One of the more popular golf club brands of the '80s is making a comeback in the increasingly competitive industry. Tommy Armour Golf, which gained prominence from its 845s iron set, is returning to market exclusively at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy stores as a more cost-affordable option compared to other brands like TaylorMade, Callaway or up-start PXG. Tommy Armour, previously only sold at Sports Authority, has not been at market since the chain shuttered back in ’16. The brand was then acquired by Dick's last year. Dick's Dir of Marketing Planning Jason Kline said, “We saw an opportunity to honor the history of the brand that quite honestly we thought had a lot of equity from the '80s and '90s. What we saw was an opportunity to take that and infuse it with some new technology that can create great performance at an affordable price.” The brand introduced its new TA1 driver ($299) about six weeks ago and started selling TA1 iron sets for $599 last Friday. For comparison, a Callaway Rogue driver and TaylorMade’s M4 (the brands’ newest options) retail for $499 each. Dick's Senior Product Manager for Golf David Michaels said the brand partnered with BMW Design Works on the clubs’ design, meant to target the “meat of the market, the everyday golfer.” Kline noted that in addition to print and digital advertising, Dick's is running a spot on Golf Channel beginning Friday through at least August. Tommy Armour also will have billboard sponsorships on programs like “Golf Central Pregame.” Dick's worked with Haworth Marketing + Media on its ad efforts. Tommy Armour joins Top Flite, Maxfli and Walter Hagen as private golf brands under the Dick's umbrella.
