SHANGHAI, CHINA – May 21, 2004 – Chinese anti-counterfeiting enforcement authorities have conducted a series of simultaneous raids of retail shops and distributors of counterfeit golf clubs and equipment in Shanghai. The bustling Shanghai Mart, long known as a shopping destination for visitors to Shanghai, had become an increasingly open source of counterfeits of quality golf clubs by major American golf club companies.

The government raids took place after six American golf equipment manufacturers filed complaints with Chinese anti-counterfeiting enforcement authorities. Agents encountered and seized counterfeit golf equipment at 10 retail golf outlet locations, carting away in excess of two thousand counterfeit products, including copies of clubs and equipment manufactured by Acushnet Company (Titleist and Cobra Golf), Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf, Nike, Ping and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. The products seized included counterfeit golf clubs, golf gloves, golf bags, travel covers and accessories. The estimated value of the seized goods is more than $300,000.00.

The American companies praised Chinese authorities for their cooperation in enforcing the law. Rob Duncanson, an attorney coordinating efforts in China on behalf of the industry, observed that Chinese counterfeit golf clubs have proliferated considerably in the past year, causing confusion and harm to the consumer in the marketplace and injuring the reputations of major American golf club companies. “The counterfeit clubs often don't perform, and may break or become unplayable after only a few uses,” said Duncanson. “The sale of this counterfeit product is not only unlawful, but it damages the reputations of the U.S. branded companies.”

Concerning the Shanghai raids, Duncanson said, “The joining together of these golf equipment manufacturers to tackle the counterfeiting problem at its source in China is a new approach. By working together, the companies leverage their anti-counterfeiting resources, which enables them to have a broader and more powerful impact in addressing the counterfeit problem at both the retail and manufacturing levels in China. In addition to receiving significant support from Chinese authorities, the United States Customs Service continues to provide invaluable ongoing assistance by intercepting counterfeit goods coming into the United States.”