7% in Minneapolis) that’s another $8.40. I’m guessing they add shipping so let’s say it’s an additional $5.00. Total cost: $133.37. I’m going to pay that much just to put my special number on my golf ball?

Basically, I’m paying $3.70 PER GOLF BALL so I can have my special number on it and I have to wait three weeks to get it. I don’t think so.

Let’s take this a step further, how long do you really keep a golf ball? Two rounds? One? Five holes? At the rate I lose golf balls these wouldn’t last a week.

I think it would be much easier to just take a Sharpie (cost $0.99) and write my special number on a bunch of golf balls (75 used balls for $29.99), then add local tax ($2.10). Total cost: $32.09

Now I’m only paying $.0.43 PER GOLF BALL so if I lose it, I don’t care. I can also play 3.5 MORE rounds of golf with the money I just saved.

I’m all for innovation and trying to push the envelope, but I see Taylor Made’s substance-less marketing hype staring me in the face.

How is having my pre-printed “special” number on my golf ball supposed to help me?