Disney links with golf manufacturer

Resort courses sign multi-year deal with equipment maker; Textron Inc. fills new vice president position

Web posted Monday, December 4, 2000

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By John Bankston
Staff Writer

Walt Disney has just laced up its golfing shoes - and they're FootJoy's, to be precise.

Acushnet Company, manufacturer of Titleist, FootJoy, Pinnacle and Cobra golf equipment, entered into a multi-year contract with Walt Disney World Resort, becoming the exclusive golf company at Disney's five championship golf courses.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Acushnet is a subsidiary of Fortune Brands, whose other holdings include Master Lock, Jim Beam and Moen.

``Our alliance with Walt Disney World Resort combines the most respected brand names in golf with the most popular vacation destination in the world,'' said Brian Lucas, director of special markets for Acushnet, in a company news release. ``The exposure generated by our association is a win-win situation for all parties.''

Titleist and Pinnacle golf balls have long had premium positioning in Walt Disney Resort golf pro shops. Traditionally, two of the top-selling golf products at Disney pro shops are Titleist and Pinnacle golf balls featuring Disney logos.

Other golf company news includes:

Odyssey Golf, a brand of Callaway Golf, has combined three of its leading putter technologies into a new line of what it calls high-performance premium putters.

The Odyssey TriHot Putters will feature technology used in Odyssey's White Hot Putters and TriForce Putters.

Suggested retail price is $315; putters are expected to ship to retailers by January 2001.

Ashworth Inc. announced a strategic alliance with the Germany-based designer and manufacturer Seidensticker Group to launch a new golf shirt line.

The move is consistent with Ashworth's goals to penetrate the multibillion-dollar sportswear market. The woven sport shirts are expected to range in price from $60 to $120.

Textron Inc. named Edward H. Orzetti to the newly created position of vice president of enterprise-wide initiatives.

A former general manager of supply chain management at General Electric, his job will be to drive supply chain improvements and increase Textron's efficiency.

Reach John Bankston at (706) 823-3352 or jbanks15@hotmail.com

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