Acushnet is the undisputed leader in golf shoes and apparel,
netting over 1.2 billion dollars last year in sales; Acushnet continues to dominate
golf apparel sales. Acushnet was founded in 1910 first as a rubber company, focusing
on de-resonating latex and
supplying rubber to the industry, then as time progressed Acushnet started
manufacturing their own rubber based products including water bottles and
bathing caps. A far cry from what they do today.
Eventually Acushnet started crafting golf equipment products
mainly golf balls, then in 1932, Acushnet separated into two divisions; golf
and rubber, both of which became very successful in there respected markets.
When 1935 came rolling around the first Titleist golf ball was manufactured. It
happened by fluke, the owner of the company Philip E. Young, was sick and tired
of his golf ball flying every which way on the golf course, he could not
understand why it was so difficult to hit the ball straight. What happened next
would revolutionize the golf ball industry.
Philip E. Young then took a series of golf balls to an X-Ray
machine so he could see what was going on in the middle of the ball, trying to
figure out what was causing the trajectory path of the golf ball while in
flight. What he found was the core in the middle of the golf ball was not
centered. They were off to the left, or to the right, or oblong, there was no
consistency throughout. Philip then went back to the manufacturing lines and
created the first Titleist golf ball, today Titleist is the most used golf ball
on the market.
Then in 1985, Acushnet acquired the FootJoy golf company,
the same year FootJoy joined the Acushnet brand, the company decided to sell its
long standing rubber manufacturing side of the operation and focused solely on
golf. The decision paid off for each individual golf brand including Titleist,
FootJoy and Scotty Cameron.
On May 20th, 2011, 26 years after the Acushnet
Company purchased FootJoy Golf brand, they were sold to a Korean group who were
known to have ties to Fila Korea, LTD. The Korean group purchased the Acushnet
Company and all their brands which included Titleist, FootJoy, Scotty Cameron
and Pinnacle and they paid 1.23 billion dollars cash for the exclusive owner
rights.
In 2012 FootJoy has released the XPS-1 Men’s Golf Shoe,
which features brand new golf shoe technology seen nowhere else on the market.
The shoe is made from Extreme Comfort Leather (ECL) which proprietary is waterproofing system and is 30% softer then FootJoy’s past generations’
performance leather, giving the ability to keep golfers comfortable and dry no
matter how rugged the rough gets. As with many of FootJoys’ other shoes, the XPS-1
is backed by a two year limited waterproof warranty. By limited what FootJoy
means is, when the storm clouds roll in, and you are at hole 13 and the sky
opens up, your foot will be protected from water and so will the shoe. However,
if you let your frustrations get the best of you and you throw your pitching
wedge in the water hazard and later you have to go in after it, your shoes are
no longer covered by the waterproof warranty.
FootJoy also released in 2012 the Street Style
Golf Shoe with integrated spikes. The integrated spikes give golfers the
ability to go from home, to the golf shop, to the tee box on the first hole
without ever changing shoes. The traction given in these shoes are paralleled to
golf shoes with traditional spikes. My first experience using these shoes, I
almost tore the ligaments in my knees, simply because I was not ready for the
grip these shoes gave. Many golfers on the market who have had experience with
these shoes, and have used them on the greens, have claimed that the Street
Style shoes are the most comfortable golf shoe they have ever had the
opportunity to wear. That statement is a huge compliment to FootJoy with all
the cut-throat competition they face on the market today.
FootJoy is known for thinking outside the
box, and I could only imagine what everybody said when FootJoy announced that
they are manufacturing a golf sandal. I know what I said and it was mostly just
laughs and doubts. Sure enough, FootJoy released the GreenJoy Golf Sandals, and
I can guarantee for every critic who critiques the sandal as unpractical, or
useless, there is an advocate who uses the sandals every Sunday. The sandals
are revolutionary in the industry, and can be seen everywhere in the United
States on the local links in use by many avid golfers. Do I recommend using the
sandals? No. I prefer more conventional golf shoes, or even the integrated
spike shoes. If you want to wear sandals go to the beach, not golfing.
Now for the other side of this two headed beast, FootJoy
Gloves. FootJoy Gloves have such a high regard from the consumers that use
them. FootJoy has many of the same customers they have had since the 80’s
making the same high quality product they offer today. FootJoy gloves have a
very soft feel to them and the grip they offer has no equivalent on the market.
Today many golfers on the PGA use FootJoy gloves including Rory Mcilory, Adam
Scott, Lee Westwood and Bubba Watson; four golfers who are dominating the sport
today.
I believe FootJoy golf makes high quality products great for
any and every golfer. I did not touch up on it, maybe next time, but FootJoy
also features a whole line of ladies golf shoes, golf gloves and apparel. The
apparel line includes polo shirts for the hot summer days, windproof jackets
for the windy spring and heavier coats for the long falls and winters. The
apparel line is featured in men’s, ladies and kids, so your kids can get in on
the golfing event. But to be honest isn’t that why all of us go golfing? Just
to get a break from everyday life, from the kids and the wife? If you so choose
to use FootJoy golf equipment on your next outing, I can assure you, you are
using the highest quality of product available on the golf market today.
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