Golf equipment manufacturers

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 30. Chapters: Acushnet Company, Adams Golf, Aldila, Antigua Apparel, Ben Sayers, Bridgestone Golf, Buggies Unlimited, Callaway Golf Company, Cleveland Golf, Cobra Golf, Cutter & Buck, Dixon Golf, Dunlop Sport, Dunlop Sport (Australia), Element 21 (company), Forgan of St. Andrews, John Letters, Julian Wheeler Curtiss, Lamkin Grips, MacGregor Golf, Maxfli, Mizuno Corp., Penfold Golf, Ping (golf), Polara Golf, PowaKaddy, Slazenger, Srixon, TaylorMade-Adidas, Titleist, TNT Golf, True Temper Sports, Wilson Staff, Yonex. Excerpt: Callaway Golf Company is a global sporting goods company that designs, manufactures, markets and sells golf equipment, golf accessories and golf lifestyle-related products in more than 70 countries worldwide. The American company, based in Carlsbad, California, is the world¿s largest maker of golf clubs. Callaway Golf sells its products through golf retailers and sporting goods retailers, through mass merchants, directly online, and through its pre-owned and trade-in services. Callaway Golf licenses its name, trademarks and service marks for golf lifestyle products including golf apparel, golf shoes, golf bags, headwear, watches, rangefinders, practice aids and travel gear. Callaway Golf also market products under the Odyssey putter brand, acquired in 1997, as well as the Top-Flite, Strata and Ben Hogan golf brands picked up following the bankruptcy of Spalding's former golf division in 2003. Callaway Golf Company was founded by former Burlington Industries textile president, Ely Callaway Jr. Callaway was raised in Lagrange, GA and was a graduate from Emory University. Callaway became very successful in the textile industry and was very fond of playing golf. At games, Callaway would use clubs by Hickory Sticks. The clubs were constructed of hickory-shafts with a steel core. At that time, Hickory Sticks was owned by Richard Parente, Dick De La Cruz and Tony Manzoni. As Hickory Sticks started running low on funds, they sought investors to help the company and approached Callaway. At the time, he had just sold his vineyards for a $9 million profit. Then in 1982, he bought half of Hickory Sticks, the company was renamed to Callaway Hickory Stick USA. In 1984, Callaway bought the rest of the company for $400,000. In 1983, he became president and moved the company to Carlsbad, California where he sold clubs out of his Cadillac. The company eventually changed to its present name in 1988. In 1985, the company hired Bruce Parker as head of sales, who later became the company