Big Trouble at TaylorMade?

[hckymeyer]

I agree, the products they are putting out the last few releases are not improvements over previous models. I personally think their products aren't any good right now, and as stated, the products are no where near what they were 5 years ago.

Isn't that the problem as you state it though, they are exactly what they were 5 years ago.  No improvement.  Again I would still disagree to a certain extent.  5 years ago was RBZ and Rocketbladez.  I think their current stuff is much better than those were.

 

That said if you check my sig I still play a SLDR and Speedblade irons so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.  I'm mostly just playing devils advocate

[808nation]

How many endorsed players do they actually have on their roster? Why not cut majority of them, keeping a handful from North America, Europe, and Asia. Payroll must be off the charts at TaylorMade, and they should focus on bringing innovative products on a two year cycle versus what they do now. I like their latest products especially their driver offerings, but they could definitely use a new putter R&D dept...IMHO.

 

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[null]

How many endorsed players do they actually have on their roster? Why not cut majority of them, keeping a handful from North America, Europe, and Asia. Payroll must be off the charts at TaylorMade, and they should focus on bringing innovative products on a two year cycle versus what they do now. I like their latest products especially their driver offerings, but they could definitely use a new putter R&D dept...IMHO.

 

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Because then they wouldn't be able to claim #1 driver in golf

[Kor.A.Door]

Isn't that the problem as you state it though, they are exactly what they were 5 years ago. No improvement. Again I would still disagree to a certain extent. 5 years ago was RBZ and Rocketbladez. I think their current stuff is much better than those were.

 

That said if you check my sig I still play a SLDR and Speedblade irons so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. I'm mostly just playing devils advocate

I used to have a R9, R11, R11s, those were the best drivers they had, the they changed to the R1, and now M1, and M2. Which all stink. Is it a problem with them not really improving products or is it that coupled with the fact that Titleist, Callaway, Ping, cobra, mizuno has produced some really good stuff over the same timeframe? And consumers have better access to these options, and aren't buying based on the name of the company, but rather they/we are buying based on what fits our game. Just my thoughts I guess.

[10shot]

Thinking USGA rules plus 500.00 drivers. I use to buy a new drive on each release because I wanted too, 500.00 driver no way. I see no reason to waste 500.00 on a stick the rules inhibit from making a difference. IMO we have reached the top of design and material for the current rule set. Lighter note I wish Taylor made a great future and prosperity.

 

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[StrokerAce]

... can a golf ball save TM?

 

45.00 for a dozen seems like a LOT of $$ but all of their players seem to be wearing "TP5" hats the WGC this week.

 

http://www.golfgalaxy.com/p/taylormade-tp5-golf-balls-12-pack-17tymm2017tp5gbl/17tymm2017tp5gbl

[Undershooter]

I used to have a R9, R11, R11s, those were the best drivers they had, the they changed to the R1, and now M1, and M2. Which all stink. Is it a problem with them not really improving products or is it that coupled with the fact that Titleist, Callaway, Ping, cobra, mizuno has produced some really good stuff over the same timeframe? And consumers have better access to these options, and aren't buying based on the name of the company, but rather they/we are buying based on what fits our game. Just my thoughts I guess.

 

Did you not hit the M1 and M2 from last year? They were the 2 best drivers on the market last season IMO. 

How is what Tmag is doing any different than say Callaway? Cally just does a better job on social media than Tmag. When the driver release epidemic was going crazy a few years back, it was actually Cally that released more drivers than Tmag over that time span. 

The 2 companies are very comparable as far as their equipment and how they like to spend money on tour. Callaway just did a much better job with their marketing and social media over the last couple of years and that seems to have paid off hugely. 

[Kor.A.Door]

Did you not hit the M1 and M2 from last year? They were the 2 best drivers on the market last season IMO.

How is what Tmag is doing any different than say Callaway? Cally just does a better job on social media than Tmag. When the driver release epidemic was going crazy a few years back, it was actually Cally that released more drivers than Tmag over that time span.

The 2 companies are very comparable as far as their equipment and how they like to spend money on tour. Callaway just did a much better job with their marketing and social media over the last couple of years and that seems to have paid off hugely.

