Critical Thinking

Companies currently operating within the golf industry, specifically Calloway Golf, must change their current marketing approaches and strategies to withstand the recession and threats facing the industry. Although Calloway has a strong R&D department that tends to remain competitive with products and technology, there have been little results in reference to scores. It is imperative that if companies are going to market a product that will help golfers drive further and straighter that the results depict this so that not to damage the brand name of a product. Secondly, due to the decline in equipment sales and the number of golfers, prices are dropping and companies are outsourcing to maintain the volume needed to remain competitive. Companies must be cautious and aware so that counterfeiting may be reduced. This reduction would also allow companies to reduce their pricing and have more sales without the competition of these cheaply priced knock-offs. In the instance of

Looking at the market we can see that Golf Companies have suffered after the 2008 recession. However, in 2012 golf ball market was $483 million in retail sales from 17.6 million units which was 4.1% growth from 2011, showing that there has been improvement in the market performance from companies that had lower prices for golf equipment as people were willing to spend on their product. However Altius could not regain

Callaway's strategic success in 1988 to 1997 is highly credited to its R & D facilities. Their approach toward innovation and technology provided a cutting edge against the other competitors in the market. The way Callaway was able to continue their differentiation features was through their highly

Imagine the sun bursting through the trees for the first time of the new day, the smell of freshly cut grass still potent to your nose as you tee the ball up for a round of golf in the cool mist of a spring morning. "That is what brings you back every time, the smell of the air, the coolness of the whether and the beautiful surroundings that make every shot enjoyable." (Suess, PI) This is the game of golf in its finest and most exquisite time to many people and many people it has touched in its long history. Golf is a lifestyle and not just games to people that are avid in playing. The game of golf has a history that is rich in technological advances and personal accomplishments, which through time has shown to shape

Evaluate Callaway 's strategy from 1988-1997. What factors contributed to its success? How strong is the Callaway brand at the end of 1997? Is Callaway well positioned?

There is a clear inconsistency in the claim that Performance Indicator (PI) offers significant profit uplift potential for golf ball manufacturers and the fact that no single manufacturer is yet to adopt the technology. This memo discusses the key arguments on why this is the case.

The U.S. Golf Association (USGA) specified the characteristics of legal balls within tight parameters. These restrictions on size, weight, materials, texture, etc., seemingly left little room for product innovation. In fact, the USGA regulations specified not just what went into a ball, but how it could perform, stipulating to within 10-20 yards how far the ball could travel when hit by a certain type of club traveling at a certain speed, all verified under controlled conditions with robotic testing equipment. Nonetheless, new product introductions were rampant in the industry, with slight changes in surface coatings and dimple patterns, for example, being touted for their ability to add a handful of yards to a golfer’s shots, to give more accuracy, or to create greater control through faster spin on the ball. In addition, ball manufacturers spent millions of dollars on advertising campaigns for their balls. There were three basic types of balls, all conforming to the same general specifications. The oldest technology still in use was the three-piece ball, which consisted of a core, windings, and a cover; this ball was good for spin and overall control. The second, and most popular, type of ball was the twopiece ball, which eliminated the windings of the three-piece ball; this ball produced more distance. The newest technology was the “solid core, multi-layered ball,” which had taken the

The company’s CEO and founder Ely Callaway was a golf champion himself during his twenties and was a powerful motivator defining the company’s culture

Behind any great company usually sits a great leader and entrepreneur. For Callaway Golf, this was no exception. Ely Callaway was known for his business philosophy: “Demonstrably Superior, Pleasingly Different”- he believed that “in business, in leisure and in life, you need to differentiate yourself, stand out, be exceptional, fill a niche, over deliver and always, always stand for your principles and deliver what you promise (Callaway Golf Company).” Throughout his career, Ely Callaway found business success- as president of Burlington Industries, and successful creation of both Callaway Vineyard and Winery and then Callaway Golf Company- utilizing focused differentiation strategy and blue ocean strategy successfully (Gamble, 2000).

The founder, Ely Callaway’s vision is: “If we make a truly more satisfying product for the average golfer, not the professionals, and make it pleasingly different form the competition, the company would be successful.” However, this vision is change from other company’s visions; the difference being that the price is not mention.

founder of Callaway Golf Company turned the most-feared club into the most-loved almost overnight. The driver became the fastest-selling club at retail. Many innovations have followed. From woods, irons, and putters to golf balls and golf accessories, Callaway Golf has consistently used ingenuity, quality construction, and technology to make the finest premium products in the industry.

The decision for an individual manufacturer to adopt PI’s technology will be determined by the potential increase in sales as golfers replace performance degraded balls with their brand. It is reasonable to assume that individual manufacturers are hesitant to pioneer this technology because there is no assurance that a performance degraded golf ball would be replaced with their own. The data indicate that golfers are comfortable using used balls, or value brands. By removing approximately 50% of the used balls from circulation, numerous golfers may utilize the lower cost alternatives to fulfill their required quantities.

* Golf course owners tend to be highly brand loyal and are unwilling to risk switching to a new product.

We have carefully looked at our external and internal environments. The external analysis looked at the market and the competition, while the internal analysis examined Callaway’s performance, as well as its customers. We also performed a “SWOT” analysis, enabling us to identify our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis lends to the view that it is imperative that we change our existing strategy and focus on other markets. It is not suggested that we ignore our existing markets, but rather that we expand our customers and potential customers access to custom club fitting. I firmly believe that by pursuing this avenue, and by implementing and controlling the proposed fundamental marketing strategies and marketing mix strategies, we will be able to achieve the stated objectives.

We are pleased to say we more than always get positive feed back. When an error does come up in our system we justify it as quickly as possible for it never to happen again.