The Under Armour Rumor (YOUR OPINIONS)

[markb]

We live in a global corporate economy where lines of influence and borders blur.   Almost all golf clubs and shafts are made in China by subcontracted factories that are paid by TMag or Titleist etc. to fabricate their designs on WangChung Industries' (sic) equipment.   Those designs have R&D that may or may not come in house from the nominal manufacturer, and they have marketing influenced shapes and ridges and colors that may or may not come in house as well. 

 

It really doesn't matter where they come from any more and I'm surprised at how different the various products are that come out of these private labeling facilities.  Sometimes the Bigs buy sell and trade technology among themselves.  Why are the Titleist and Callaway adjustable hosel designs nearly identical?  I heard that Titleist licensed the design from Cally.   (Please correct anything I say in error MGS staffers.)

 

I heard somewhere that there are only a few factories around the world that actually make golf balls and all of our dozens of brands and hundreds of models come from those few factories.  Callaway famously acquired Spaulding years back for one reason -- to get its Top Flite ball factory so it could make its own balls. They really didn't care much for the rest of the company or its brands (including Ben Hogan.)

[TxDieselKid]

It's just a matter of when.  I would think they will buy a smaller company and bring them inhouse and just change the branding on the clubs to the UA as shown in the first post.  

 

If you think there isn't a market you are crazy.  The UA customer is very brand loyal, much more than most shoppers.  In the decision tree process brand is closer to the bottom than the top for the majority of customers, UA is the exception. STRONG customer loyalty compared to the rest of the golf sector. 

 

With the growth they have seen in the Golf sector in retail outlets such as Dicks (Galaxy), GolfSmith, and Academy they have positioned themselves as a true golf brand.  No they do not have a strong Green Grass presence, but their account manager system does open themselves up for that. When they figure out how to shape that frontier, watch out, because it's on.

[markb]

I agree that UA enjoys strong brand loyalty -- for other sports apparel. But they are so new to golf that I think its premature to claim they have golf apparel "loyalty" yet. I've never seen a piece of UA  golf apparel on a course or in a store yet. Only on Jordan Speith's back an TV. But I think it's very handsome & distinctive and I would wear it.

[Jondagcl]

I agree that UA enjoys strong brand loyalty -- for other sports apparel. But they are so new to golf that I think its premature to claim they have golf apparel "loyalty" yet. I've never seen a piece of UA  golf apparel on a course or in a store yet. Only on Jordan Speith's back an TV. But I think it's very handsome & distinctive and I would wear it.

I have searched fruitlessly for the shirts that Jordan wears and can't find any available locally to try on.  I'm with you, the under armor clothes that they script him with, incredible.

[sp0rtsfan86]

After reading the Nike thread, I think a lot of the same things would happen to UA. People would immediately ask why a shirt company is doing clubs. Only thing that they may have over Nike is Under Armor was a cutting edge company with the shirts in the public eyes. Down side is UA at least in my mind is overpriced, and I know a lot of people around me only buy UA when it's older stuff.

 

Think if UA does enter golf they're going to fight an uphill battle unless the stuff is either off the charts top notch or cheap based on perceptions. Maybe it's just me, but I've considered them pricey when shopping around. 

[dru_]

I agree that UA enjoys strong brand loyalty -- for other sports apparel. But they are so new to golf that I think its premature to claim they have golf apparel "loyalty" yet. I've never seen a piece of UA  golf apparel on a course or in a store yet. Only on Jordan Speith's back an TV. But I think it's very handsome & distinctive and I would wear it.

 

I own a couple pair of UA Golf shorts FWIW.  Quite comfortable (though the pocket design could use some improvement)

[Mimz]

I have a few pieces of UA golf clothes and they are awesome. I have a hard time seeing them producing clubs. They will be better off to focus on the apparel side of the industry. Although they have burst onto the scene in the lacrosse world becoming the official supplier of apparel and equipment of the NLL.

[TxDieselKid]

I agree that UA enjoys strong brand loyalty -- for other sports apparel. But they are so new to golf that I think its premature to claim they have golf apparel "loyalty" yet. I've never seen a piece of UA  golf apparel on a course or in a store yet. Only on Jordan Speith's back an TV. But I think it's very handsome & distinctive and I would wear it.

