NEWS FLASH - Titleist/FootJoy To Be Sold Or Spun Off!

[GolfSpy Dave]

Great sig Dave. Nice to see it here too.

So would there be a major a month on the Global tour? Do you think that the issue of the prime players missing a minor tour stop would get worse if they had to travel so much?

[nvgolfdude]

Great sig Dave. Nice to see it here too.

So would there be a major a month on the Global tour? Do you think that the issue of the prime players missing a minor tour stop would get worse if they had to travel so much?

 

I don't think so. The majors are still the big 4. What other events have earned the cache to get into the conversation? Maybe the Player's Championship... No, I think that this is strictly financial. Players will play where their greatest earning potential is. Major manufacturers want the best ROI that they can get. What does more for Callaway? Phil playing an event in China, or Phil playing the Hope? Not a tough answer is it...

 

That is why I think that this is so obvious. The NFL plays games in London, Mexico City, and Toronto now. MLB is playing in Japan. The Ryder Cup, The President's Cup, The Open Championship, the C/A Events. I think that it's going global. It's only a matter of time - a global golf tour of 30 or so events.

[jamo]

There is a window company called Vista Window? hahaha

[jamo]

Are there really that many guys only playing cameron for the payday from titleist? I don't think that the high end collection market would fall. Betti has high end sales too w/o the tour presence of cameron.

What if Adams picked up cameron...

 

There are also a lot of players who play Scotty's but aren't sponsored by Titleist too.

[Matt Saternus]

I don't think so. The majors are still the big 4. What other events have earned the cache to get into the conversation? Maybe the Player's Championship... No, I think that this is strictly financial. Players will play where their greatest earning potential is. Major manufacturers want the best ROI that they can get. What does more for Callaway? Phil playing an event in China, or Phil playing the Hope? Not a tough answer is it...

 

That is why I think that this is so obvious. The NFL plays games in London, Mexico City, and Toronto now. MLB is playing in Japan. The Ryder Cup, The President's Cup, The Open Championship, the C/A Events. I think that it's going global. It's only a matter of time - a global golf tour of 30 or so events.

 

More good insight. Globalization does seem to be the way that all the other major sports are headed. It will be interesting to see if the PGA Tour does adapt to encompass all of these international events, or if it eventually gets left behind for a lack of willingness to change.

[Matt Saternus]

There are also a lot of players who play Scotty's but aren't sponsored by Titleist too.

 

That's true, but the assertion seems to be that they're still getting paid to play a Cameron, whether Titleist is their major club contract or not.

[GolfSpy Dave]

More good insight. Globalization does seem to be the way that all the other major sports are headed. It will be interesting to see if the PGA Tour does adapt to encompass all of these international events, or if it eventually gets left behind for a lack of willingness to change.

Do you think that the US fans can truly get behind an international playing field? There have been some great examples of this in the past with some of the great non-US players.

Norman and Poulter immediately come to mind for me

[jamo]

That's true, but the assertion seems to be that they're still getting paid to play a Cameron, whether Titleist is their major club contract or not.

 

Good to know, I did not know that.

[Matt Saternus]

Do you think that the US fans can truly get behind an international playing field? There have been some great examples of this in the past with some of the great non-US players.

Norman and Poulter immediately come to mind for me

 

Perhaps the international players would be the "heels" to the American "heroes". Gotta have both for a compelling storyline.

[Matt Saternus]

Good to know, I did not know that.

 

Yes, it's amazing what you can learn from reading all the posts in a thread.

[TWShoot67]

Even if SCP is sold i don't see him going downhill quick. he'll still be selling more putters then Betty and really seriously how many more years does SC need to work LOL. It's not like he's hurting or something. It sounds more like the shareholders of the Fortune Brands that want this to go down. please tell me this economy is going to get better someday. this sucks!

[GolfSpy Dave]

Perhaps the international players would be the "heels" to the American "heroes". Gotta have both for a compelling storyline.

I hate that us v. them international crap though. Ryder is one thing because it is a team event.