I tried both the M1 and M2 driver, neither worked for me, I did like the m2 3wiod, but my xcg6 is just better for that. TMags MB irons are nice,a buddy of mine plays those, but he is the only person I know that has TM irons. Cally does do a much better job of marketing, but it doesn't take much marketing if you have better products. I just think that TM's products are lacking right now. When I try equipment, I swing everything and find what I like and don't like, I don't care about what brand it is. For me right now, Cally products work and I have a lot of it, but in a year or 2 that may change.

[StrokerAce]

Did you not hit the M1 and M2 from last year? They were the 2 best drivers on the market last season IMO. 

How is what Tmag is doing any different than say Callaway? Cally just does a better job on social media than Tmag. When the driver release epidemic was going crazy a few years back, it was actually Cally that released more drivers than Tmag over that time span. 

The 2 companies are very comparable as far as their equipment and how they like to spend money on tour. Callaway just did a much better job with their marketing and social media over the last couple of years and that seems to have paid off hugely. 

 

I, personally, think that the newer Callaway irons and wedges are better than taylor made.  It didn't always used to be that way though.  I wonder if they lost some staff in that department?

[Bags]

I predicted this 1 yr ago. Im not surprised their upper management team either dumb or greedy I suspect the latter. Sit around boardroom any ideas - Ya Bill what u have - I say we intro a new driver every 12 months then every 8 months then every 4 months until we file for bankruptcy - Bill brilliant u have a gift my friend

 

 

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[BIG STU]

Isn't that the problem as you state it though, they are exactly what they were 5 years ago.  No improvement.  Again I would still disagree to a certain extent.  5 years ago was RBZ and Rocketbladez.  I think their current stuff is much better than those were.

 

That said if you check my sig I still play a SLDR and Speedblade irons so take whatever I say with a grain of salt.  I'm mostly just playing devils advocate

I for one would never take anything you say with a grain of salt. Who cares how "old" they are if they work for you. Man I played the same irons on and off for close to 30 years and have a pristine set of them for back up just in case. LOL my current front line irons are considered "old" by a lot of standards heck they were made in 2013. LOL one of the guys at the club commented the other week "The world is coming to an end Stuey actually has a set of irons made in this century in play in his bag" DO not get me wrong I still play the antique stuff too and can still hit it. Took me 30 years but I finally found a set of irons I can hit as good if not better than my old Macgregors. Last week on my Sunday afternoon walking round I played my 1962 Mac Ceramic Faced irons and a persimmon custom George Izett fiber faced driver. Shot 77 (+5) from the senior tees

[BIG STU]

I, personally, think that the newer Callaway irons and wedges are better than taylor made.  It didn't always used to be that way though.  I wonder if they lost some staff in that department?

 

I, personally, think that the newer Callaway irons and wedges are better than taylor made.  It didn't always used to be that way though.  I wonder if they lost some staff in that department?

I for darn sure are loving my 2013 X forged Callaway irons. The only TM irons I ever owned were a set of TM Miura Forged 300s in fact I traded them for the Callys. Now I am a big V-Steel fan and became a fan of the older Rescue hybrid I have in my front line bag now. I did hit some of the TP blades a few years ago at a demo here and they hit no better or worse than my 1980 Macgregor VIPs. Now not to cut down TM but in all fairness my old Macs had been blueprinted with Pured Shafts etc and the TP blades were stock demos. Like I told the guy I could probably tune the TP blades like I had mine tuned and they would hit as good. Never did like any CBs anyone made until I got the Callys and I had to get used to them eye wise. I think my eyes got to liking them at address because they felt so good hitting them

[Zeasy]

Maybe it's perspective from different skill levels, but Taylormade's line from last year was great. The metals were light years ahead of anything else on the market and they bring a good variety of irons to the table. Putters have always been lacking. I took the epic challenge a few weeks ago and the fitter took one look at my m2, glanced to see if his boss was watching and told me "I don't have anything that can beat your driver."

