Callaway spread out into other markets with mixed success throughout the 1990s, but remained at the forefront of consumer’s minds with TV advertisements featuring a tongue-in-cheek endorsement of Callaway Golf clubs by Bill Gates; richest man in the world and an amateur golfer with a notoriously high handicap. Other popular celebrities associated with Callaway Golf equipment included rock star Alice Cooper, an avid golfer with a very low handicap, and Celine Dion, a singer with a sweet swing to match her voice and a great game. The company’s primary developments were the introduction of Callaway Golf balls, which were a financial drain for the company but a technological success that won over the likes of legendary golfers such as Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. It should also be noted that these legendary golfers were added to the pro staff upon Callaways purchase of their respective playing equipment companies, both of which had been having financial difficulties. Callaway Golf also acquired up-and-comers in the club-making business, such as Odyssey Golf, which was known for its face insert putter technology and is now famous for its White Hot and more recently, White Hot XG, putter lines. In 2003, Callaway Golf added the Top-Flite and Ben Hogan names to its family of brands.
Google Video | January 3, 2007
