Stock up on ProV1's

[slickpitt]

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business -- Callaway wins court order over golf ball patent

CARLSBAD – Callaway Golf said it has won a court order permanently halting sales of Acushnet Co.'s Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, which Callaway argued infringed on patents that it holds. Acushnet said it will appeal the ruling, and has converted production of the golf balls so that they are outside the patents in question.
Carlsbad, Calif.-based Callaway said late Monday that the U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Del., has granted the company's request for a permanent injunction on sales of Acushnet's current line of the Titleist Pro V1 balls, effective no later than Jan. 1. At Callaway's request, professional golfers will be allowed to use the balls through the end of this year. The court also rejected a request from Acushnet to overturn a jury's December 2007 ruling in favor of Callaway in the patent dispute.
“We strongly disagree with the judge's ruling, and will file an appeal and seek relief from the injunction,” Joe Nauman, an executive vice president with Fairhaven, Mass.-based Acushnet, said in a news release late Monday.
Nauman said the ruling “will not have any impact on our ability to supply our customers with Pro V1 golf balls,” because Acushnet in September converted production of existing Pro V1 models “so that they are outside of the patents in question.”
He also said Acushnet plans to introduce new Titleist Pro V1 products early next year “that are also outside the scope of the patents in question.”
Acushnet said it does not expect the ruling to have a “material adverse impact” on its financial results.
Callaway sued in June 2007 over the Titleist Pro V1 line of golf balls, introduced in 2000. Callaway argued its patents involve technological breakthroughs in producing multilayer, solid core balls that the company argued resulted “in performance that had previously eluded the industry” and revolutionized the game.
Acushnet argued that the Titleist Pro V1 is based on more than 70 of its own patents.
Callaway announced the rulings after its shares fell 32 cents, or about 3 percent, to close at $10.01 on Monday. Shares of Acushnet's owner, Fortune Brands Inc., fell 45 cents to $37.29.

Titleist better hurry up and get another ball out!

[Eracer]

Let's see...I can buy a share of Acushnet stock for $37, or a box of ProV1's for $45.

One the surface, one would think that the share of stock would be a much better investment. At 10% annualized return you'd have almost $60.

Then again, five years from now there may be people stupid enough to pay $200 for the box o' balls - just because they're ProV1's.

[Wi-Golfer]

Originally Posted by slickpitt

Stock up on ProV1's

Or just play one of the many other balls on the market.
Heard something funny the other day & I don't know if they were bs'ing or not but, at Golf Galaxy there were 3 guys who wanted to get on the launch monitor & of course when asked what ball they play all 3 stated "ProV1".

Funny how a huge portion of the golfing community likes to claim they use them but the reality is a hell of a lot of them are using Pinnacles, Intechs, Top Flite XL's, etc. I think it may be similar to the driving distance deal where it's simply not cool or you are labeled as being a crappy golfer if you don't drive the ball 290+ or use ProV1's.

[JEFF4i]

I use whatever is in my pocket, and in fact, find myself more often using less than premium balls.

Only ball I consider premium that I sport a lot is the Wilson Zip, 3 piece, good spin, and cheap. 20 bucks a box.

[ezra76]

I like Prov's and it helps they are the most common ball I find out on the course. An older guy I play with finds a ton of them since he plays almost every day and gives me some from time to time. I have about 6-7 dozen of the regular ones and about 4 doz. of the 1X's. I've never purchased any new. If I had to switch, I'd go with a Nike One black.

It's always amazed me that Titleist "stole" this so called patent from Callaway, yet Callaway balls suck compared to a ProV.

[Wi-Golfer]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

I use whatever is in my pocket, and in fact, find myself more often using less than premium balls.

Same here, now I have been trying a variety of balls lately in an attempt to actually see if I can tell a difference. As far as off the tee, anything from a D2 Feel to an Intech to Callaway HX to a ProV1 all feel the same & appear to perform the same. Around the greens any of the "better" balls & by that I mean ones that aren't Top Flite XL's & similar all work about the same for myself. But then I don't generate a ton of backspin as I am still working on that aspect of the game.

My own opinion & that's all it is, for us average hackers, that's us in the 10-15-20+ range, ProV1's are a waste of $$.

[Wi-Golfer]

Originally Posted by ezra76

It's always amazed me that Titleist "stole" this so called patent from Callaway, yet Callaway balls suck compared to a ProV.

See, now I find exactly the opposite true as the Callaways work great for me.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by Wi-Golfer

See, now I find exactly the opposite true as the Callaways work great for me.

I shouldn't say they "suck" just because I don't like them I guess. I found the HX tour very clicky feeling around the green. I've been playing and practicing short game with Prov's only for about 4yrs. now so anything else seems a little different. Besides, like I said, I have a crapload of them. If I had 130-150 Callaways sitting in my spare room, I'd probably use them.

I see your original point though. When I waked in at the turn to grab some tees there was a guy entering his score on the computer. He was b!tching about the leaves (although they've been doing a fantastic job of cleaning them up) and losing balls. "I lost 12 GD balls out there" he said, "all Prov1's too".. Ouch.

[indacup]

Supposedly, this is the next PRO-V generation dimple design...

[Sandpiper3]

I cant wait to try those things out rory! those look sweet

[packwood]

I have been playing the Callaway ball just to be different from everyone else at the club. Now I feel bad that Callaway needs to sue Titleist. That makes me a suer by association.

[West Coast Duffer]

Never actually bought a PROv, been playing TM TPs. But like others i just find or get what people give me.

[Harold]

The design looks interesting. I will have to try a sleeve based on that alone.

[ualtim]

Originally Posted by packwood

I have been playing the Callaway ball just to be different from everyone else at the club. Now I feel bad that Callaway needs to sue Titleist. That makes me a suer by association.

The patents were actually Top Flite's, Callaway bought the right to sue Acushnet when they acquired Top Flite. Top Flite's Strata line introduced the patents, but TF could not afford to sue Acushnet at the time the Pro V1's were introduced. That all changed when Callaway bought up the company.

Callaway is very aggressive when it comes to patent infringement as it is their right to be. If someone stole your idea and made millions off of it, you would just back and not sue?

[xamilo]

Coming back to Ezra's comment;

Why is the Pro V the top of the line ball if someone had developed the technology before? Shouldn't the PGA be playing just Callaways and not Titleist with that idea on? Where did Callaway (TF) was left behind?