Callaway Golf Stops Sales of Putter Copies

December 3, 2003 at 7:51 PM EST

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 2003--Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) today announced that a federal court in Florida has agreed to issue an order blocking a Florida golf club importer and retailer from importing and selling illegal copies of the Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter. The order was issued on December 2, 2003, and applies to the defendant and all persons acting in concert with the defendant who have actual notice of the order.

Callaway Golf(R) sued International Golf Warehouse ("IGW") in Orlando for importing and selling illegal copies of the Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Putter. IGW agreed to stop selling the "Boss Type 007," the "Tomahawk Sniper," and several other copies of the White Hot 2-Ball Putter. IGW also forfeited 3500 infringing knock-offs, including the infringing putters, and paid an undisclosed amount of money to Callaway Golf. The court's order embodies the key provisions of the agreement.

Callaway Golf has also filed a lawsuit in Tampa Bay against importers Tony Liu, Jeff Parrot and E.L. Golf, Inc., who do business as Chicago Golf. Chicago Golf has retail stores in Lakeland, Clearwater, and Sarasota, Florida. The lawsuit asserts that Chicago Golf sells the "White Shot Twin Ball" putter that allegedly infringes trademarks and patents covering the Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Putter. This lawsuit is still pending.

"These actions in Florida are an example of our ongoing efforts to protect our intellectual property, including the intellectual property related to the top-selling Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Putter," said Steve McCracken, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Callaway Golf.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including ERC(R) Fusion(R) Drivers, Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(R) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-16(R) and Steelhead X-16 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons, and Callaway Golf Forged Wedges. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(R), DFX(TM) and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(R) Tour balls, HX Blue and HX Red balls, the CTU 30(R) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, the HX 2-Piece Blue and HX 2-Piece Red balls, the CB1(R) Blue and CB1 Red balls, and the Warbird(TM) golf balls. Callaway Golf also owns and operates The Top-Flite Golf Company, a wholly owned subsidiary that includes the Top-Flite(R), Strata(R) and Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our websites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.topflite.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

CONTACT:
Callaway Golf Company, Carlsbad
Larry Dorman or Steve McCracken, 760-931-1771

SOURCE: Callaway Golf Company