Phil signs with Callaway

[Rockford35]

Callaway signs Mickelson
BY DOUG FERGUSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Oakville, Ontario

It didn’t take Masters champion Phil Mickelson long to find a new equipment deal, signing an endorsement contract with Callaway Golf Sept. 7 just one week after he left Titleist.

Coming off a phenomenal season in the majors, Mickelson will start using a prototype of the Callaway HX Tour golf ball, a prototype Fusion Driver and the Big Bertha fairway metals at the Canadian Open.

He is expected to work with Callaway club designer Roger Cleveland to build his own irons, wedges and putters.

Mickelson was let out of his five-year Titleist contract some 16 months early after trying to renegotiate. He was said to be leaning toward Callaway, and the deal came together quickly.

His Callaway contract is believed to be for at least five years. Financial terms were not immediately available. Mickelson will wear the Callaway logo on his shirt sleeve, the side of his visor and his golf bag.

The deal means that for the second straight Ryder Cup, a top American player will be switching equipment the week before the matches. Woods changed from Titleist to Nike irons the week before the ’02 Ryder Cup, and he won the American Express Championship that week in Ireland.

Mickelson, who has always played the Titleist ball, will be using a prototype that has a softer cover designed for better control from within 150 yards.

“The two areas I have stressed this year have been driving the ball in play and having optimum distance control from 150 yards in,” Mickelson said in a release. “To further my progress in those areas, and to help me achieve my ultimate goal of becoming No. 1 in the world, I felt it was necessary to switch to the exciting new driver and golf ball technology from Callaway Golf.”



We'll see how he does this weekend at the Canadian. Is anyone else concerned about other guys jumping ship from Titleist because of this?

R35

[Loop]

News flash:

Originally Posted by Tiger Woods

He hates that I can fly it past him now. He has a faster swing speed than I do, but he has inferior equipment. Phil is the only player who is good enough to overcome the equipment he's stuck with."

I admit, that wasn't very creative....

[Rockford35]

Callaway had another fat guy signed up with Colin Montgomerie. Apparently they had a falling out, but i don't know why. I read somewhere that Colin is an extremely demanding person and hard to keep happy, blaming alot on his "lacklustre equipment".

I just read that, don't quote me.

I attribute to the fact that he's over the hill, not that his equipment sucks.

I hope Phil lights it up with Callaway. He's upbeat and will be a great asset for Callaway as a spokesman for years to come.

R35

[Rockford35]

Callaway is trading on the NYSE at 12.50, up 30 cents today. They formally announced Phil Mickelson as being on board at 5:15 Eastern. I wonder how much of an impact it will have on trading in the coming weeks.

I guess it depends how well he does.

I bet he'll light it up. Fresh start, new equipment that isn't "inferior".

R35

[Dave Ireland]

I guess he'll use the Launcher headcovers for some extra pizz zang .... BD sez it works for Vijay .. R7 with launcher headcovers

[IrishGolfer]

This is a marketing dream for the Callaway crowd and a bit of a nightmare for Titliest, but at the end of the day, is the equipment that much inferior or superior on either side of the fence. I would debate that it is more fuelled by agents and money (iow GREED) than by a genuine desire for Lefty to seek better equipment.

If Callaway paid me major $$$s to use their stuff, I'd piss all over Titliest too. But who would care. But if you lure the World #3 to change camp, then everyone sits up and listens. But let's get real, are we really saying that the 983K is an inferior driver, the ProV1 an inferior ball etc? And Titliest irons cannot do the job? I don't think so. There is so little in the technology these days. You can fudge it anyway you like to make one come out on top. I would say it has more to do with $ than anything else.

Phil ditched Yonex for Titliest and now he's moving onto Callaway. Tiger ditched Titliest for Nike. Is that going to make them win more money on the tour or win more Majors? No, because that happens on the greens with the putter and what's in their hearts and between their ears. Titliest will go out now and poach Vijay from Cleveland. Cleveland will get Padraig from Wilson. Wilson will get Ernie etc. Who benefits? The players, the manufacturers, of course. The punters? Yeah, right. They will be screwed into believing there is a problem with their set because their idol has given that perception. Titliest have had a great run over the decades with equipment. They have had most of the big names using their equipment at some point or other. But let's face it. Money talks.

Does Lefty need 10 extra yards on his drive? Or does he need more control from 150 yards in, from one of the best wedge players in the world. I doubt it. But if Ely Callaway is pulling his chain, then of course he does. He is going to sit down with the designers at Callaway and create a new set of Lefty irons. That really worked for Tiger, didn't it?

