Equipment

Talking Nicklaus golf balls with Company Co-Chairman Howard Milstein

Published

9 years ago

Jan 21, 2015

Nicklaus Companies launched its first golf balls in fall of 2013. The company’s offerings have been well received, even making Golf Digest’s Hot List.

Recently, the company rolled out a subscription service that offers registered users a quantity discount ($5 off) on one dozen golf balls per month.

[quote_box_center]“We wanted to make it easy for our devoted customers to receive product year-round, without having to visit the website or pro shop every time they needed golf balls,” said Howard Milstein, Co-Chairman of the Nicklaus Companies, regarding the subscription service.[/quote_box_center]

In honor of Jack Nicklaus’ 75th birthday, I spoke with Mr. Milstein—who is also the president of New York Private Bank & Trust—about how he joined forces with the Golden Bear and the company’s range of golf balls.

How the partnership was forged

“One of my assignments when I became Jack’s partner was to go his 100 courses all over the world…If I think of all the golf I played and how little I improved, it’s really disturbing.”

“In 2007, we became aware that Jack had an objective to get a partner to help him institutionalize the brand and make sure the company would prosper well into the future and long after he was not personally involved in the business. I think he looked at different people, and I had met Jack at that time and we’d played together. I think as badly as I played, he noticed I had a lot of fortitude.”

“He’s partnering with me because I’m a reasonably good business man. I’m partnering with him because he’s not just the greatest…but he’s a really great guy and he’s got a really great brand.”

“Unlike private equity firms, all of our businesses, we plan on running and handing on to the next generation and them handing it onto the next generation. It was a really good fit for us, because that’s exactly Jack’s plan. And it’s a thrill to be Jack’s partner.”

“I will say that the first time I played with him it was at a father-son tournament. Someone in the locker room said, “You’re playing with Jack today. “ And I said, “Yes. I am.” I was very proud of myself. They said, “If I were you I’d be very nervous because I’d have the greatest golfer of all time watching my swing.” I said, “I hadn’t thought of that.” And that thought did make me a little more nervous during the whole 18 holes.”

The balls

“It’s a perfect example of what Jack wanted to accomplish when he decided to bring in a partner. To be consistent with the culture and the values that he had established for his company, that he had displayed throughout both his competitive life and his family life: a charitable component, to bring products of the best quality to the golfing world, to make it more accessible for people…these are all items that come together in the golf ball.”

nicklaus-balls-2

Which ball is right for you?

“The first thing we did: We simplified the golfer’s dilemma, which is, “Which golf ball should I use?”

“It is really confusing because, in order to figure that out—according to the large companies that make nine different golf balls for nine different swing speeds—you have to know your swing speed. Which, in reality, nobody knows.”

“We simplified that. All you need to know is the tee you hit from and you’ll know which ball to use.”

“For those that are mid-single digit and better, you’re talking Nicklaus Black. The compression is right…the…coating is right. That’s the ball that Jack uses. For the club player, who is a reasonably good player (which I’ll flatter myself to say I am) to the mid-teens, you play from the blue tees. So, Nicklaus Blue. And then if you’re a senior or you play from the forward tees, or you’re beginning, or a woman who generally has a slower clubhead speed, because in the men’s tees its white, we call that one Nicklaus White.”

“Three balls, three tees. That’s all you need to know. It will maximize your game. We’ve developed the best ball and the best technology for each clubhead speed.”

“We’ve also made it more accessible by basically selling the ball wholesale. We sell principally through the internet. We do sell some through golf courses that we’ve designed.”

The advertising model

“Rather than taking the dollars that would be spent on advertising—which I can’t imagine a new golf ball could get any share of market with the mammoth advertising budgets out there. These people are spending $50 million a year each on T.V. “

“Obviously as a new company, you’re not going to do that. So we said, let’s give money to charity and people will get some golf balls that are the best balls. So they order the balls, we give money to charity, we didn’t spend any money on advertising, we didn’t spend any money on retail distribution, so customers are getting the wholesale price.”

“The whole thing hangs together conceptually, and one element strengthens the other.”

How philanthropy is integrated

“We put it together with the element that’s been a tradition in the Nicklaus Companies, since even before Jack and Barbara founded the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation, of giving back, particularly in the field of children’s healthcare. A percentage from the sale of the golf balls goes directly to the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation.”

“The buyers have this opportunity: I’m buying these balls for 20 percent less than they’d be buying them for in a pro shop, maybe I’d like to give five or ten dollars to support these charities.”

“We’ve also worked things out with St. Jude [St. Jude Children’s Hospital], so St. Jude gets two dollars per box. FedEx is a big supporter of St. Jude, and they’ve agreed to give us free delivery.”

“You’re paying $28 for the Nicklaus blue balls, and in a pro shop they’d be $45.”

In honor of Jack Nicklaus’ 75th birthday, Nicklaus Golf Balls is offering three-dozen balls for the bundle price of $75 through the end of the month. The special offer saves buyers $21.

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18 Comments

jj

Jan 27, 2015 at 1:13 am

Not another last ditch effort like that stupid secret grip! He must be going broke because all Nicholas gear from clubs to clothing is suited for shoppers who buy their clubs at Walmart!

Reply Report comment
jj

Jan 27, 2015 at 12:53 am

Guaranteed junk!

Reply Report comment
jj

Jan 27, 2015 at 12:52 am

What a joke! All the crap made under his name is junk, even the clothing, I think they sell it at Walmart. Great cheapo crap for the old croakers who still think he can win a tour event!

