ORLANDO – How’s this for irony? Twenty years ago this week here at the PGA Merchandise Show, Callaway Golf Company introduced the world to Big Bertha – the then-oversized (195cc) driver. Big Bertha’s success, coupled with the marketing genius of company founder Ely Callaway, propelled Callaway to the dominant position in the metal woods market in the 1990s.
Today you can call the former metal woods giant a golf accessories giant. According to its 2010 numbers, for the first time Callaway Golf’ s accessories sales of $235.8 million topped its metal woods sales of $225 million. That’s not really a big surprise given Callaway’s accessories sales in 2009 were $218.7, barely behind its metal woods sales of $222.6 million.
Ely Callaway must be spinning in his grave.
Callaway Golf founder Ely Callaway and Big Bertha
