All About Taylor Made!

Hey Rock Heads! In celebration of my Taylor Made BLOWOUT this weekend, I thought I’d share this blog from June with you. Everything you want to know about Taylor Made is right here. Including the press release below! Released on November 7, the projected sales of $2 bil in 2015 lets you know just how far this company has come.

TaylorMade-adidas Golf Reports Third Quarter Results and On Track for another Stellar Year

Company sets sights on becoming No. 1 in golf footwear and believes it will surpass $2 billion in sales by 2015

Carlsbad, CA (November 7, 2013) – TaylorMade-adidas Golf (TMaG), the largest golf company in the world, announced today, Q3 sales of $280M (EUR 210M). Through YTD September, TMaG reports sales of $1.3B (EUR 981M). The company saw YTD sales increases in the iron, footwear and apparel categories, which grew 3%, 13% and 4% respectively compared to the prior year. Regionally, the U.S., which accounts for more than half of TMaG’s global sales, grew 3%.

TaylorMade has dominated the metalwood category for a decade, achieved category leadership in irons in 2011, and currently is second in footwear. CEO and President Mark King expects continued growth in the footwear category to put the company on pace to overtake the top spot in footwear by 2015.

“Strong equipment sales combined with our growth in the footwear and apparel categories have us on track to surpass the unprecedented $2 billion sales barrier by 2015,” said King. “We believe the industry will rebound in 2014 from the 10% YTD drop in the U.S. metalwood market size and 6% drop in U.S. rounds played that have impacted growth in 2013.”

The company also continues to lead in the iron category, owning 27% YTD marketshare in the U.S. YTD iron sales growth was fueled by the retail success of RocketBladez and the recent release of SpeedBlade, a performance iron that delivers extraordinary distance and forgiveness. What separates the two iron sets from competitor sets is the Speed Pocket, a handle-bar shaped slot in the sole of the 3-7 irons that enables a large area of the face to flex and rebound at impact, resulting in faster ball speed, higher launch and better feel.

Other areas of growth include the most recent acquisition of Adams. In the putter category, TaylorMade saw a strong double-digit YOY increase based on Q3 global data, which can be attributed to the retail popularity of the company’s “counter balance” putter models, namely the Daddy Long Legs. In June, TaylorMade Golf ambassador Justin Rose won the U.S. Open playing a counter-balance putter – a moment that has helped translate into putter sales at retail.

Last quarter, TMaG announced 2013 was the second consecutive year the company recorded more than $1 billion in sales through the first six months. The company owns 38% of the metalwood marketshare in the U.S. YTD. Last week, company ambassador Dustin Johnson won the HSBC Champions in China playing TaylorMade’s SLDR, the No. 1 played driver on tour and No. 1 selling model

Everything You Want To Know About TaylorMade…

From The First Driver	To The Most Recent! (Facepaint Not Included)

The History of Taylor Made

Taylor Made’s origins date to 1978, when Gary Adams began showing PGA Tour pros the metal-headed drivers he was building. In 1979, Adams took out a $24,000 loan on his house and leased a 6,000 square foot building in McHenry, Illinois. and founded Taylor Made Golf. He originally had three employees and sold only one item, his newly-invented 12-degree loft stainless-steel metal wood. That original product, the Taylor Made Metalwood, changed the face of golfing across the globe. Metal woods had existed before 1978, but they were rarely used novelties. Adams convinced a 47 tour professionals, to use the driver, known as the Pittsburgh Persimmon, in the 1979 PGA Club Professional Championship. When Ron Streck became the first golfer to win carrying a Taylor Made metal wood in 1981, it sounded the death knell for persimmon woods. Since then, metal has been the preferred material in golf clubs.

In 1983, Taylor Made introduced its Burner driver, a club with a 7-degree loft and dimples on the head to help with aerodynamics. Taylor Made didn’t change its R7 line until 2007, when it added adjustable weights. In 2009, the company made the loft and face angle adjustable. Burner and Burner Plus drivers ranked as the most popular clubs used on the PGA circuit by the mid-1980s. Innovation slowed in the late 80s and early 90s, but the introduction of the Burner Bubble clubs brought new life to Taylor Made especially after a prototype became the first metal wood to win at Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. The Burner Bubble featured an innovative shaft that enabled golfers to swing faster without extra effort.