 

 

I have searched fruitlessly for the shirts that Jordan wears and can't find any available locally to try on.  I'm with you, the under armor clothes that they script him with, incredible.

 

Do you all not have Dicks Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Sports Authority, Academy, or GolfSmith in your area?  Don't go to the course looking for it in their pro shop, you won't find it there.  All the major big box stores should have it though.

[markb]

Do you all not have Dicks Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Sports Authority, Academy, or GolfSmith in your area?  Don't go to the course looking for it in their pro shop, you won't find it there.  All the major big box stores should have it though.

 

We've got a Dicks and a Scheels, but none of the other chains.   To be fair, I don't buy much new golfing apparel so I'm never window shiopping for it.   But for the sake of this forum, I'll make a special trip to our Dick's, Big 5 and Uinta Golf and I'll report back what I find.

 

Still haven't seen it on a course though, but again, I'm not going out of my way to check labels.

[Jondagcl]

Do you all not have Dicks Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Sports Authority, Academy, or GolfSmith in your area? Don't go to the course looking for it in their pro shop, you won't find it there. All the major big box stores should have it though.

We do. Under armor has a few lines of clothes and at the Dicks near me they have the generic line that has the standard fit polos, and none of "tour" looking clothes. Think blue shirt with horizontal white stripes or solid bright green shirt - that's pretty much all they have for under armor. It's odd because next to it they have probably 4 variations of Nike polos, from the low end to the TW line.

 

I'll look more closely at golfsmith next time I'm there and see what's up.

[apprenti23]

Hopefully never...

 

I first wore an under armour piece of clothing in 2000 or 2001 as a long sleeve turtle neck and since then have grown to love the brand more than Nike, Adidas, etc.

 

It took them many years to get into the shoe market and even now probably have hardly much of a share in that.

 

Golf as a whole is down. Golf equipment sales are probably even worse. Lot of risk.

[markb]

We do. Under armor has a few lines of clothes and at the Dicks near me they have the generic line that has the standard fit polos, and none of "tour" looking clothes. Think blue shirt with horizontal white stripes or solid bright green shirt - that's pretty much all they have for under armor. It's odd because next to it they have probably 4 variations of Nike polos, from the low end to the TW line.

 

I'll look more closely at golfsmith next time I'm there and see what's up.

 

 

I went to Dick's, Uinta Golf, and my proshop today and found UA at all three! Not much product compared to Nike and Slazenger. Saw the green shirt you speak of. My brand ignorance is just due to the fact that I don't buy new golf clothes.

[DanD]

Id be surprised to see this happen too.  I think they should just keep pushing the clothing gear and innovating on that front.  If they do enter the market, I could see them buying up one of the smaller OEMs and starting from there.  

[markb]

I want to change my prognostication on this one.   I want to vote for UA simply NOT entering the Golf Equipment game at this time.   Unless it's already too late and they've already developed a line of clubs that they simply must release, I predict they sit this one out for a couple of years and watch the carnage from the sidelines.  They will continue to sell some clothes and shoes, but they don't spin their wheels trying to convince Dick's and SA to stock their clubs.

[ZenGolfer]

I think it would be cool if UA started making clubs.  Not sure when they would do it but if they do it, are serious about it and follow the Nike/TM tactic of paying the best clubbuilders in the business to work for them and get at least 1 top tour pro to play their clubs, they would be successful.

[tider]

What about Tommy Armour?  

[Alex1975]

Its another Nike situation for me, just not a fit for golf equipment.

[The Artful Duffer]

I still want to know if UA is planning on bringing Spieth's shoes to market. I think their "spine" sole tech would be an interesting match with some spineless designs.

[The Artful Duffer]

What about Tommy Armour?

Tommy Armour is still toiling away as the Sports Authority house brand. Damn shame too. The clubs have gotten better but nowhere close to the 845's from the mid 90's. Letting go of my silver scots was a huge mistake. On a side note, the 845 DLT ball is my current favorite. 4pc two dozen for $25 I'll take it all day. Thread jack over. Sorry.

[jrshields3]

I can see them coming in full speed ahead with lots of finances to back the push. I'm not sure I see a viable company for them to purchase.