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[fixyurdivot]

This is pretty interesting.

https://mygolfspy.com/nassau-golf-ball-plant-to-stop-supplying-dtc-ball-companies/

[Imp]

Wow, HUGE News. Congrats DEAN!

 

[fixyurdivot]

I'm now seeing the buy took place this past November... guess I missed that announcement.  I should probably start testing some TM balls 

TaylorMade acquires Nassau Golf to expand golf ball help supply chain (usatoday.com)

[TBS]

Do you think Snell would ever sell to Taylormade? I'm sure if the price is right... Dean could have a great payday. Taylormade would have the sub-premium (DTC) corner of the market.

[GregGarner]

21 minutes ago, TBS said:

Do you think Snell would ever sell to Taylormade? I'm sure if the price is right... Dean could have a great payday. Taylormade would have the sub-premium (DTC) corner of the market.

I'd love to jump to "no way! he worked for them before and left for a reason!" but also, TXG sold to Club Champion, sooooo

[TBS]

48 minutes ago, greggarner said:

I'd love to jump to "no way! he worked for them before and left for a reason!" but also, TXG sold to Club Champion, sooooo

Everything is up for sale for the right price...

[MattF]

2 hours ago, TBS said:

Do you think Snell would ever sell to Taylormade? I'm sure if the price is right... Dean could have a great payday. Taylormade would have the sub-premium (DTC) corner of the market.

 

1 hour ago, greggarner said:

I'd love to jump to "no way! he worked for them before and left for a reason!" but also, TXG sold to Club Champion, sooooo

I'd also love to say, no way and I'd be pissed if it happened.

[fixyurdivot]

Described as improved "vertical supply chain alignment", it seems pretty clear this is also a soft-monopoly move.  Callaway is probably breathing a sigh of relief as this steals a little of their "swallow-up the industry" image. 

I'm finding some info saying that the Kirkland's are (or were) manufactured at the Nassau plant but not much else about other mfg.'s/models. Does anyone else know which DTC companies received the "Dear Competitor" letter?  Might Dick Snell have been savvy enough to put something in his contract with Nassau that limits TM's options?

[2puttbogey]

9 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

I'm finding some info saying that the Kirkland's are (or were) manufactured at the Nassau plant but not much else about other mfg.'s/models. Does anyone else know which DTC companies received the "Dear Competitor" letter?  Might Dick Snell have been savvy enough to put something in his contract with Nassau that limits TM's options?

Ball I hope the Kirkland balls aren’t made by them any more. I know they seem to be a nitche ball, but I seem to be in it and the price is right so win-win for me.

I am also curious on which other companies will be affected by this.

[storm319]

5 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Described as improved "vertical supply chain alignment", it seems pretty clear this is also a soft-monopoly move.  Callaway is probably breathing a sigh of relief as this steals a little of their "swallow-up the industry" image. 

I'm finding some info saying that the Kirkland's are (or were) manufactured at the Nassau plant but not much else about other mfg.'s/models. Does anyone else know which DTC companies received the "Dear Competitor" letter?  Might Dick Snell have been savvy enough to put something in his contract with Nassau that limits TM's options?

Only the original KSig 4-piece was produced by Nassau (also sold as the Nassau Quattro and the discontinued Pearl Pure Pro/X). Nassau discontinued production following threats of some kind from TM. All other KSig models have been produced in the SM Parker factory in China who produced balls for Nike at one time, the discontinued Snell MTB Red, and currently for Cut.

As for other DTCs that are getting cutoff, I found a shipping record from Nassau to a Golf Ball Developments LLC who appears to be behind the resurgence of the Penfold brand and given the articles that MGS has covered on the brand in the past couple of years, this may be their source. 

[Londo]

Really curious which two ball manufacturers have expressed that they are unable to take on new business at the moment... Would certainly put money on Foremost being one of them.

[Middler]

I would assume TM would push Snell out if they need/want that production capacity in the years ahead. For now I assume Snell has a contract that secures some (fixed) volume for some term, but that will run out eventually (years?). As a former customer, I wish Snell all the best - MTBs are great balls.