I guess that it is growing up with the heel BS in wrestling. Golf doesn't need an Iron Sheik...

[GolfSpy Dave]

Even if SCP is sold i don't see him going downhill quick. he'll still be selling more putters then Betty and really seriously how many more years does SC need to work LOL. It's not like he's hurting or something. It sounds more like the shareholders of the Fortune Brands that want this to go down. please tell me this economy is going to get better someday. this sucks!

Right there with you man. The wife was one of 600 teachers in her district that got pink slipped this month... hoo ha, the recession is over.

[JohnBarry]

Any recent news on this yet?

[HoosierGolfer]

Any recent news on this yet?

They have been splitting up for ten years (if you believe everything you hear). I wouldn't hold my breath for any news.

[PingManKMB]

I imagine it's an issue of "anything over $___ goes in the case" and I think the Methods are over $200. If I ran a golf store, one of two policies would be in effect:

 

1) All putters are locked up. You can demo anything you want, but you have to ask.

 

2) No one under 16 years of age is allowed to touch ANYTHING.

 

Parents at my old store saw the putting green as a babysitting mechanism and that led to innumerable dinged up "new" putters. Not cool.

 

 

I work at local Golf Galaxy in Chicago area... Your points are valid.

 

1. When we clean up at night, usually the putting green is TERRIFYING. We cannot monitor people all day long who are looking at and trying out the putters. So, by nature... They get scuffed, dinged, scratched, etc.

 

2. Kids are NOT the only culprit... It's a shame to see fully grown adults have zero regard for merchandise.

 

3. Yes, we lock up the Scottys, Redwoods, Methods, Black Series Odyssey, etc., because those who are SERIOUSLY going to consider them will politely ask to see them and not throw them around like plastic toys.

 

RANT OVER.

[NGage]

I work at local Golf Galaxy in Chicago area... Your points are valid.

 

1. When we clean up at night, usually the putting green is TERRIFYING. We cannot monitor people all day long who are looking at and trying out the putters. So, by nature... They get scuffed, dinged, scratched, etc.

 

2. Kids are NOT the only culprit... It's a shame to see fully grown adults have zero regard for merchandise.

 

3. Yes, we lock up the Scottys, Redwoods, Methods, Black Series Odyssey, etc., because those who are SERIOUSLY going to consider them will politely ask to see them and not throw them around like plastic toys.

 

RANT OVER.

 

I used to work golf retail, and you'd always get the parent every now and then that would come in with a kid...send the kid to the putting green and go off to look around totally ignoring whatever the kid was doing.

 

One local golf shop here in KC has a sign that says no kids allowed on their putting deck...and IIRC, it says anything damaged will be the responsibility (read "purchase") of the parent.

[Rounders]

Cobra was first with the sale of Puma now possibly Titleist and Scotty will be sold off separately as well.

 

From what we have heard from an incredible source the two names that almost go hand and hand could soon be apart and on their own. Titleist has had many rumors in the past years about either being sold off or becoming its own company one separate from Fortune Brands. And now we are hearing that they are looking to sell both of them off as separate pieces.

 

The names we are hearing are incredibly Nike and Adidas.

 

 

Can you imagine the Scotty Cameron Method Putter?? Not me.

[jamo]

Can you imagine the Scotty Cameron Method Putter?? Not me.

 

Yes! It would be awesome!

[Addicted2Golf]

I work at local Golf Galaxy in Chicago area... Your points are valid.

 

1. When we clean up at night, but usually the putting green is TERRIFYING. We cannot monitor people all day long who are looking at and trying out the putters. So, by nature... They get scuffed, dinged, scratched, etc.

 

2. Kids are NOT the only culprit... It's a shame to see fully grown adults have zero regard for merchandise.

 

3. Yes, we lock up the Scottys, Redwoods, Methods, Black Series Odyssey, etc., because those who are SERIOUSLY going to consider them will politely ask to see them and not throw them around like plastic toys.

 

RANT OVER.

 

Makes sense after hearing the horror stories. Fortunately, I'm not a culprit on any count. Does Golf Galaxy give membership points for that?

