Taylormade CEO says the sport has declined since Tiger Woods came into golf

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by 460CompMark

King is just trying to be relevant.  He notices Tiger's rise to dominance again and has to create drama to get people to notice TM.  News flash dumbazz, it's going to negatively affect your product.

There's no need to prop up the Taylormade brand.  It's doing just fine.

[460CompMark]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

There's no need to prop up the Taylormade brand.  It's doing just fine.

true dat!  im actually going to go demo an RBZ driver soon! LOL

i don't like Nike clubs.

[Fireblade]

I agree we should not feel the need to prop up the TM machine. so I just posted my wife's TM Burner 2.0 clubs on eBay and bought her a nice replacement set of ProMaster off Craigslist. I think they may be a little long for her but I'm sure she will feel good about the decision.

[bubble]

weird, I started golf thanks to woods.

I play a lot, am member of two clubs, promote the activity and buy 100% of my woods from taylormade.

normal thought that a CEO is far from reality, he probably does'nt even understand why TM is good in woods. it's his team that works the products and clients, not him.

[Dave2512]

Pretty sure his mission was accomplished, get people talking about TM Golf. Smart move throwing Tiger's name into it. Irony isn't lost on me that while claiming golf is on the decline he name drops it's most visable player. Tiger may be the most significant pivot point in the evolution of golf and this guy knows it. That's why he used him as bait.

[Mulligan Jeff]

I gotta believe Mark King is fed up with the star power of Woods. Ever since "hello world" Nike marketshare started its rise. Nike Golf was introduced and the rest is history. Nike signed Woods for 50mm endorsement deal before he ever teed it up - that is the Ballziest!!

[ay33660]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

TM is doing very well given the economy.  Callaway has lost money the last three years while TM has shown increased profits.  TM has been successul because their marketing is heads and shoulders above the others.  I don't know if King is responsible for their marketing but whoever is deserves all the credit.

What King fails to acknowledge or understand is that Tiger brought / brings attention to the sport.  Television ratings clearly demonstrate more people watch golf when Tiger is near the top of the leaderboard.  More golf magazines are sold when Tiger is on the cover.  TM marketing wouldn't have been as effective if more people weren't watching golf, reading golf magazines and spending time on golf forums.  Tiger increased the overall market which enabled TM to increase their sales and market share using their very effective marketing campaigns.

Instead of minimizing Tiger's contribution to the sport, King and his board members should be thanking him or at least respectful enough to not say anything derogatory.  King has made enough ignorant comments the last few years to convince me they are not a company I want to support, no matter how good their equipment is.  Once I run out of the Penta TP 5's I've already purchased I'll be switching to Titleist or Callaway balls.

I was just fitted for a new set of Ping G25 irons today. I am also purchasing the G25 driver and 4 wood. Plus the G25 20 and 23 degree hybrid.

The head pro at the club was very happy to take my order but I know he thinks I am nuts just to replace my TM R9 driver 3 and 5 woods and R9 irons just because I think the CEO is a moron.

I currently have 5 sets of irons and woods with TM being 3 of those sets.

I will NEVER purchase another TM product again.

King can go **** himself.

[tomvk77]

i think this man talks allot of shit. Tiger did put golf to a higher level. If you tell non golfers your playing they all know Tiger's name.

not allways on the right way, but still...

He didn't only make golf more popular but put his colleagues at work also.

Didn't we hear they made Tiger tee's ???

Well as for TM they are doing a damn good job, and actually look a bit like tiger. When Tiger came on tour, he was kind off out off the box,

TM has the guts to do so also, starting with weights in drivers, up to white headed ones, wedges with extreme sole's and tunable driver heads,

all the other companies had to follow TM, so i got to give TM some credits, but they lifted up on the hype called Tiger Woods

[notsohard]

PGA tour responds

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by notsohard

PGA tour responds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmusbZvrf5A

I wonder if King sent Jason Day a "STFU" coffee mug after he saw that video.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by muggs

LEMMING ALERT!!! LEMMING ALERT!!!!

I forgot to add, professionalism and class have also been in declined since Tiger's first F-bomb and club throw in front of the gallery. Newtogolf, how is it that Nike has controlled your thoughts for so long?

