Villegas to TaylorMade

[losingmyedge]

I find Taylor Made very aggresive in the way they go about signing players up. They will soon have around 50 per cent of the Tour. They have so much advertising especially in the golf print press in the UK I wonder why they persue so many staff players.

Also leaves a question mark over Cobra Puma....

They have now lost Villegas and Ogilvy within a year and whilst making excellent clubs are they going to market themselves as a club maker for the club golfer more than for tour players.

OR are they going to puush Poulter and JB more AND potentially bring in Fowler?

[te3point5]

Although Fowler wears all puma gear, I really can't see him dropping Titleist equipment, but who knows, maybe some orange irons will change his mind.

[iacas]

You left out the part about them being sued by Acushnet.

[Stretch]

You left out the part about them being sued by Acushnet.

And they have a point. Villegas got paid to rep Titleist/Cobra etc. through 2011 and TM announcing that he'll be switching after that basically negates his utility as a pitchman for Acushnet for the rest of the year. Dick move.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I interviewed with Acushnet's marketing people over the winter, and they do passive/aggressively brand titleist toward better players, and are/were more aggressive towards the everyday golfer with their cobra and nxt ball brands. (cobra now sold to puma) As far as marketing goes, Davis Love is still the Titleist brand player and what most closely conveys their vision for the brand. So overall i dont think the loss of Villegas hurts Acushnet marketing strategy. Their lawsuit against TM is largely contractual in nature, not so much a battle over his services, IMO. I am interested to see what they do with Folwer, though, and how they try to tie him into the brand image.

[newtogolf]

You left out the part about them being sued by Acushnet.

Is this because TaylorMade announced their signing while they still had time remaining on their Titleist deals?

[sean_miller]

I find Taylor Made very aggresive in the way they go about signing players up. They will soon have around 50 per cent of the Tour. They have so much advertising especially in the golf print press in the UK I wonder why they persue so many staff players.

I don't see too many people in person playing Cobra now (or Nike) so this won't help.

Personally, even if 95% of the tour was playing TM equipment, there's still not a single piece of metal they produce that interests me, designwise. I'd rather know what top amateurs are playing - guys who don't have equipment deals.

[Stretch]

Is this because TaylorMade announced their signing while they still had time remaining on their Titleist deals?

Yes it is.

"It is unconscionable that this competitor would interfere with a player's contract by publicly announcing its intentions with that player during his contract term with another company," said Joe Nauman, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Legal, Acushnet Company. "The timing of TMaG's press release was obviously calculated to harm Acushnet Company and diminish the value of Camilo's endorsements. The behavior of TMaG and Camilo's agent is reprehensible, causing Acushnet Company irreparable and significant damage. Camilo is under contract with Acushnet Company through the end of the year and we expect the agreement to be honored throughout the term."

[Jay-Bird]

TaylorMade and Villegas are a perfect fit.

[walfice]

It will be interesting to see if Villegas keeps his cobra 3 wood in his bag, he loves that club. I have seen him hit some outstanding shots with that thing.

[Shorty]

TaylorMade and Villegas are a perfect fit.

Would you care to elaborate?

[Easy]

Is he still going to wear kick ass J.Lindeberg clothing?

[senorchipotle]

Is he still going to wear kick ass J.Lindeberg clothing?

apparently so, just checked out j lindeberg's website and they've got this video of him called 24 hours in dubai. apparently they're trying to turn him into a sex symbol.

[losingmyedge]

You left out the part about them being sued by Acushnet.

I felt Villegas being sued was a seperate issue here that I will return to later, I do appologise. I see you have discussed it though so that's cool.

[losingmyedge]

yes Camillo will still wear JL, that has already been confirmed

[Easy]

apparently so, just checked out j lindeberg's website and they've got this video of him called 24 hours in dubai. apparently they're trying to turn him into a sex symbol.

Hahah!

Yeah well he is the pretty boy on the pga (fowler too).... still gotta win more though.

[losingmyedge]

Hahah!

He went through big swing changes in 2009 after a very good 2008, I think he has become more consistent without getting the breaks this season that you need to win apart from at the Honda. He played fantastic in the wind on Friday at St Andrews but just didn't hole the putts. I thought he played well also at Whistling Straits.

Providing he clicks with the Taylor Made sticks he could be one to watch in 2011.

[iacas]

I felt Villegas being sued was a seperate issue here that I will return to later, I do appologise. I see you have discussed it though so that's cool.

He's being sued for this... I don't know how it's a separate issue.