It's a similar analogy to the reams of new models of drivers that have come out over the past few years by the same manufacturer. The 975D. 975J, 975J VS, 983K, 983E etc. Every 6 months a new one comes along that is the "Best, Longest, Straightest, Most Forgiving, Most workable" driver. Do we really need them? No! Do we buy them? Yes. Do they make a huge difference? Rarely. Do the pros really need to change? No. Will it make a big difference to their game? Perhaps, but there is the risk that it will make them play worse, not better. Does it make a difference to Callaways and Fortune Brands share price. Definitely. And does Lefty get a massive sign on fee? But of course.

Do we care? Of course, we can't get enough of the stuff. We're a sad bunch of people, yes we are.

[bdcrowe]

Nicely said, IG, especially put into the light of DI's reminder. It appears that the Manufacturers are actually paying the pros to use their bags, headcovers and shirt collars. This is the secret of the pros. Equipment is not the deciding factor, accessorizing is. Notice that Phil has not changed irons. Especially with forged blades from Titelist, we'll now see him with X-16 iron-covers and his control from 150 in will, indeed, become deadly.

Golfers are inherintly suckers. We want to play what they play, but we can't anyway! Notice Fusion *Prototype*. HX Prototype. And even when we can play what they have, do we really believe we have comparable skill to allow the equipment to make that much difference? 90% can't hit sweet spot the largest majority of time, and we fully believe that the new Cally R7 will revolutionaize our game. How many % of average golf shots happen on the correct swing path, and with the face square, or for that matter, on the SAME path and the SAME face angle at impact as the last shot... Yet we want to play Tiger's, or Phil's, or Vijay's irons "because they're more workable". Great. We have no idea what shot shape we are going to hit, but we want the irons that will emphasize that mistake. Cool.

I will close my dark and jaded diatribe. Needless to say, I will sell every bit of my equipment. Those irons that gave me Saturday's birdies, the driver that gave me the 295 yrd blast, and the cheapo wedge that always sits the ball so nicely by the hole. All because the new Cally iron covers are going to give Phil more control from 150 in. Peace.

[DaveE]

Overall I think Phil will be a great spokesperson/poster boy for Callaway. The fans love him and that boy can play some golf. Callaway owners everywhere feel better about their purchase, Callaway makes more money, Phil makes more money, free enterprise at it's finest.

[Rockford35]

I was reading last night after posting the original story that Phil had gotten some Callaway clubs "for his brother to use" and phoned Callaway's rep stating that "he was extremely happy with their performance and wanted to let Callaway know that they are creating a terrific product."

Callaway went on to play the tape at their national convention. I guess Titleist was pissed and said "up yours" to a contract extension.

I don't necessarily blame Phil 100% for wanting to leave, but don't you think getting better equipment for your already stellar game and working for a company that doesn't step all over you at the drop of a hat is worth it? I do. Perhaps there's alot behind the scenes that we don't know about and Phil wanted to get away from it. That only makes sense.

I hope he lights it up. How bad would that make Titliest look? Phil is a PR director's dream, big time. Callaway and Phil both come out smelling like roses on this one, even if he maintains his play at it's current level.

As for Tiger? He went to Nike, a fledgling golf company that needed significant time to make a name for itself. And what happened in the process? Their main spokesperson for golf changed drivers midway through the season back to his "trusty Titliest" after stating that his opponent "was the only guy that could do well with inferior equipment". Nice work, Tiger.

I don't beleive Nike will ever contend as a major player on golf equipment. Advertising sells. Anyone wanna be like Mike?

I think Phil made the right choice. He went with a proven winner and has a hand in construction of his own line of irons.

What more could a guy ask for?

Oh right, 4 mill.

R35

[Jeff Gallo]

by the way irish, didnt ely die?

[IrishGolfer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Gallo

by the way irish, didnt ely die?

Yeah, but the corporate ghost lives on. Ely = Callaway, dead or alive.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by IrishGolfer

This is a marketing dream for the Callaway crowd and a bit of a nightmare for Titliest, but at the end of the day, is the equipment that much inferior or superior on either side of the fence. I would debate that it is more fuelled by agents and money (iow GREED) than by a genuine desire for Lefty to seek better equipment.

If Callaway paid me major $$$s to use their stuff, I'd piss all over Titliest too. But who would care. But if you lure the World #3 to change camp, then everyone sits up and listens. But let's get real, are we really saying that the 983K is an inferior driver, the ProV1 an inferior ball etc? And Titliest irons cannot do the job? I don't think so. There is so little in the technology these days. You can fudge it anyway you like to make one come out on top. I would say it has more to do with $ than anything else.

