CARLSBAD, Calif. -- In 2005, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company is providing its Tour Staff professionals participating in the Major Championships with special edition hats and staff bags. Both hats and bags feature a logo specially designed by TaylorMade that pays homage to the particular tournament and the particular venue at which it is being played.
Conceived in 2003 to Pay Respect to the Four Major Championships
TaylorMade first created special edition hats and bags which appeared at the 2003 Masters. Two special edition bags were created for each Tour Staff player participating at that particular major. After the event, players kept the used bag and autographed the other; autographed bags were sold to a private collector and the proceeds donated to the First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation that creates new facilities and access to golf with a special emphasis on kids who otherwise may not have an opportunity to experience the game. The program was continued that year for special edition hats and bags introduced at the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship).
"The idea for special edition bags and hats was conceived to pay respect to the four Major Championships and show our reverence for their history, their venues and their champions," says Merle Marting, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing for TaylorMade. "We took a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction in every aspect of it - creating the logos, choosing the colors, passing them out to the players, and giving the proceeds of the bags sales to a great cause like the First Tee."
TaylorMade's original plan was to create special edition hats and bags to be introduced at the four major championships in 2003, then at the Masters in 2004, which approximately coincided with TaylorMade's 25th anniversary. The special edition logo at that event was inspired by the clubhouse badge used at the 1979 event, the year of TaylorMade's founding, and hats and bags featured the original TaylorMade logo.
Resumed this Year
TaylorMade resumed its special edition hats and bags again this year, starting with the products being introduced at the Masters. Why? "We decided to do it again this year because we love doing it," says Craig Barez, Creative Director for TaylorMade. "From the start it wasn't about making a profit. It was about paying tribute. Beyond that, we found that the process of conceiving and creating the logos, bags and hats for each event was satisfying and fun. Not only that, our staff pros love them."
This year's special edition logo used on the hats and bags introduced at the Masters, with its oval shape, was inspired by the badge issued to tournament patrons at the 1965 event. The words "season opener" refer to the tournament's position on the schedule as the first Major Championship of the year; the latitude and longitude coordinates on the sides refer to Augusta, Georgia's position on the map; and the number 40705 refers to the tournament's scheduled starting date, April 7, 2005.
Replica hats, which were available at retail, featured the special edition logo on the back and a woven tab stitched into the back with the word "AMEN" and a rendering of a green jacket. The jacket is symbolic of the famous green jacket awarded to the tournament winner, while AMEN is a reference to a nickname for the hole numbers 10, 11 and 12.
TaylorMade Special Edition Logos for the U.S. Open,
The Open Championship and PGA Championship
This week, members of TaylorMade's Tour Staff will again wear special edition caps and use special edition bags, this time with a logo, complete with clock and cupola, that blends elements from the U.S. Open history and the site of this year's tournament, Pinehurst No. 2:
"NO 2" refers to Pinehurst No. 2, the course at which the tournament is being played.
The six stars refer to the six years that have passed since Pinehurst No. 2 last hosted the U.S. Open.
"61605" is the date the tournament began - June 16, 2005
"1907" is the year the course opened; the profile of the green illustrates the famous crowned shaping of No. 2's putting surfaces.
hat tab: "1895" is the year that the Pinehurst region was discovered (by a man named James Tuft); the milk bottle is a nod to the local dairy industry.
At the Open Championship, to be held at St. Andrews, elements of the Rampant Lion special edition logo include:
The plaid background was inspired by a traditional Scottish tartan.
"22" and "18" refer to the fact that the Old Course was originally 22 holes, then shortened to 18.
The stalks represent the marram and lyme grasses that divide the links at St. Andrews.
"71405" is the date the tournament begins - July 14, 2005 hat tab: The rampant lion.
At the PGA Championship, to be held at Baltusrol Golf Club, the logo includes wings, as well as:
"Springfield" is the town in New Jersey in which Baltusrol Golf Club, site of the 2005 PGA Championship, is located.
"81105" is the date the tournament begins - August 11, 2005.
"87" references that this year's event is the 87th PGA Championship.
The shape of the inner shield echoes the shape of the grave stone of Baltus Rol, a Scotsman for whom the course is named.
The flames allude to the 1909 fire that destroyed Baltusrol's original clubhouse.
hat flag: The television with the 54 on its screen is a nod to the 1954 U.S. Open, which was the first televised major championship.
Replica Hats Available at Retail
Replica hats exactly like those worn by TaylorMade's Tour Staff members competing at this year's U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship will be at retail. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is $20.
About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry's technological evolution since being founded in 1979. In 1998 the company joined with adidas Golf, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of adidas-Salomon AG. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Consumers can find more information on TaylorMade-adidas Golf at (800) 888-CLUB or www.tmag.com , www.taylormadegolf.com , www.adidasgolf.com , www.maxfli.com or www.rossaputters.com.
Media Contact:
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
John Steinbach
Tel: 760.918.6330
eMail: john.steinbach@tmag.com
