With the golf industry ever-evolving I had expected that there may be a few sell-offs and acquisitions in the off-season and if fact, it has already begun.
Yesterday, MacGregor CEO Barry Schneider and famed golfer Greg Norman addressed the media in a teleconference to discuss their new business arrangement.
The 109 year-old golf equipment manufacturer has acquired the Greg Norman Collection Apparel business (GNC), a company that Norman helped establish alongside partner Reebok in 1992. Reebok was acquired by adidas Group not too long ago.
The deal will also see Norman make a large investment in MacGregor Golf. The terms were not disclosed, it was simply stated that it was a "significant" investment.
The two companies, with combined annual sales of more than $150 million, will be operated post-closing on a consolidated basis with MacGregor Golf's CEO, Barry Schneider, and Norman controlling a majority of the shares.
"The real winner in this transaction is the golf consumer. Greg Norman is totally engaged in this business, and his unique talent and uncompromising approach will make us a better company," said Barry Schneider, Chairman and CEO of MacGregor Golf . "We do not want to be the biggest golf company in the world, only the best. This transaction is another step down that strategic path."
Norman will serve on the MacGregor Golf Board of Directors and will take on a proactive role with sales and marketing, product development and international distribution.
"I have experienced the benefits of Cup Face 360 technology, and believe in the vision Barry has laid out for MacGregor Golf," said Greg Norman. "And I feel a tremendous sense of pride and gratification in acquiring a significant ownership stake in the brand that bears my name," Norman said. "Greg Norman Collection has exceeded my expectations over the years, and I am looking forward to working with the existing management team to build on the momentum we have established."
MacGregor Golf and Greg Norman Collection will maintain their independence with corporate offices in Albany, GA, New York, NY and Canton, MA, respectively. Reid Gorman will continue to serve as President of MacGregor Golf while Suzy Bisantz will remain as President and Chief Executive Officer of Greg Norman Collection.
JPMorgan advised MacGregor Golf on the transaction, which is expected to close during Q4, 2006. Financial details will not be disclosed.
Will this be a boon for either company? That remains to be seen but the addition of Greg Norman in a larger role should add strength to the efforts of Schneider to grow the MacGregor brand. The 2007 GNC Collection has been well received by the buyers I have spoken with and that may help the company to get more MacGregor products on the shelves at retailers where sales have not been as brisk as the company would probably like.
One thing is certain - don't expect this to be the last merger/acquisition deal in the golf industry in the next 6 months. Whether those deals can help some storied brands to stay alive remains to be seen.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Back!!!
10 very busy days later Jeff and I have returned to Canada.
Road Trip 2006 was a busy and memorable one and you can find out all the details in our May 2007 issue of Flagstick when the story debuts. So if you are considering a trip to the Southern United States, specifically West Virginia, North Carolina, or Georgia, make sure you watch for a copy. Better yet, sign up for our special online newsletter and you will even get an advance electronic copy before the print edition hits the shelves.
Road Trip 2006 was a busy and memorable one and you can find out all the details in our May 2007 issue of Flagstick when the story debuts. So if you are considering a trip to the Southern United States, specifically West Virginia, North Carolina, or Georgia, make sure you watch for a copy. Better yet, sign up for our special online newsletter and you will even get an advance electronic copy before the print edition hits the shelves.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
3 Days To Remember
It has been a few days since I have made any posts - the reason being that myself and Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder are on the road checking out locations for a "Road Trip" travel story that will appear in the May 2007 Issue of Flagstick.
We are just three days into a very packed itinerary but are happy to report that we have been delighted by our stay in West Virginia in recent days. Family oriented resorts, golf courses that make full use of the spectacular and dramatic topography, and the charm of the people have put this destinaton high on our favourites list.
With almost 80% of the state here covered in forest and many activities taking place high atop mountains or deep in the valleys in between, what you have is a wild and wonderful place to enjoy for all manners of outdoor activity.
I won't give away any more than that for now...but you might just want to get in your car immediately to come here and see the awesome beauty of their fall foliage.
We are just three days into a very packed itinerary but are happy to report that we have been delighted by our stay in West Virginia in recent days. Family oriented resorts, golf courses that make full use of the spectacular and dramatic topography, and the charm of the people have put this destinaton high on our favourites list.
With almost 80% of the state here covered in forest and many activities taking place high atop mountains or deep in the valleys in between, what you have is a wild and wonderful place to enjoy for all manners of outdoor activity.
I won't give away any more than that for now...but you might just want to get in your car immediately to come here and see the awesome beauty of their fall foliage.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Old Is New - Where Will Square Take Us This Time?
