Switch hitter

Tiger Woods goes from Titleist to Nike. The golf ball industry takes big notice.

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 8, 2000

The crowd had gathered to see Tiger Woods, and golf's superstar did not disappoint, eliciting a "long and frenzied" standing ovation.

Woods did all that without hitting a golf shot.

But he did fire off a different kind of shot.

The occasion was the 2000 Nike Golf Sales Meeting, where Woods, the company's mega-endorser, told president Bob Wood last week that he permanently would switch to the Nike Tour Accuracy golf ball. Next on Woods' schedule, the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Hence, all the cheering in Oregon, where the meeting took place.

Why all the fuss?

Because the golf ball industry had some $1-billion in sales in 1999, and Woods giving his endorsement to the relatively new Nike golf ball is viewed as a coup for the company. He will no longer play the Titleist Professional 90.

Even the most casual of golfers is expected to take notice. And if only a tiny fraction decide to try the ball and like it because Woods made it his ball of choice, Nike will benefit.

"It's got to help them because the best-known player in the world playing your equipment is a great thing for anybody," said Tom Stine, the co-founder of Golf Datatech, an Orlando company that provides data to various golf companies. "Whether they produce a golf ball or a glove or if he was using somebody's special tees, it helps them get their product noticed. And Tiger wouldn't be playing it unless it was a top product, so it certainly helps them in that regard.

"The public does care. Because Tiger Woods plays that ball, the public does become aware of it. In any marketing plan, brand awareness is an important element."

Making the move even more remarkable is the fact that Titleist is the runaway leader in golf ball sales.

According to industry analysts, Titleist has about 45 percent of the annual golf ball market. Last year, the company sold 25-million dozen golf balls, breaking the company's record for the 10th straight year. Spalding, with its Top-Flight and Strata lines, is next with 23 percent. After that, it's very close between Maxfli, Wilson and Precept.

All of the other players in the market, including Nike, Callaway and TaylorMade, believe they can climb into the top 5. Even if they are not No. 1, they still are doing quite well in a $1-billion industry.

Although Titleist has many of the top players in the game, Woods' move is not expected to hurt the company as much as it helps Nike. After all, the company never had Jack Nicklaus under contract when he dominated the game. It's pledge has always been to simply have as many players as possible, not necessarily one superstar.

Nonetheless, the golf ball wars are highly competitive.

"It's the only part of the industry to see an increase in sales in 1999," said Titleist executive George Sine. "But even after a year like that, we can't rest on our laurels. That's why we are taking all these steps to make sure we are keeping our customers, but also find new ones."

What about Woods? Although he undoubtedly will be paid more for playing the ball by Nike, what about the difference in his game? The two golf balls are not alike.

The Titleist ball has a liquid core and is wound with elastic, meaning it is a soft-feeling ball. The Nike ball is a two-piece ball, meaning it has a harder feel. According to Woods' coach, Butch Harmon, the ball travels a bit farther for Woods -- not that he needs any more distance.

"Any time you hit a two-piece ball versus a wound ball, you're going to feel a dramatic difference there," Woods said at the Memorial, where he was experimenting with the Nike ball. "But the performance, the cover of it, feels very similar (to the Titleist). Obviously it's going to fly a little bit different. Not necessarily higher or lower, but there's a different arc to it. Wound balls tend to spike up or peak a little more and two-piece balls tend to be more flat."

Woods finished third in theDeutsche Bank-SAP Open and first at the Memorial using the ball. "I think it's done pretty good so far," he said.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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