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Numbers telling the tale for Bridgestone, Callaway
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While the numbers don't look good for some golf equipment companies, Bridgestone Golf has something to brag about. According to Golf Datatech, which tracks the sell-though figures at on-course golf shop[s and off-course stores, Bridgestone's new B330-RX scored a 2.21 unit share off-course in September, which is believed the best debut of any golf ball since the Titleist Pro V1 earlier this decade.
According to Bridgestone, its brand, which includes the B330 and B330s golf balls, achieved a 10.6 share off-course in September - the first time in its history it scored double digits in the off-course channel.
Meanwhile, Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) continues to struggle in its core metal woods and irons businesses, but the company has another challenge. What to do with its apparel brand? Callaway has been operating its apparel brand under a license agreement with Ashworth Inc. However, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, has struck a deal to acquire Ashworth. Given the bad blood that exists between the Carlsbad, Calif., neighbors, it's doubtful that license will continue for for very long after TMaG finalizes its deal with Ashworth later this year.
Callaway Chairman George Fellows commented on the matter on a recent conference call with Wall Street analysts.
"We're in latter stage discussions with a number of alternatives,” Fellows said. "We anticipate very little, if any, hiccup in the transition from Ashworth to another supplier, if you will. We're not going to be manufacturing the product, that's not what we do. But there are some alternative selling structures and arrangements that we're looking at with several of our potential partners.''
More important is how Callaway's sales perform with its new FtIQ driver that is scheduled to begin shipping Nov. 16 at a suggested retail price of $625. That will make the street price around $500, considerably higher than most of its of its rivals.The FTiQ also is a square-shaped driver. A year ago at this time, square was still in vogue in drivers. Now it seems to have run its course (pardon the pun) as most companies have gone back to more traditional pear-shaped drivers.
Callaway Golf needs a hit with a driver line. If not the FtiQ then perhaps the Ft 9 and/or Big Bertha Diablo, each of which is said be to ready for launch early next year.
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