Nike fired the first salvo is the new "square" driver war today - officially unveiling their SQ Sumo2 driver ahead of the impending reveal of the FT-i driver from Callaway Golf.
While their appearance may be shocking to many others worldwide, Canadians get a free pass to yawn at this shape as part of the golf scene. Canadian based Accuform Golf had their own radical square driver "The Whistler" more than a decade ago. Unfortunately it didn't revive a company that was floundering at the time. In fact, the driver drew more laughs than serious attention. Hopefully this won't be the case for industry giants Nike and Callaway and those others that are sure to follow this trend.
While I am in full agreement that you have to distinguish your products in today's marketplace - the driver will need to perform in order for general acceptance to occur. Even that is no guarantee of success. Take the Cleveland VAS 792 irons from years ago - they played beautifully but the company had to abandon the product line due to weak sales. As radical as golf clubs have become, it is still a relatively conservative market.
While there seems to be little left to do with a golf club head to make it better with current restrictions in place, geometry seems to hold some promise of making a driver that can help golfers to hit the ball more squarely - and in turn, straighter. The square shape provides a higher Moment of Inertia (MOI) - making for clubs that supposed to be more stable and in concert with other design innovations, help you hit it the usual - longer and straighter.
Beyond the Whistler, square shaped drivers harken back almost a century. Of course technology and materials have advanced greatly so you can be sure that even with a similar shape that the new batch of angular clubs have very distinct properties.
Will it take this time? That remains to be seen but the engineers at Nike and Callaway seem to think they have a viable product that returns effective results.
I have yet to test either of these cubs but imagine there has to be some advantages for any of these companies to put somuch effort (and $) in bringing them to market. Each is not taking the a complete risk though - they both have slightly more traditional models (the SQ Sumo for Nike, the FT-5 for Callaway) set to also arrive. After all, you can't expect everyone to like the "square" trend.
We all aspired not be be "square" in high school but maybe if it gets us a few more yards and a few more fairways, Nike and Callaway can change our minds.
The SQ SUMO² and SQ SUMO are both 460cc, feature SasQuatch/Diamana shafts and are available in 8.5º, 9.5º, 10.5º and 13º. The SQ SUMO² carries a Cdn suggested retail price of $499.99 and the SQ SUMO is $399.99.
I will post details of the Callaway "square" release when they become officially available.
Friday, October 06, 2006
The Readers Have Spoken
Awards are a funny thing. When winners of any award are determined by a small panel of people, it can really be hard to come up with quality results that are widely accepted.
For that reason alone, at Flagstick we let the Readers choose. Afterall, who but the golfers who play in our region can best give an honest opinion about what they see.
Thanks to all those people who took the time to fill in ballots. Jeff Wright of Orleans, Ontario was the lucky reader whose ballot was drawn for the trip to Scotland. Congratulations and we hope you enjoy your Scottish summer jaunt in 2007. He'll enjoy the comforts of Zoom Airlines www.flyzoom.com and the Westin Turnberry Resort http://www.turnberry.co.uk/.
For the actual awinners of the Reader's Chouce Awards see the complete list here: http://www.flagstick.com/readerschoice_2006winners.htm
For that reason alone, at Flagstick we let the Readers choose. Afterall, who but the golfers who play in our region can best give an honest opinion about what they see.
Thanks to all those people who took the time to fill in ballots. Jeff Wright of Orleans, Ontario was the lucky reader whose ballot was drawn for the trip to Scotland. Congratulations and we hope you enjoy your Scottish summer jaunt in 2007. He'll enjoy the comforts of Zoom Airlines www.flyzoom.com and the Westin Turnberry Resort http://www.turnberry.co.uk/.
For the actual awinners of the Reader's Chouce Awards see the complete list here: http://www.flagstick.com/readerschoice_2006winners.htm
Hot Off The Press!
The final issues of the year for Flagstick and Flagstick Golf Travel are now available online. If you are not an online member (who had the chance to download these a few weeks ago) then you can now find them at Flagstick and Flagstick Golf Travel.
If you would like to have the opportunity to download these files as soon as the issues are ready for future issues, sign up at www.flagstick.com for our special newsletter.
If you would like to have the opportunity to download these files as soon as the issues are ready for future issues, sign up at www.flagstick.com for our special newsletter.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Canadian Open 2006 - And beyond...
