Callaway Golf Expands Golf Ball Line With The New CB1 Red Distance Ball

January 26, 2001 at 12:00 AM EST
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Pai, Millie Speirs (760) 931-1771

CARLSBAD, CA., January 26, 2001 – Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) today announced the introduction of the CB1™ Red golf ball, the newest addition to the Company’s line of golf balls. The distance-oriented, two-piece CB1 Red joins the three-piece “Rule 35™” ball in Callaway Golf’s growing family of premium golf balls. It is expected to hit retail shops in May. The CB1 Red is targeted at all golfers who enjoy hitting the ball as far as they can and prefer a softer feel than other distance balls provide.

“We believe that golfers have more fun when they hit the ball farther, and this golf ball was made to be a whole lot of fun,” said Mick McCormick, Executive Vice President, Global Sales of Callaway Golf. “I think golfers who try the CB1 Red ball with either of our new drivers – the
ERC™ II Forged Titanium Driver or the Hawk Eye® VFT™ Titanium Driver – are in for a real treat.”

The CB1 Red ball is a two-piece construction and is designed to generate maximum distance without sacrificing feel and control. The injection-molded ionomer cover has an aerodynamically advanced 382-dimple pattern. This dimple pattern provides optimized ball speed at impact and additional lift for higher ball flight and strong performance in all weather conditions.

Because the CB1 Red has such superior aerodynamics, Callaway Golf was able to develop a softer cover and core than other distance balls. The highly resilient polybutadiene core is blended with tungsten to help increase initial velocity off the clubface. As a result, the CB1 Red has a more pleasing feel than other distance balls we have tested.

“In the CB1 Red, we’ve found a way – using our technological expertise – to improve upon a mature technology: two-piece balls,” said Richard C. Helmstetter, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief of New Products for Callaway Golf. “We’ve improved every aspect of distance ball technology, from the core to the cover to the aerodynamics. Take the sum of these improvements and you’ve got a great golf ball. We created a dimple pattern that covers 86 percent of the ball’s surface. This helps to maximize low-speed lift so the golf ball stays in the air longer and comes down at a shallower descent for greater carry and roll with the driver. I don’t think you’ll find a better-feeling golf ball that flies as long, straight and true as the CB1 Red.”

The CB1 Red is manufactured side-by-side with the “Rule 35” ball at the Callaway Golf Ball Plant in Carlsbad. While the construction of the two balls is different, the strong commitment to quality and performance is the same. Therefore, the CB1 Red benefits from the finest materials: a proprietary ionomer cover and a high-grade rubber core enriched with tungsten to give the CB1 Red exceptional resilience and a softer feel than most distance balls while providing cut-proof durability.

The CB1 Red golf ball will be available in boldly designed three-ball sleeves and by the dozen. A three-ball sleeve carries a suggested retail price of $7.85, and a dozen-ball pack has a suggested retail price of $31.25.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha ERC™ II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk Eye® VFT™ and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus™ Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye Tungsten Injected™ Titanium Irons, Steelhead™ X-14® and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® Putters, including White Hot™, TriHot™, and Dual Force® Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf® Rule 35™ Firmfeel™ and Softfeel™ golf balls, and the CB1™ Red golf ball. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.