Opinion & Analysis
Why aren’t more small golf companies making it big?
More and more in the golf industry, success is based on skills that are not required to make a birdie or par. The people who design today’s driver heads are in some cases, actual rocket scientists. A digital expert who has never been on a golf course is often more valuable to a company than a tour player. Yet when you look at the smaller companies that exist in the golf industry, and particularly in the golf equipment industry, you generally see companies that are heavy on golf passion and light on modern business expertise. It’s killing them.
Golf equipment, in particular, is now more driven by the big brands than it’s ever been, and this is totally the opposite of what’s happening in so many other industries. The food business is a wonderful example. I was in CVS last week and was surprised to see a “Keto” meal replacement shake being promoted on an end-cap. On the same end-cap was a vegan protein powder.
Five years ago, I had never heard of Keto. I knew very few vegans. Today, I know people on both diets. If you have an ability to surf the web, it’s been quite easy to take part in the food revolution that’s happening right now in the U.S. And one of the most interesting things about it is that it’s been almost entirely driven by small companies.
The big food business is hurting because it’s struggling to meet the evolving preferences of consumers. Smaller brands have been much more in touch with customers, and as a result, much more innovative with their products and marketing. There’s no disputing this. Many small food brands are crushing it.
And the same trend is happening in retail. Been to a Sears lately? Mine closed. When my wife wants to go to the mall, it’s only because of a product that was recommended by an Instagram influencer (think of Influencers as micro-brands). Usually, it’s something from Madewell. I digress.
Last month, I bought the most beautiful double-walled, glass coffee cups from Fellow, a premium coffee accessories brand that sells online. I had no way of knowing I could enjoy coffee cups this much. This little company knew what I wanted before I did. So like a lot of modern consumers, I took to Instagram to celebrate. I tagged the company. A few friends texted me to ask about them (many of my friends are very into coffee).
So how is it that people can buy the most wonderful products from small, innovative companies in nearly every space, but they struggle to do this in golf? Or is it just that they’ve never heard of all the great small golf companies. And if so, whose fault is this?
It’s true that with enough time the most serious golfers will eventually find out about the best small golf companies. But the problem isn’t that small companies can’t reach the most serious golfers. Many can. It’s that most small golf companies can’t reach anyone else.
Across the board, small golf companies are failing to embrace a strategy that would actually resonate with a sufficiently large audience. In most cases, this is because they’re trying to play the same game as the big boys. They’re obsessed with making products that they can say are “better.” That strategy can only work if you have a lot of money to spend.
When I worked with GolfWRX, one of my jobs was to speak with big and small golf companies and pen articles about their new products. And in most cases, the claims checked out. The smaller company’s clubs were sometimes 10 yards longer or 10 percent more forgiving, etc. as they said.
But I always had a feeling in these interviews and testing sessions that for certain companies, this extra performance wasn’t going to make a meaningful impact on sales. Not enough golfers were going to try it. Not enough golfers were going to talk about it. And the cycle would continue. I watched several of these companies run out of money only to blame “a slow down in the golf industry” for their failure.
What these companies were missing is that having an exceptional product is simply the cost of doing business. It’s not game-changing to make a product that’s as good or slightly better than the big boys. You won’t move the needle with products that are “just as good” but cost less. The only way small companies can make it big is to play a different game, and I believe it’s a better game.
Marketing works best when customers are willing participants in the process, and if you believe that, then the first step is obvious. A company has to find ways to make customers genuinely curious about its products or services. When customers feel this way, they’ll want to learn more. They’ll follow a company on social media. They’ll read a company’s website from cover to cover. They’ll often walk away liking a company so much that they can’t stop talking about it. Not just to their playing partners, but to their brother-in-law. Their friends at work. Their old college roommate. The guy sitting next to them on the plane.
We’ve all had these positive experiences with a brand or product at some point, and they’re magical. It’s exciting to share a great find, even if it’s something as trivial as a coffee cup.
What you’re seeing right now in other industries is small companies that are succeeding because they stand for excellence in a specialized way. To communicate their excellence, they’re not talking at their customers. Their communication feels like an invitation. It feels like the marketing campaign was designed with them in mind. And this strategy is even more effective when the product stands for an idea that’s bigger than golf, which isn’t as pie in the sky as it sounds.
For PXG, it’s status—and a bit of rebellion. For Titleist, it’s trust. And if these companies are doing their jobs well, these big-picture ideas are built into the product DNA—not attached ad hoc when it’s time to sell.
When companies create products that stand for something, it becomes so much easier for them to build authentic relationships with their customers. They suddenly have choices beyond beating their chest about their most recent accomplishment, which rarely works. Think about it this way; when your friends brag to you, you probably want to roll your eyes. When strangers do this to you, you quickly walk away. And when brands do this to you, you ignore them.
I believe that golfers want to change their buying habits in golf as they have in other industries. But they need more small companies to shake things up in a positive way. They’re waiting for the right message at the right time. And because that’s not happening, they can only hear the loudest voices in the room. And it’s a shame.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Lefthack
Jun 13, 2021 at 9:27 am
So far I’ve bought from Lazrus and Byrdie Golf Designs, both I think are top notch. I am on the list for a set of Lefty Haywood MB’s at the end of this year. I made a point to try and support smaller companies, especially ones who support the tiny lefty market.
Michael Duranko
Dec 8, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Thanks…Interesting comparison and always looking for new, smaller companies.
But dont the samller guys get bought up by the big companies, like in other industries?