Phil ditched Yonex for Titliest and now he's moving onto Callaway. Tiger ditched Titliest for Nike. Is that going to make them win more money on the tour or win more Majors? No, because that happens on the greens with the putter and what's in their hearts and between their ears. Titliest will go out now and poach Vijay from Cleveland. Cleveland will get Padraig from Wilson. Wilson will get Ernie etc. Who benefits? The players, the manufacturers, of course. The punters? Yeah, right. They will be screwed into believing there is a problem with their set because their idol has given that perception. Titliest have had a great run over the decades with equipment. They have had most of the big names using their equipment at some point or other. But let's face it. Money talks.

Does Lefty need 10 extra yards on his drive? Or does he need more control from 150 yards in, from one of the best wedge players in the world. I doubt it. But if Ely Callaway is pulling his chain, then of course he does. He is going to sit down with the designers at Callaway and create a new set of Lefty irons. That really worked for Tiger, didn't it?

It's a similar analogy to the reams of new models of drivers that have come out over the past few years by the same manufacturer. The 975D. 975J, 975J VS, 983K, 983E etc. Every 6 months a new one comes along that is the "Best, Longest, Straightest, Most Forgiving, Most workable" driver. Do we really need them? No! Do we buy them? Yes. Do they make a huge difference? Rarely. Do the pros really need to change? No. Will it make a big difference to their game? Perhaps, but there is the risk that it will make them play worse, not better. Does it make a difference to Callaways and Fortune Brands share price. Definitely. And does Lefty get a massive sign on fee? But of course.

Do we care? Of course, we can't get enough of the stuff. We're a sad bunch of people, yes we are.

Every word here completely spot on.

The poaching of players by manufacturers will continue ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

I could care less what any particular player has in his/her bag. Get good stuff that works for me and stick with it....

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by Bravo

Every word here completely spot on.

The poaching of players by manufacturers will continue ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

I could care less what any particular player has in his/her bag. Get good stuff that works for me and stick with it....

Hey Bravo, quick question.

Do you think that if Tiger picked up a set of X-16 Pros and Phil a set of Nike Blades, Vijay a set of Cobra irons and Ernie a set of Hogan blades, that they would all play the same?

Is equipment this close?

Wouldn't that be cool to see, all the guys switching up sets on the first tee?

Anyone else can chime in, i just singled out Bravo for some reason.

R35

[IrishGolfer]

I'm not sure about clubs, but I really belive in a tournament ball. Screw the sponsors. Perhaps they could carve it up, to alternate, who cares.

I think it would go some way to level the field. You could limit how far it can be hit, how much it spins etc. I think more than anything golf bal technology has made courses like Prestwick in Scotland redundant. At 6,300 yards it is one of the best tests of golf you can get, but the pros are now driving greens etc.

"Its a gotten rediculios!!!"

And I'll bet Lefty could shoot a PB with most sets given sufficient time to adjust. Left with his wedges, putter and driver, I figure the rest does not make that much difference. IMHO It's between the ears stuff for those guys.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by rockford35

Hey Bravo, quick question.

Do you think that if Tiger picked up a set of X-16 Pros and Phil a set of Nike Blades, Vijay a set of Cobra irons and Ernie a set of Hogan blades, that they would all play the same?

Is equipment this close?

Wouldn't that be cool to see, all the guys switching up sets on the first tee?

Anyone else can chime in, i just singled out Bravo for some reason.

R35

Ya know - it Would be facinating if they passed out equipment on the first tee and In This Case - I think it would make somewhat of a difference...

On the other hand, I think one phenomenon that amateurs cannot truly understand is The Tour Van. That equipment van that follows the tour from stop to stop that is constantly changing shafts, tweaking loft and lie, putting an extra wrap on the grip etc.

At the end of the day, the "stock" equipment they start with has been so customized and modifed to their game - OR - to the course they are playing that exact week - that making a comparison between Titleist and Nike (in a reference that is meaningful to us) is blurred at best.

Sorry long sentence.

To a *small* extent this is like taking a stock Chevrolet and modifying it for NASCAR. How can we as consumers relate to the car they are competing with?

This is one of the reasons I agree with Irishgolfer on this one. I think (more or less) there is not a great deal of difference between the top equipment produced by the major manufacturers. If there truly WAS (and the touring pros really believed it) - they wouldn't Walk - they Run to that brand and play it...