The "Grass Ceiling," the common term for "the barriers women
face on the golf course, is beginning to be mowed by the pure
economic weight of women" who are taking up the game in record
numbers, according to Roger Thurow in the WALL STREET JOURNAL.
Thurow reports that women now make up 22% of U.S. golfers, and
"account for more than half" of those attempting to learn the
game. Thurow notes while the typical female golfer spends less
and plays fewer rounds than her male counterpart, women with a
self-admitted "high interest" in the game play an average of 27
rounds a year, spending almost $800. Thurow compares that to the
average male golfer's 19 rounds and $617 a year. Golf course
operators are looking to attract women customers, and so are
sponsors. Sprint recently became the official long-distance
company of the LPGA (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/24).
WILSON BANKS ON INVEX: Wilson's Invex club, used by John
Daly during his British Open victory last summer, has hit the
shelves and has company execs "hoping to grab back" part of the
driver market. Wilson, which was the nation's "pre-eminent"
clubmaker until '79, has slipped to sixth, behind Callaway,
Cobra, Taylor Made, Karsten's Ping, and Northwestern in the $1.5B
premium club market. Wilson hopes "serious golfers" who,
according to manufacturers, "will buy two or three new clubs each
year," will invest in Invex. Wilson competitors have set lofty
sales numbers. Callaway's Big Bertha and Great Big Bertha are
expected to exceed $500M this year. Cobra expects to hit $200M,
as does Taylor Made. Wilson's parent, Amer Group, projects total
golf sales of $700M (John Schmetzer, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/26).
ARMOURED WITH CREATIVITY? Marketing columnist George
Lazarus examines Tommy Armour Golf's new print campaign by Leap
Partnership. The ad, currently in Sports Illustrated and slated
to run in golf magazines, will be joined by a TV campaign in
January. The tag: "Take your game to the next level." Lazarus
notes that the slogan "doesn't really say much," but company
officials note that the equipment is "directed at 'very good
golfers'" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/23).