 

Truth be told, none of us can pinpoint what caused the downfall of Taylormade. We don't even know if the NY Post article is accurate. With that said, treating golf clubs, $500 plus items with multiple years of longetivty, like $75 shirts doesn't work. Clubs aren't soft goods. You aren't going to be able to push a '17 fall/winter line of $1000 clubs every year. Tour endorsements are bottomless pit of advertisement money. Sure, some guys move the needle all the time. Some move it on a week by week basis. Do they really provide the value to justify the risk?

 

Finally, what's the relationship between these large companies and retailers? A guy posted on the blog that callaway forces him to buy so many clubs he has no chance of selling them before they release a new line. If that's true, Taylormade and callaway have effectively created artificial sales for the last decade and created the opportunity for Dick's to come in and buy up ehat seems like every golf retailer.

[jayjay0808]

Wow I didn't know it was that bad at Taylormade. 

 

All this complaining about them releasing a new driver every 3 months has to stop. They have tried to stretch their releases and I applaud them for that. But maybe the damage was already done

[HeathS16]

*jaw drops* This will be so very interesting to watch, was the Tiger contract their Hail Mary? Those numbers are nuts!

 

 

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[Jmikecpa]

I for one would never take anything you say with a grain of salt. Who cares how "old" they are if they work for you. Man I played the same irons on and off for close to 30 years and have a pristine set of them for back up just in case. LOL my current front line irons are considered "old" by a lot of standards heck they were made in 2013. LOL one of the guys at the club commented the other week "The world is coming to an end Stuey actually has a set of irons made in this century in play in his bag" DO not get me wrong I still play the antique stuff too and can still hit it. Took me 30 years but I finally found a set of irons I can hit as good if not better than my old Macgregors. Last week on my Sunday afternoon walking round I played my 1962 Mac Ceramic Faced irons and a persimmon custom George Izett fiber faced driver. Shot 77 (+5) from the senior tees

Have not heard the Izett name in a long time. I had a few sets of irons that his shop did for me when I was living in Philly.

 

 

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[Undershooter]

I, personally, think that the newer Callaway irons and wedges are better than taylor made.  It didn't always used to be that way though.  I wonder if they lost some staff in that department?

 

Maybe so but I don't consider either a "top notch" iron manufacturer. Neither of their iron lines have impressed me in some time. The TP line from 2014 were the best Tmag have put out in a while. New stuff I don't care for as much for either company. We'll give the irons to Callaway though. 

 

Their wedge lines are pretty comparable to me. Both give you options and look decent but don't blow your socks off. Split.

 

The metal woods, I'm definitely leaning Tmag. It isn't even close with the fairway woods. Tmag is more than a step ahead. Drivers are getting closer thanks to the Epic line but the M series are the better of the 2 for me if I'm picking. 

 

I just don't see much of a difference in the two companies equipment other than the marketing. And that's costing Tmag ALOT of $$$$$ lol 

[Undershooter]

I also find it funny that people continue to bring up Tmag releasing so many drivers over a short time span a few years back. YOU DO REALIZE THAT CALLAWAY RELEASED MORE DRIVERS THAN ANYONE ELSE OVER THE SAME TIME SPAN! I can't remember exactly how many it was and don't feel like looking but it was an absurd number. 28 maybe? I feel like it was pushing 30 of them. 

[tony@CIC]

I often remind myself of a comment made by my golf instructor during club fitting days - "you're better off spending the 500. On instruction vs a new driver". But then again "when you're a hammer you see everything as a nail"

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I often remind myself of a comment made by my golf instructor during club fitting days - "you're better off spending the 500. On instruction vs a new driver". But then again "when you're a hammer you see everything as a nail"

 

 

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He's right!

[jayjay0808]

I also find it funny that people continue to bring up Tmag releasing so many drivers over a short time span a few years back. YOU DO REALIZE THAT CALLAWAY RELEASED MORE DRIVERS THAN ANYONE ELSE OVER THE SAME TIME SPAN! I can't remember exactly how many it was and don't feel like looking but it was an absurd number. 28 maybe? I feel like it was pushing 30 of them. 

 

So correct! The last couple releases for Taylormade have been spaced out