HERTFORD, N.C. – The U.S. Pro Golf, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greens Worldwide, Inc. (OTCBB – GRWW.OB) announces that Softspikes, the #1 Cleat on Tour, and the Pride Professional Golf Tee System have become “official suppliers” to the USPGT.
“We’re delighted that Softspikes and the Pride Professional Golf Tee System are on board with us,” said Phil Bough, Commissioner of the USPGT. “PrideSports is an outstanding, environmentally-friendly company, fully dedicated to our great game, and we’re delighted we’ve forged this partnership with these nationally recognized brands.”
About Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC
Fletcher Pride and his son, Gene Pride, for the purpose of manufacturing wooden mouthpieces for Hav-a-Tampa Jewel Cigars, founded Pride Manufacturing Company in 1930 in Tampa, Florida. The Company was known as Pride Sales Agency at that time. It was under Gene Pride's leadership that the company operated in Tampa until 1956. At that time, the decision was made to move part of the operation closer to the source of raw material, which is white birch. In August of 1956 an empty factory was purchased in Guilford, Maine, and remodeled to manufacture wooden cigar tips. During this time Stanley Pride, Gene's son, assumed the leading role in the company. It was Stan and his brother-in-law, Ariel Ellis, who provided the direction needed for the next four decades of progress.
Shortly after moving to Maine, the Company began making golf tees as its second product. This proved to be a very wise venture, as it was a good mix of products for the Company. Over the next several years, the Company methodically diversified its wooden product line to manufacture thousands of wooden pieces representing dozens of different industries as well as injection molded plastic pieces at the Brandon, Florida factory. In 1988 an additional manufacturing facility was built in Florence, Wisconsin. This location provided the Company with a second major source of wood as well as an excellent shipping location. Ariel Ellis and his son Randy, along with their families, volunteered to move to Wisconsin to oversee the construction and management of the facility.
The decision was made in 1992 to purchase another manufacturing facility in Maine. The Company purchased the Ethan Allen complex in Burnham, Maine, just 40 miles from the Guilford location. With this purchase, the Guilford facility was able to gain some much needed space, and a new, state-of-the-art Sawmill was built in Burnham. Pride Manufacturing Company then acquired woodturnings competitor, Allen-Rogers Corporation in August of 1999. This acquisition resulted in a major expansion to the woodturnings line, including larger turnings, knobs, and molded shapes. In April 2001, Pride Manufacturing Company partnered with a well financed, nationally recognized holding company, Bessemer Holdings of New York, to form Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC. This partnership provided additional financial resources and expertise for further growth.
During January of 2003, Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC, acquired 2 additional new companies. The first was Houlton International Corporation, a Houlton, Maine-based manufacturer of high-quality wooden components, including back knife lathe turnings and surfaced-four-sides squares. The Houlton furniture turnings are found in many nationally recognized brands of furniture. The second of these acquisitions was Sport Holdings, Inc., which included the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Softspikes Company and Trisport, Ltd. of Tamworth, England, the leader in sales and manufacturing of golf cleats and receptacles for the worldwide golf market. In July 2003, Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC, also acquired another turning competitor, George F. Adams Company, of Moscow, Vermont. The acquisition further expanded Pride's turning market and manufacturing capabilities. The major industries now supplied include golf, cigar, piano, furniture, hardware, house wares, toys, along with craft and hobby. These are supplied from manufacturing facilities located in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southern regions of the country as well as England. Pride Manufacturing Company, LLC., is now in an excellent position to service a worldwide market with the excellent product lines and services for which it has come to be known.
About the U.S. Pro Golf Tour
U.S. Pro Golf Tour is the country's premier intermediary professional golf tour. Our tour-caliber events feature former PGA golfers, players preparing for the Champions Tour, non-exempt professionals on the Champions Tour, celebrity challengers and professionals 18 and older gearing-up for the PGA Tour. The U.S. Pro Golf Tour also conducts a Pro-Net competition for players with handicaps of all skill levels, 18 years and older, competing for substantial prize money in a tour-event atmosphere. All tournaments are week-long events, and feature junior clinics, Celebrity Pro-Am’s, electronic leader boards, skybox and grandstand seating and hospitality, with local market charities benefiting from the events. The U.S. Pro Golf Tour is televised on FOX Sports Net, which operates 22 regional sports channels nationwide. For more information on the U.S. Pro Golf Tour, phone 252.264.2064, or visit our website, www.usprogolftour.com. The U.S. Pro Golf Tour, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Greens Worldwide, Inc. (OTCBB: GRWW)
For more information, please contact:
Mark Edwards
VP – Media and Communications
U.S. Pro Golf Tour
423.314.6216
mediarelations-mark@usprogolftour.com
