Callaway Golf Announces Official Japan Launch Of “Rule 35™” Golf Ball
Callaway Golf Announces Official Japan Launch Of “Rule 35™” Golf Ball
September 7, 2000 at 12:00 AM EDT
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Pai (760) 931-1771
CARLSBAD, CA., Sept. 7, 2000 – Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY) today announced that it has officially begun shipments of the new Callaway Golf “Rule 35™” golf ball through its Japan subsidiary in Tokyo into retail golf shops throughout Japan.
Both the Firmfeel™ (red logo) and the Softfeel™ (blue logo) models of the “Rule 35” golf ball will be immediately available in Japan. The golf ball was launched in the United States on Feb. 4, 2000 and in Europe in May of 2000.
“Japan is the second largest golf market in the world, and we are very pleased to be able to now provide substantial quantities of the ‘Rule 35’ golf ball to this market,” said Chuck Yash, President of Callaway Golf and CEO of Callaway Golf Ball Company. “We believe that Japanese golfers will be extremely enthusiastic about the ‘Rule 35’ golf ball now that they have the opportunity to experience the ‘Complete Performance’ of the Firmfeel and the Softfeel balls.”
The Callaway brand already is very strong in Japan. According to figures compiled for the first six months of 2000 by the Sports Industry Research Institute, Callaway Golf is #1 in the marketplace in metal wood sales and the #1 overall golf club brand in Japan. And the “Complete Performance” of the new Callaway golf ball has inspired more than 70 touring pros on six tours worldwide to switch to the “Rule 35” ball.
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha® Hawk Eye® Titanium Metal Woods and Hawk Eye Tungsten Injected™ Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus™ Stainless Steel Metal Woods, Steelhead™ X-14™ Stainless Steel Irons, and Bobby Jones® and Carlsbad Series™ Putters. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® Putters with Stronomic® inserts, including White Hot™ and TriForce® Putters. Callaway Golf Ball Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Callaway Golf Company, makes and sells the Callaway Golf “Rule 35™” Firmfeel™ and Softfeel™ golf balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.