A Tale of Two Tournies
-Taking a Deeper Look at The Canadian Open-
Ancaster, Ontario, September 10th, 2006 - Really, it is all how you spin it but can Canadian golf fans really be convinced? Come 2007, with the Canadian Open on the move to a late July date – one squeezed between the British Open, a World Golf Championship and the PGA Championship, things look bleak for this institution. But are they really?
The perception is that the 2007 Open, to be played at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, will be a second rate event with little to draw people to attend it. But is that really the case? Sure, all the top players in the world may not be there but rarely are they ever for a non-major or non-World Championship series event. 2006 Champion Jim Furyk has already said he will show up to defend and you can always depend on Mike Weir to lead the homegrown contingent. That should be enough to convince a couple people to pick up a ducat or two. Of course there will need to be more than that to make the event a success – primarily people will have to open their eyes to what the Canadian Open REALLY offers for golfers – something many media members need to do as well.
Nothing symbolizes it better than the cool morning walk Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder and I took here today at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club. You see, as much focus as people put on the leaders at a golf tournament – most of them forget that golf is a fleeting game. It takes very little for even the best players to end up trailing the pack during a PGA Tour event – or even missing the cut. But the joy of watching professional golf is that there are normally 144-156 players in the field at every event and for the price of a ticket you can watch any of them, all day long. When was the last time you got to pay $65 to watch NHL hockey for a 12 hour, continuous stretch?
Arriving at this venerable old layout early today, the thought was on our minds to follow many of the players who would eventually be duelling for the championship trophy – but then a quick glance at the pairing sheet changed all that. Remember, whether on the bottom or the top – these guys are good. In fact, there is so much to admire in the games of even the lonely players who must set out in the near dawn of the final day that in itself, it justifies the few quid you have paid for entry.
Yes, you may not be enamoured by the early rise necessary to see pro golfers tip it up in frigid morning air, but the opportunity is included in the cost of your ticket so why not?
So we set out to follow a pair of golfers that were some 12 shots back of the leaders. Their smooth swings and solid strikes of the golf ball were impressive. Despite being so far back of the lead they were only two over par for three rounds, scores even an elite amateur could only pine for. Within the first few holes they hit booming, well shaped drives, displayed skilful ability in hitting fairway bunker shots, and demonstrated deft touch around the greens. All the while they interacted with the crowd (a group that peaked at no more than 100 during all eighteen holes) and gave valuable golf lessons by their actions alone.
The opportunity to watch professionals like this at close range is what the Canadian Open and other live golf events are all about. It is the real gold you will find at the Canadian Open, what should be emphasized to all. Even if they are not currently the number 1 and 2 players in the world, I assure anyone that they would enjoy such a morning walk – a playing lesson if you will.
Sadly many people believe that if Tiger Woods is not at a golf tournament that there is nothing worth watching – how wrong they are. In fact, chances are that even if Tiger played every Canadian Open and you were there to watch live – you might not see much of his golf at all. It would likely be just too hard to get a line of sight to observe more than a shot or two.
So it is the depth of the field you need to think about. All these pros are good enough to have reached the top tour in the world. Any one of them will be sure to entertain, and probably show you how to play the game better.
Sure, getting swept up in the victory march is one thing but a golf tournament like the Canadian Open has more depth than that, no matter who is “missing” from the field.
As for us, we got an 18-hole golf clinic; up close and personal by a couple of those “players not currently on the top of the world rankings” that everyone is so worried will be the ones to fill out the Canadian Open field in 2007.
If people could just put that in perspective then they would realize there is no need to give up on the Canadian Open. There are reasons to watch for more than the contemporary top players.
By the way, the players we tagged along with for the morning – rumour has it they have already won 28 PGA Tour events including 3 majors and each says they plan to keep playing the Canadian Open as long as they can.
They were pretty good.
You may want to keep an eye out for them – called themselves David Frost and Nick Price.
I hope this golf thing works out for them.
Just having Tiger Woods and always the best golf course to play on does not guarantee the success of the Canadian Open.
Having fans and media with an open mind is more important. Don’t just pile on the criticism train, turning your nose up because of date, venue, or perceived “quality” of the field.
There are great things to be proud of and enjoy at every Canadian Open.
You just have to look with the right perspective.
-Taking a Deeper Look at The Canadian Open-
Ancaster, Ontario, September 10th, 2006 - Really, it is all how you spin it but can Canadian golf fans really be convinced? Come 2007, with the Canadian Open on the move to a late July date – one squeezed between the British Open, a World Golf Championship and the PGA Championship, things look bleak for this institution. But are they really?
