Speculation has run rampant that the new Titleist C16 driver will carry a price tag of around $1,000. The driver this week popped up the USGA’s list of conforming drivers, which has fueled speculation that Titleist parent, the Acushnet Co., will soon launch the driver into the marketplace.
Driver could be most expensive in brand history
The company’s pattern has been release a metal woods family on odd-numbered years, which makes the C16 a bit of an oddity in terms of introduction and price – assuming that $1,000 is anywhere accurate.
Any abnormally high-priced driver, however, would play against Acushnet’s corporate grain, but it should be remembered that the company is in the midst of presenting itself for a public offering, meaning that the possible high price for the C16 is a step in that direction, as it shows potential investors (and consumers) that it has product across a larger price segment.
Times – and business practices – do indeed seem to be changing for Acushnet as it prepares for a n IPO perhaps as early as this summer. The company this week debuted a limited edition 64-degree Vokey T-Grind wedge that carried a $250 price tag through iWedgeWorks http://www.vokey.com/wedgeworks/products/Vokey-Design-64T.aspx.
