2013: The Battle of the Brands
The 2013 golf season has not taken long to get established both on and off of the course. There has been a lot of talk already about the upcoming majors, most notably the 2013 Masters which is only a few short months away. And while it always seems like the competition on the golf course gets off to a fast start, I can’t help but notice how competitive the golf retail market has become over the past few weeks.
It is hard to believe we are just over two weeks into the season, as there have already been numerous headlines from many of the different retailers about both new equipment and new endorsement deals. Every major brand has been making moves to try and secure their share of the 2013 market – and it has been quite interesting.
TaylorMade has recently announced their new line of drivers and fairway woods (The R1 and Rocketballz Stage 2) and are looking to continue the tremendous amount of success they have had with their metalwoods since their innovative launch in 2011 with the R11 and Burner series that featured never before seen white clubheads. Check out Golf Clubs from Taylormade.
Ping plans to launch their new G25 series driver and irons in a few weeks at the PGA Tour Merchandise show, after having a lot of success with the G20 series. Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan have been a huge part of their marketing success as it doesn’t hurt to have a Masters champion using your gear. (I am most excited for the Ping Answer Hybrid as I continue my search for a hybrid that fits my game)
Callaway has also made some big moves so far this year, notably the fact that they signed international sensation Ryo Ishikawa to a multi-year contract. They have also launched the RAZR Fit Xtreme which will be coming out the same time as many of the other new lines in early February.
The biggest news came just this week, when Rory McIlroy officially announced his new endorsement deal with Nike. His announcement was a timely one, as he gears up to play alongside Tiger Woods this week in the HSBC Championships in Abu Dhabi. It will certainly be a huge week and weekend for Nike Golf and their new line of equipment (The Nike Covert Series) as they showcase their brand via the two best golfers in the world.
With the 2013 PGA Merchandise show just weeks away (Jan. 23-25), I’m sure that we’ll be hearing about more and more new lines of equipment and apparel throughout the next few months. There is no doubt that 2013 will be an unforgettable year.
Stay tuned as we continue to launch our new Equipment column.
Did you play for St. Copies of northern Nebraska? Ahh, never mind. Anyway, this year seems to be shaping up to be the equivalent of the QB class of 2012. I suspect that this year’s driver models will hold their value and will be sought after on the used-club market.
It is going to be a big year. Good time to buy some new woods. I played for Duquesne University (3 years) and St. Francis in Loretto, PA for 1 year.