The perception is that the 2007 Open, to be played at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, will be a second rate event with little to draw people to attend it. But is that really the case? Sure, all the top players in the world may not be there but rarely are they ever for a non-major or non-World Championship series event. 2006 Champion Jim Furyk has already said he will show up to defend and you can always depend on Mike Weir to lead the homegrown contingent. That should be enough to convince a couple people to pick up a ducat or two. Of course there will need to be more than that to make the event a success – primarily people will have to open their eyes to what the Canadian Open REALLY offers for golfers – something many media members need to do as well.
Nothing symbolizes it better than the cool morning walk Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder and I took here today at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club. You see, as much focus as people put on the leaders at a golf tournament – most of them forget that golf is a fleeting game. It takes very little for even the best players to end up trailing the pack during a PGA Tour event – or even missing the cut. But the joy of watching professional golf is that there are normally 144-156 players in the field at every event and for the price of a ticket you can watch any of them, all day long. When was the last time you got to pay $65 to watch NHL hockey for a 12 hour, continuous stretch?
Arriving at this venerable old layout early today, the thought was on our minds to follow many of the players who would eventually be duelling for the championship trophy – but then a quick glance at the pairing sheet changed all that. Remember, whether on the bottom or the top – these guys are good. In fact, there is so much to admire in the games of even the lonely players who must set out in the near dawn of the final day that in itself, it justifies the few quid you have paid for entry.
Yes, you may not be enamoured by the early rise necessary to see pro golfers tip it up in frigid morning air, but the opportunity is included in the cost of your ticket so why not?
So we set out to follow a pair of golfers that were some 12 shots back of the leaders. Their smooth swings and solid strikes of the golf ball were impressive. Despite being so far back of the lead they were only two over par for three rounds, scores even an elite amateur could only pine for. Within the first few holes they hit booming, well shaped drives, displayed skilful ability in hitting fairway bunker shots, and demonstrated deft touch around the greens. All the while they interacted with the crowd (a group that peaked at no more than 100 during all eighteen holes) and gave valuable golf lessons by their actions alone.
The opportunity to watch professionals like this at close range is what the Canadian Open and other live golf events are all about. It is the real gold you will find at the Canadian Open, what should be emphasized to all. Even if they are not currently the number 1 and 2 players in the world, I assure anyone that they would enjoy such a morning walk – a playing lesson if you will.
Sadly many people believe that if Tiger Woods is not at a golf tournament that there is nothing worth watching – how wrong they are. In fact, chances are that even if Tiger played every Canadian Open and you were there to watch live – you might not see much of his golf at all. It would likely be just too hard to get a line of sight to observe more than a shot or two.
So it is the depth of the field you need to think about. All these pros are good enough to have reached the top tour in the world. Any one of them will be sure to entertain, and probably show you how to play the game better.
Sure, getting swept up in the victory march is one thing but a golf tournament like the Canadian Open has more depth than that, no matter who is “missing” from the field.
As for us, we got an 18-hole golf clinic; up close and personal by a couple of those “players not currently on the top of the world rankings” that everyone is so worried will be the ones to fill out the Canadian Open field in 2007.
If people could just put that in perspective then they would realize there is no need to give up on the Canadian Open. There are reasons to watch for more than the contemporary top players.
By the way, the players we tagged along with for the morning – rumour has it they have already won 28 PGA Tour events including 3 majors and each says they plan to keep playing the Canadian Open as long as they can.
They were pretty good.
You may want to keep an eye out for them – called themselves David Frost and Nick Price.
I hope this golf thing works out for them.
Just having Tiger Woods and always the best golf course to play on does not guarantee the success of the Canadian Open.
Having fans and media with an open mind is more important. Don’t just pile on the criticism train, turning your nose up because of date, venue, or perceived “quality” of the field.
There are great things to be proud of and enjoy at every Canadian Open.
You just have to look with the right perspective.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Welcome
Greetings and welcome to Flagstick Golf Magazine's Editor's Desk. My name is Scott MacLeod and I am the Editorial Director for Flagstick, the leading golf publication in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.
This is where we can keep you informed on the latest golf news and events, as well as provide you with interesting editorial content - any time of the day, week, month, or year.
I look forward to seeing you on a regular basis and offering up a little slice of golf in our region and beyond. It is just another way for us to continue being the #1 resource for golfers in our region.
Cheers for now...
This is where we can keep you informed on the latest golf news and events, as well as provide you with interesting editorial content - any time of the day, week, month, or year.
I look forward to seeing you on a regular basis and offering up a little slice of golf in our region and beyond. It is just another way for us to continue being the #1 resource for golfers in our region.
Cheers for now...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
