‘I BELIEVE TAYLORMADE WILL BECOME THE NEW LEADING BALL IN GOLF WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS’

Once described as “the man with the Midas touch”, David Abeles has turned Taylormade into a global powerhouse and recruited some of the biggest names in golf as brand ambassadors. Now he’s looking to topple Titleist as the leading golf ball manufacturer.

How would you define the reach of Taylormade?

We are very comfortable saying we are the largest golf equipment manufacturer in the world. Every data point you look at in the world’s major markets – here in the US, Europe and Asia – makes that clear. In unit volume or dollar sales you could classify TM as the largest golf company, and also the fastest-growing major golf ball brand.

How much power is in your hands? If you woke up one morning and decided to pull Taylormade out of the driver market, could you do that?

Of course, we have corporate hierarchy and yes, we do have that power as a team and individually. But we have a different view of power here. Our perspective is that ultimate power resides with the golfer in determining whether or not they choose to use our brand. We are committed to serving golfers of every skill level around the world, so the decisions we make have to be in the context of serving those who consume our products.

Does Taylormade’s influence extend to lobbying the USGA and R&A to reassess rules on equipment?

We don’t lobby: we partner. We invest – from both a financial and human capital standpoint – into the R&A and USGA. We provide data and insights to help them see a perspective as it relates to how we can advance the game for current and future players. We work very closely with them. We don’t always agree. We believe in advanced technology to enable golfers of all skill levels to improve… and if they do, they will play more golf. That’s critically important; you can’t find a forward-thinking industry that is rolling back technology that would disadvantage their constituency. We don’t believe in that. We believe in providing a rules baseline that enables golfers to find the best version of their golf, to be inspired to get there.

If there are certain rules that need to change, let’s talk about it. But let’s use data to validate it, make sure there really is a problem rather than just assume there is. So we play a role in providing data, insights, writing white papers and helping our partners, the associations that are governing the sport, to have a clear perspective.

Taylormade have two great ambassadors straddling the current divide in tour golf.

DJ is a major draw for LIV Golf while Rory is a passionate advocate for the PGA Tour. Can you do anything to bring these two sides together?

We are playing our role as effectively as we can with those that are empowered to build golf at its highest level. We have a direct role with the PGA Tour and we are expressing our opinions privately to them relative to how we can improve the future of golf, and the awareness and inspiration of golf moving forward. When you’re an innovative company you learn to understand that active tension in a given circumstance usually yields a better outcome. Ideally you have a process in place that’s not nearly as controversial as this one to get there. But I do believe that new ideas from all the constituencies involved will ultimately yield a better outcome for the game of golf over time.

Where will golf be in 10 years’ time – and how will Taylormade have influenced it?

We believe that over the next decade, the next 25 million golfers will come from virtual reality – younger kids putting on glasses or oculars and learning golf from the confines of their bedroom. This is why gamification is increasingly part of our approach and we are actively investing in those technologies.

Since you became CEO in 2015 we have seen growth in areas – wedges, putters, the ball – that are not traditional brand strengths. Do you expect this to continue?

In 2014 we were known as a great driver company. We said we wanted to transform into a company that is a great golf equipment and ball company that happens to make great drivers. It has been important for us to take the strength of our R&D and product creation departments and apply that through our entire portfolio to support our core purpose to help golfers of all abilities play better. Eight years on, we have transformed the balance and profile of our product lines. The driver tech is still there but we now have leadership in irons, are challenging in putters and wedges, and are the fastestrising ball brand. Indeed, five years from now, I believe there will be a new leading ball in golf – that will be Taylormade.