Callaway Golf Chair & CEO Ely Callaway "took a shot at
his competitors" last week by "publicly threatening to sue
them or turn them into" the FTC over their endorsement deals
with pro golfers who "are not using the clubs they are
endorsing," according to Liz Mullen in the upcoming issue of
the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Although "not identified by
name," the companies and golfers alluded to were Adams Golf
endorsers Nick Faldo and Dudley Hart and Orlimar Golf "staff
golfer" Ted Tryba. Callaway: "We are considering having
this whole matter of what we think is deceptive presentation
of information on the (PGA) Tour adjudicated by the courts
or the [FTC]." Callaway claims that in recent tournaments,
Tryba and Hart "did not carry any of the clubs they endorse"
and Faldo "did not use the Adams driver he endorses." But
Adams Golf Chair & CEO Barney Adams said that both Faldo and
Hart would use the clubs they endorse "in the future."
Hart, whose contract "requires that he carry just one" Adams
fairway wood, said that some of the reasons why he didn't
play the Adams clubs were "particular challenges of that
course, the limit of clubs per bag and the fact that his
contract with Adams is only a few months old" (THE DAILY).
Orlimar co-Chair Ed Dolinar called Callaway's statements "a
cheap shot." Adams, on Callaway: "He's just huffing and
puffing." Hart: "He can call it 'deceptive' all he wants.
I don't know why people would assume every club in my bag is
an Adams" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/30). For more, see (#17).