[NGage]

Can you imagine the Scotty Cameron Method Putter?? Not me.

 

 

No....because Tom Stites might have a little problem with that.

[reg]

so tiger is getting paid by scotty to use one of his putters?

 

surely nike wouldve thrown a ridiculous amount of money at him to use a method putter, its got to hurt nike that on the last hole of a tournament tiger is about to win with the final putt, the camera does a close up from behind the ball and putter head showing "titleist".

[HuskyHacker]

so...its august now. ihavent heard any new news on sc being moved.

 

has anything happened with this, or are we still waiting ??

[Justin66]

The Pro Platinum and the all over the place metal that was used in the product. They were produced overseas. They either skimped on the metal knowing the product would be plated and "hidden" or because the metal looked bad they plated it. The story varies depending upon who you talk to.

 

Either way it was horrible metal, I have seen a stripped model break moving them 2-3 degrees for lie. I have seen some that looked fine without the plating and seen some that were horrible. It could be because of skim-milling a cast head, never really paid attention.

 

Beryllium copper was an "it" material years back and that easily broke when trying to adjust loft/lie. This is straight from the SC website, for a Newport 2 (emphasis mine):

 

Specifications

Loft : 4°

Lie : 71°

Length : 33'', 34'', 35''

Headweight : 360g, 350g, 340g

Swingweight : C9-D1, D2-D4, D6-D8

Head material : Precision Milled 303 Stainless Steel

Offset : Full Shaft

 

303 stainless steel. It's just a tad softer than the "new" it metal, 304 stainless. According to the Rockwell Hardness Scale (found in my "Total Clubfitting in the 21st Century" p. 29) carbon steels-1020, 8620, et al- come in at B60-B70. 304 stainless is a B75. So a 303 stainless would be somewhere between a B70 and B75... not much difference. To put it in perspective, BeCu comes in at B70-80, 431 stainless is C18-25 and 17-4 stainless is a C34-38.

 

What does this tell me? SC's aren't that different/better than most any other putter. You're basically just paying for a name. Maybe the sale will be good for consumers- those that really do like the SCs, but can't afford them.

[SargeDesign]

The minute I hear that Scotty has been bought by another company, I am going to the nearest golf store that has a Newport 1 and i'm buying it. I have been wanting one for a while and it is definitely a putter I would use the rest of my life. After SC is sold, I fear they will never be the same...and I want an original!

[GolfSpy_X]

Titleist & Scotty SPLITTNG UP? (UPDATE)

 

Looks like the rumor we heard back in March of this year is becoming closer to a reality.

 

Fortune Brands spokesman are hinting of the rumor which is all but fact now that they are trying to unload their golf brands (Titleist & Scotty) and get out of the ailing golf industry.

 

Callaway, Nike, etc. will all most likely be contacted with a pitch about the possible acquisition.

 

MORE INFO: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865704575610873495532704.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[GolfSpy Dave]

Maybe this is why Scotty didn't really mind Tiger baggin the Method...

[Justin66]

Maybe this is why Scotty didn't really mind Tiger baggin the Method...

 

He used a totally different model in Oz... shaped like Odyssey's #9 (the Phil model). Can't find specifics (I'm doubting it was an Odyssey)... though for full disclosure, I haven't gone looking for them. The Golf Channel made a mention of it, but didn't specify.

 

I'm not an accountant or financial advisor, but it seems to me that all these companies went public, hit the skids and are now looking for ways to get their stocks back up, which makes it appear (to me) that everyone ends up suffering because of it. I wonder what it'd be like if brands like Titleist and Callaway went private? Would it make things better, worse, or the same?

[jamo]

He used a totally different model in Oz... shaped like Odyssey's #9 (the Phil model). Can't find specifics (I'm doubting it was an Odyssey)... though for full disclosure, I haven't gone looking for them. The Golf Channel made a mention of it, but didn't specify.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that it was the 003 Method.

[Matt Saternus]

I'm pretty sure that it was the 003 Method.

 

That's what I've seen reported also.