In 1998, Taylor Made became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Adidas Group in a move viewed positively both inside and outside the company. “This is a tremendous move for Taylor Made,” CEO George Montgomery told reporters, “giving us access to the resources of the number two company in the world in sports clothing and shoes. Joining the Adidas family undoubtedly will help Taylor Made as we continue our aggressive growth plans.” And in 2008 the apparel company Ashworth was acquired. In 2012, Taylor Made-adidas Golf announced it was buying Adams Golf.

Taylor Made’s legacy of innovation continues into the 21st century with the introduction of the r7 Quad driver in 2004. This club popularized “Movable Weight Technology,” the ability – through the use of interchangeable weighted screws – to change a club’s weighting properties and therefore the flight characteristics it produces. In 2009, the R9 driver introduced the company’s “Flight Control Technology,” giving golfers the ability to adjust loft, lie and face angle by changing the relation of the driver head to the shaft. Taylor Made created tons of buzz in 2011 with not just the technology of their new R11 clubs, but the color – they were all white! Skeptics laughed, but were proven wrong when the R11 became the No.1 driver model on the PGA Tour. The driver’s success on the Tour paralleled it’s success on the shelves. Taylor Made’s U.S. Metalwood drew over 40% of the market share, the higest on record of any brand. In 2006, TaylorMade/adidas had its first $1 billion revenue year, marking only the second time a golf brand has achieved this in industry history. The company is currently the largest golf equipment and apparel company in the world with sales of over $1 billion in 2011. Not bad for a company with originally three employees.

Taylor Made Tour Professionals

TaylorMade’s Innovative Technology

TaylorMade is without a doubt one of the leaders in golf technology. Where to even start! From the technology that makes TaylorMade the #1 driver on tour all the way down to their putter technology that makes sure your ball finds it’s home in the hole, TaylorMade hasn’t missed a beat in their effort to create the best golf equipment on earth!

Wood Technology
It’s hard to think about TaylorMade woods without mentioning their revolutionary Moveable Weight & Flight Control technology, allowing players to adjust their flight paths and lofts without changing clubs! And with their specially desgined aerodynamics and Ultra Thin Wall technology, TaylorMade gives you the distance you need with increased club speed. But what good is distance without accuracy? TaylorMade turns to it’s Inverted Cone technology to provide the ultimate in forgiveness on off-center hits. And of course we can’t forget the recently famous white finish. Fashion statement? Maybe…but it also makes alignment easier and reduces glare on address.

Iron Technology
Now you’re staring at the green. What do you need? Accuracy, accuracy and MORE accuracy! And TaylorMade provides just that with their irons. The Sound Management badge technology reduces vibration during the hit, creating a more consistent feel during each swing. Plus with a Precision Weighting Port and Multi-Functional Sole design, TaylorMade ensures a uniform swing for each iron with a perfect center of gravity. And the irons also share the Inverted Cone Technology with the woods, again providing the ULTIMATE in forgiveness. A fan of forged irons? Don’t forget TaylorMade uses a 6-Step Forging Process to provide the most consistent iron standards possible.

Putter Technology
What’s the first step in putting? Make sure you’re aligned perfectly! And TaylorMade’s Easy-To-See alignment aids allow you to do just that. And remember that Adjustable Weight Technology from the woods above? Oh yeah, the putters have that too! Adjust the weighting in your putter so it suits you better than any putter you’ve had before for that perfect roll every time. And speaking of perfect roll, don’t forget about the Pure Roll Insert technology!

Ball Technology
So what exactly makes TaylorMade balls so special? Let’s start with the Five-Layer Construction. Why five layers? How about one for each of the key shot types! And I know you’ve heard of the TaylorMade LDP balls. But did you know LDP stands for Low-Drag Performance and makes sure you get optimal speed, even off mis-hits? As everyone knows balls need to go FAR but also feel soft around the greens. That’s why TaylorMade uses an Iothane cover for extra distance plus a Cast Urethane coating for the playability you need around the greens!

Scratch’s Favorite Taylor Made Videos!

Natalie Gives Julie A Lesson

The Right Way To Test A Golf Ball

Dustin Johnson At AT&T Park