Reply Report comment
Captain Oblivious

Jan 23, 2015 at 1:36 pm

I’d be afraid to use these since Jack’s mission is to “dial back” the golf ball to keep courses from becoming obsolete. Will I lose the 17 + 17+ 17 yards that I have gained with my TaylorMade drivers?

Reply Report comment
Regis

Jan 23, 2015 at 11:25 am

What are you talking about? We’re talking golf balls here (which by the way is Titleist’s real money maker) and you can buy Titleist golf balls anywhere including Target ( or Targee’ if that floats your boat)

Reply Report comment
other paul

Jan 23, 2015 at 10:11 am

Wow! They even made the golf digest hot list! They must be awesome. Oh wait, everything makes the hot list… So everything is awesome. So therefore nothing is awesome ????

Reply Report comment
Jonny B

Jan 23, 2015 at 9:58 am

This is a no story. These are not going to sell nor have they sold. I’ve never seen one in a pro-shop or major retailer, never seen one on the course, never met anyone who played them. Can’t even order them from a majority of online retailers. I don’t understand how the interview didn’t even speak about the technical specs of the balls – what compression are they? How many layers? Cover materials? Golf is a very technical sport and those who take it seriously know these things – if you want golfers to switch to a new ball model you better have some more information about the benefits of switching. Not just a “take our word for it – you’ll play better.”

I think they are trying to solve a problem that doesn’t really exist – is it really that confusing to go to a store and select a golf ball these days?

Reply Report comment
slimeone

Jan 22, 2015 at 4:21 am

It would have been good to hear a bit about the actual technology incorporated in these balls such as specific compression rates, how many layers, what the cover is made of, dimple pattern. The fact that they are specifically not referencing these things makes me suspect that these balls are inferior.

Reply Report comment
John

Jan 21, 2015 at 6:19 pm

Okay, I love and respect Jack Nicklaus as much as any avid golfer….but how has noone made a joke about the fact that Nicklaus has blue balls?

Reply Report comment
- slimeone
  
  Jan 22, 2015 at 4:17 am
  
  Yes he has blue balls, but he plays with black balls.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - sgniwder99
    
    Jan 22, 2015 at 8:14 pm
    
    For the win.
    
    Reply Report comment
slider

Jan 21, 2015 at 5:49 pm

look nice but I am going to stick with a pro v1

Reply Report comment
Chuck

Jan 21, 2015 at 5:08 pm

The “business model” part is pretty interesting.

The ball technology part is mildly interesting.

What is so richly interesting is Jack’s history with equipment, and particularly with golf balls.

When Jack was a player at his peak in the sixties and seventies, he played MacGregor’s Tourney line of golf balls. And bay all accounts (including my own) they were terrible golf balls. It might be the most interesting thing about Jack Nicklaus, his equipment and his peerless competitive record: he played in his prime with one of the worst balls on the market. He won, regularly, with what could credibly be regarded as an equipment disadvantage.

In his competitive retirement, Jack has been vocal about his views on the failure of the USGA to better regulate golf balls and length-producing equipment technology at the elite levels. He heaps a lot of blame on balls, prompting Titleist mouthp- er, Brand Ambassador Brad Faxon to observe that “If Jack Nicklaus had a successful ball, he would never say another word. But he’s never sold a ball that’s made a dime.” I always thought that quote said much more about Brad Faxon and Titleist, than about Jack Nicklaus.

But hey, Brad. Now Jack’s got a ball. And we’ll see if it makes any difference to his views about golf ball regulation.

Reply Report comment
- Regis
  
  Jan 22, 2015 at 2:30 pm
  
  When he was in his peak, Nicklaus played with Nicklaus balata. I played the 100 compression when I was really feeling my oats. Best responsive ball with feel and trajectory I’ve ever played. But if you even looked at them funny they’d crack a smile straight out of Alice in Wonderland. So a single digit without Jack’s skills could count on going through 3-4 a round
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Chuck
    
    Jan 23, 2015 at 4:35 pm
    
    I’ve never heard of “Nicklaus balata.” I caddied for Jack once in 1973, and I know for a fact that he played with Tourneys. He had me put them through a roundness gauge before the round.
    
    All of the advertising from that period associated Jack with Tourney balls:
    
    http://images-cdn.ecwid.com/images/1576774/134563646.jpg
    
    http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/moc8egifWLncReztT3sfIMQ.jpg
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Chuck
    
    Jan 23, 2015 at 4:41 pm
    
    I just realized what you are talking about. You are mistaken.
    
    Long after his prime years, and when his contract with MacGregor expired (and incidentally, when Jack was upset with MacGregor’s new corporate owners for going away from green-grass accounts to big box retailers!?!), Jack began his own equipment company, but without a ball contract (Nicklaus golf of old only did clubs and soft goods). Then, Jack signed with Maxfli and endorsed the HT-100 “Personal” ball. The one with JACK as the sidestamp. So yeah that happened. Well after Jack won his last major in 1986.
    
    Reply Report comment
steve

Jan 21, 2015 at 11:59 am

Anybody played these? I have never even seen one in person before.

Reply Report comment
Greg V

Jan 21, 2015 at 10:38 am

Jack Nicklaus selling direct, going around the pro in the pro shop.

This will not end well….

One thing that I admire about Titleist. You can go to a fitting center and get fit, but in order to purchase the equipment you must go back to your local golf store or pro shop and buy it there. Titleist is not ready to abandon the brick and mortar shops where you can see and feel the product.

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/16/24): LAB DF3 green head putter

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Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

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To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: LAB DF3 green head putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Whats in the Bag

Max Homa WITB 2024 (April)

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