I'm far from a lemming, if anything your hatred towards Tiger has clouded your ability to objectively evaluate the impact he's had on golf.   Tiger's athleticism and dominance in golf led me to want to play the sport, but I don't own any Nike gear except for some golf shirts and the first golf bag I ever bought that now sits in my garage holding old clubs.

Babe Ruth wasn't a great person, he was also reportedly an alcoholic but that doesn't seem to minimize the impact he left on the game.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by ay33660

I was just fitted for a new set of Ping G25 irons today. I am also purchasing the G25 driver and 4 wood. Plus the G25 20 and 23 degree hybrid.

The head pro at the club was very happy to take my order but I know he thinks I am nuts just to replace my TM R9 driver 3 and 5 woods and R9 irons just because I think the CEO is a moron.

I currently have 5 sets of irons and woods with TM being 3 of those sets.

I will NEVER purchase another TM product again.

King can go **** himself.

I'm with you, as consumers the only way we can motivate companies to change their business methods is to withhold our dollars from them.  King or someone on his team is a marketing genius, but King as a person is imo, an self absorbed idiot.

I didn't like him after they aired the Undercover Boss he was in and saw all the Adidas shoes they threw in the dumpster because of imperfections rather than give them to the needy.  These latest statements led me to replace my Adams fairway and hybrid with Titleist and I sold the Adams gear.  Once my supply of Penta's runs out, I'll be buying Callaway or Titleist.

TM will not be getting any more of my money as long as King is CEO, he might be good for TM, but he's not good for golf.

[Mr. Desmond]

Some of y'all take this too seriously. Really? Dumping clubs because of a CEO's statements? That's like dumping clubs because a golfer has an affair. These guys in and of themselves are not the company. They are human, they make mistakes, they have different motivations. Play what fits you or do what your principles dictate. But these weird events and statements even out eventually. Look at Nike- it's on the rise again

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Some of y'all take this too seriously.

Really? Dumping clubs because of a CEO's statements? That's like dumping clubs because a golfer has an affair. These guys in and of themselves are not the company. They are human, they make mistakes, they have different motivations.

Play what fits you or do what your principles dictate. But these weird events and statements even out eventually. Look at Nike- it's on the rise again

I agree. Though I think the guy is a nut, it surely would not stop me from using a TaylorMade club if it fit me and I preferred the brand.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Some of y'all take this too seriously.

Really? Dumping clubs because of a CEO's statements? That's like dumping clubs because a golfer has an affair. These guys in and of themselves are not the company. They are human, they make mistakes, they have different motivations.

Play what fits you or do what your principles dictate. But these weird events and statements even out eventually. Look at Nike- it's on the rise again

No kidding. Must be nice to be able to afford to dump a full set of great clubs to make a statement that no one will notice. And what exactly was the motivation? Because the guy dissed Tiger? Seriously?

People shop at Walmart or buy clothes made in sweatshops by child labour but draw the line at supporting anyone who makes dumb statements about Tiger Woods??? Asinine.

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Some of y'all take this too seriously.

Really? Dumping clubs because of a CEO's statements? That's like dumping clubs because a golfer has an affair. These guys in and of themselves are not the company. They are human, they make mistakes, they have different motivations.

Play what fits you or do what your principles dictate. But these weird events and statements even out eventually. Look at Nike- it's on the rise again

Good point.

Part of me has to wonder and I know its a strettttccchhhhhh, but could TM finally feel a little pressure from Nike? I know Nike has a long way to go to be a serious contender to the throne, but The Covert Driver has equal or more buzz than the R1 or Stage 2. And prices have already dropped on the Stage 2 line as well. That NEVER happens with Taylormade this soon after release..................never. When you're on top you dont have to make these statements about a company beneath you unless there is a reason behind it.

[hendog]

Who cares what this guy says? I like playing golf. I want to go play right now but I have to work. Bummer.

[rgeorge17]

Regardlessof either man's character, the statement wasn't made to imply that Tiger caused any decline in golf, just that he didn't think golf was any better off with Tiger being here. Tiger is similar to many other outstanding professional sports figures, because of their notoriety they're held up as role models. None of them asked for that position. I don't think there's any question that Tiger has raised the level of golf played now. You don't see many, if any, beer bellied cirgarette smoking golfers anymore. He took the game of professional golf to a new higher level. Its the same in the other professional sports. So to me, its not the individual that's the role model, it's their level of effort and commitment to their sport that becomes a model for success.