Acushnet Launches "Union Green" Company

[iacas]

Union Green | Golf Balls and Golf Apparel for the People

---

Welcome to Union Green. Shop for golf balls, golf hats, golf apparel, and more golf accessories. We are a group united by our love for the game… join Union Green today.

Acushnet - parent company of Titleist (still) - launched this small "hipster" golf ball company.

Oy.

[dennyjones]

Thanks for sharing.    meh...

[Sandy Divot]

Well, I'm not a hipster, so I guess it's not for me.

[Shindig]

Well, we are supposed to get the ball to be underground 18x/round, so I guess there's that hipster element to the game?  I really have no idea (and the first sentence was not a serious comment).

[David in FL]

Good grief.

[bwdial]

[leftybutnotPM]

There's a guaranteed fail. How to lose millions in one easy step.

The worst part of it is that they pretend by be targeting players with a love of the game but no brand loyalty and then insist that they're not really Titleist but sort of are.

How can they be so contradictory? It's like  high school marketing assignment where you target a product that no-one wants to an audience that doesn't exist.

Do the people below exist? And if they do, do they give a sh*t what golf ball they use? Or are they going to bother searching for a brand that fits their BS ethos. 

FFS  - If I'm buying tyres for my car, I'm looking at Pirelli, MIchelin, Toyo, Bridgestone, Dunlop etc. I'm not desperately seeking out a non "brand name" tyre because I think I'm cool - and then looking for one that's made by the aforementioned. 

Edited February 9, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[Beastie]

2 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

There's a guaranteed fail. How to lose millions in one easy step.

I doubt they have put millions into it. That website looks like it cost 50 bucks💵

[ChetlovesMer]

4 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

 

We're united by the game, but we don't follow the rules... I'm confused by that?

Perhaps, I'm too old.

1 hour ago, Beastie said:

I doubt they have put millions into it. That website looks like it cost 50 bucks💵

I think that's the look they are going for. I may be wrong, but I think its supposed to look like a start up.

[Missouri Swede]

It’s encouraging that their golf balls are “with absolutely no nonsense.” Finally, the missing factor. 

[boogielicious]

At this price point, I think they are going after on line companies like Snell and Vice versus the hipster crowd. $28 a dozen is not pricey. It is a part of the market where they are vulnerable because the don’t do internet sales with the ProV1 direct to consumers. My company decided to do the same thing when we lost shares to internet sales.

I don’t think Titleist would do direct to consumer with the ProV1 lines.

[snapfade]

"Golf has the power to unite us all. Union Green is for the people who head to the first tee just as they are and love to play the game on their own terms. All are welcome."

This is how they get you. Its how socialism starts, it slowly creeps into the things you enjoy. They make you, the life long golfer, who respects the traditions of the game, the rules, the etiquette and so forth to feel guilty and that you are wrong for doing so. It's ok if people want to play the game on their own terms. You have to be sensitive to their feelings and their understanding of what is right and wrong. You can not judge someone because they bring their dog on the course or don't follow the rule book. How dare you!! In fact, I think that we should pay their green fees because they have to spend 40 bucks on a t-shirt and 12 dollars for a campfire mug. Im off to buy one of everything they have, and I encourage you to do the same, if you do not, then you are racist.

[GolfLug]

I think it's an experiment to see if they can tap into the minimalist hipster ethos or movement over pragmatism. It's not an original thought. I just don't think there is enough equity for any major commercial success. 

[boogielicious]

16 minutes ago, snapfade said:

"Golf has the power to unite us all. Union Green is for the people who head to the first tee just as they are and love to play the game on their own terms. All are welcome."

This is how they get you. Its how socialism starts, it slowly creeps into the things you enjoy. They make you, the life long golfer, who respects the traditions of the game, the rules, the etiquette and so forth to feel guilty and that you are wrong for doing so. It's ok if people want to play the game on their own terms. You have to be sensitive to their feelings and their understanding of what is right and wrong. You can not judge someone because they bring their dog on the course or don't follow the rule book. How dare you!! In fact, I think that we should pay their green fees because they have to spend 40 bucks on a t-shirt and 12 dollars for a campfire mug. Im off to buy one of everything they have, and I encourage you to do the same, if you do not, then you are racist.

Please no politics. Last warning.

[David in FL]

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

At this price point, I think they are going after on line companies like Snell and Vice versus the hipster crowd. $28 a dozen is not pricey. It is a part of the market where they are vulnerable because the don’t do internet sales with the ProV1 direct to consumers. My company decided to do the same thing when we lost shares to internet sales.

I don’t think Titleist would do direct to consumer with the ProV1 lines.

Can you be vulnerable within a market that you’re not even in?  I guess, if they think that the direct to consumer, lower price point market is impacting their luxury brand.

I’d really like to have insight to their thought process on this one!

[boogielicious]

15 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Can you be vulnerable within a market that you’re not even in?  I guess, if they think that the direct to consumer, lower price point market is impacting their luxury brand.

I’d really like to have insight to their thought process on this one!

It’s all about share of market. They have healthy share in retail, but no presence in the direct to consumer (DTC) market. It is a weakness. So they are entering a product at a lower price point to test it.
 

They could have done it with their lower tier balls, but then consumers would want the ProV1. They don’t want to sacrifice their relationship with their retailers, so they came up with a ball that is not in retail and not like their retail ball. I don’t think they will hurt Snell, but some other low cost DTC companies may be hit by this.

I don’t like the marketing angle though, but understand their logic. It is to fill a gap.

[snapfade]

13 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Please no politics. Last warning.

You mistake sarcasm for politics and for that I apologize.

There were a lot of golf start-up companies in the mid to late 90's during the Tiger boom and they aren't around anymore. One of the newer ones is USAG. They have amusing products, but I think their clock is ticking too.

 

[boogielicious]

4 minutes ago, snapfade said:

You mistake sarcasm for politics and for that I apologize.

There were a lot of golf start-up companies in the mid to late 90's during the Tiger boom and they aren't around anymore. One of the newer ones is USAG. They have amusing products, but I think their clock is ticking too.

 

Use an emoji next time. They help.