Bob
Dec 6, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Arias with their zero offset irons is probably the best new small company around.
JOE
Dec 6, 2019 at 11:40 am
The problem is all the smaller companies actually charge more than most of the big names.
Steve
Dec 5, 2019 at 11:05 pm
I bought my Piretti putter (Potenza Elite) because I know the owners and wanted something different, and liked the look of the brand. It’s the best putter I’ve ever had by a mile. Golfers should set a goal to have at least one non-major companies club in their bag, just to support the industry if nothing else.
Joe
Dec 5, 2019 at 8:02 pm
Can you name a few companies? I don’t mean this in a negative way but which small companies are putting out exceptional products?
Joe
Dennis
Dec 6, 2019 at 1:08 am
Single Length is a good example, isn‘t it? Most people only know about Cobra One Length but there are so much more out there: Sterling, Pinhawk, etc
MJD
Dec 6, 2019 at 8:09 am
There are a few good ones:
National Custom Works
Byron Morgan Putters
Carbon Putters
Bombtech
Artisan Wedges
Barrett
Dec 6, 2019 at 1:58 pm
“Exceptional” is subjective, but I recently found Sub70 and ordered a set of their irons and absolutely love them. Also being able to talk on the phone with their CEO and get advice was great.
DukeOfChinoHills
Dec 5, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Zak, in your opinion should smaller brands use/sponsor “influencers” to accelerate their online presence and growth? Or can their product and “brand” speak for itself? On the flip side, don’t you think golfer can see through the overt plugs influencers post?
Zak Kozuchowski
Dec 5, 2019 at 7:28 pm
Duke,
Thanks for your question. It’s a good one. A metaphor that comes to mind is building a house. If it’s to stand the test of time, it has to have a good foundation. And that means having a solid brand.
If the product is bad, it’s like building a house on quicksand. It doesn’t matter how good the branding is. The house will fall.
Let’s say the product is solid, but the foundation of the brand isn’t strong. If a lot money is spent on advertising (or influencers) too soon, it’s going to be hard for the brand to stand up to the growth. Somewhere cracks are going to form. Sometimes they’re manageable, and sometimes they’re not.
For our brands, we’re on the lookout for advertising partners and influencers who have organic interest in our clients — something about the brand or product suits their preferences or inspires them in some way. To us, those are the best partnerships — and usually the most successful ones. They don’t feel like plugs; they feel like relationships.
Desmond Grier
Dec 5, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Let’s not forget the impact of the golf rules on the small companies. The change in the groove rule required complete redesign of the casting or machining of iron faces. One small company I dealt was looking at millions in new costs. They made a quality iron but had to shut their doors. The groove rule gave the big companies (that change their lines every year for better or for worse, anyhow) a huge leg up on the small ones (and frankly, didn’t change the “smash and gouge” style of the top players a bit).
mattbear04
Dec 5, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Not a good comparison. The pie that the big food brands controlled is so large that there is room for disruption with smaller companies making their way. Plus society has shifted and is more focused than ever on food and nutrition, so the industry is in a growth phase again.
The golf industry as a whole is in a contraction/consolidation phase. Tough environment for a start-up. Has to be a home run or not going to last.
Ronald Montesano
Dec 5, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Keto is a diet; vegan/vegetarian is a life decision. Both focus on health, which matters way more to those who opt in than golf clubs or coffee cups.
Are there more than two types of consumers? The first would be the impulse/curious group; the second would be the loyalists. You need the first to establish the second.
When Nike dropped out of the hard-goods game, that opened up 10% of the market for smaller companies. Many of them have succeeded, knowing that 1% or 2% is enough to make a fine living. They don’t wish to supplant Titleist.
Brooks Koepka plays Mizuno. I bought Mizuno irons this fall from my local, independent golf dealer. Did Koepka influence me? A bit. My previous experience with them, moved me away from the Ping irons whose grooves had worn out. I have a friend who purchased Sub70 irons this fall, a complete, online sale. He fits the impulse/curious buyer attribute, while I was more of a returned loyalist.
I have more thoughts on this matter. Look forward to sharing them.
Prime21
Dec 5, 2019 at 6:02 pm
who asked this dude?
A. Commoner
Dec 7, 2019 at 7:54 pm
If of similar vein and fiber, please keep your “more thoughts” secret.
K
Dec 5, 2019 at 10:33 am
Good article.
There are lots of things a couple of the smaller brands could do to get more traction. But my family has to eat too i and charge for info like that.
You did a great job highlighting the fact that most of these smaller companies know TONS about golf yet know little or nothing about actual business. The fact a few of them are still around should be a sign for the bigger brands to stay on their toes if they dont want to lose market share. Might not be long until another Bob Parsons/PXG shows up and does more damage to their bottom line. It honestly wouldnt be very difficult to take some of Callaways “loyal” followers, eventually taking their spot. I believe they are stagnant and the weakest of the bigger brands. If they dont change a few things soon i would honestly be surprised if someone doesnt take their position in the next 5 or 10 years becoming the next Radio Shack…
From day 1 Apple hasnt always made the best products (certainly not the cheapest) in their market but they were always one of the best selling. Well least when Jobs was around, now its questionable. That has to tell you something….
I could go on and on for days about this boring whoever is reading this far but im not getting paid for this so its time to get back to work.
Say what?
Dec 5, 2019 at 6:06 pm
you could go on and yet nobody would pay attention. Hopefully your real work is better than your commentary.