Callaway Golf Tops Equipment Counts On Senior PGA Tour; New Odyssey Trihot Putters Earn Their First Victory

January 22, 2001 at 12:00 AM EST
PDF Version
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, Millie Speirs (760) 931-1771

CARLSBAD, CA., January 22, 2001 – Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) swept the equipment usage categories at the MasterCard Championship, the 2001 season-opening event on the Senior PGA Tour. In an unprecedented achievement, Callaway Golf products were No. 1 in usage for drivers, fairway woods and irons, while the Company’s Odyssey® Putters were No. 1 in putter usage and the Company’s golf balls were tied for No. 1 in ball usage.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time any manufacturer has been No. 1 in usage of each of these equipment categories in a given week on the senior tour,” said Ely Callaway, Founder, CEO, President and Chairman of Callaway Golf. “I think this speaks volumes about our entire line of golf equipment to have so many talented golf professionals using our products – many of whom do so without endorsement contracts.”

One of the players who uses equipment made by Callaway Golf without receiving financial compensation won the MasterCard Championship. The champion used the new Odyssey TriHot™ 3 Putter in his victory. This is the first tour win for the Odyssey TriHot Putters, the Company’s new line of premium multi-material putters.

Here’s a look at the usage numbers for the MasterCard Championship, as provided by the Darrell Survey Company:
  • Drivers: 25 percent of the field used drivers made by Callaway Golf, compared to 15.6 percent for the nearest competitor. Callaway Golf Staff Professionals Jim Thorpe and Bruce Fleisher finished second and tied for third, respectively, using Hawk Eye® VFT™ Titanium Drivers.
  • Fairway woods: 31.7 percent of the fairway woods in play were made by Callaway Golf, compared to 18.3 percent for the nearest competitor. Four of the top 10 finishers used Steelhead Plus™ Fairway Woods, including Thorpe, Fleisher and fellow Callaway Golf Staff Professional Dave Eichelberger, who tied for 10th.
  • Irons: 25 percent of the field used iron sets made by Callaway Golf, compared to 18.8 percent for the nearest competitor. Eichelberger earned his top-10 finish using the new Steelhead™ X-14® Pro Series Irons.
  • Putters: 37.5 percent of the field used Odyssey Putters made by Callaway Golf, compared to 25 percent for the nearest competitor. Four of the top 10 finishers used Odyssey Putters, including the winner.
  • Balls: 40.6 percent of the field used Callaway Golf “Rule 35™” balls, while another 40.6 percent used balls made by a leading competitor. This marks the first time Callaway Golf has tied for the lead in golf ball usage on the Senior PGA Tour. Three of the top four finishers used the “Rule 35” Firmfeel™ (red logo) ball.

In all, nine of the top 10 finishers at the MasterCard Championship used equipment made by Callaway Golf.

The winner of the LPGA Subaru Memorial of Naples also relied upon equipment made by Callaway Golf. The event’s winner used 10 Callaway Golf® clubs, including a Hawk Eye Titanium 3-wood, Steelhead X-14 Irons and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Wedges. Callaway Golf was No. 1 in driver, fairway woods, irons and putter usage at the event, and was second in golf ball usage.
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™ 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. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.