Summit Golf Brands has quickly become a high-end golf apparel holding company with its stable of brands including Fairway & Greene, EP Pro and Zero Restriction outerwear. The company acquired Fairway & Greene four years ago, when it was an 8-year-old catalog business that focused on the high-end 100% cotton market in the $80 to $90 range. The company converted the F&G business to a green grass only enterprise, ending the catalog operation, as it began selling into stores and discovered that the golf pros did not want the direct competition. Two years ago, Summit added the EP Pro business, a womens line, quickly capitalizing on synergies that arose from similar distribution models and supply chains. Summit was able to further build the EP Pro business by accelerating its embroidery, distribution and customer service operations through the experience it already had with Fairway & Greene. It was shortly after the EP Pro acquisition that the group adopted the Summit Golf moniker.
In November, the company closed on its acquisition of Zero Restriction outerwear, giving it a more complete, high-end, green grass offering. SEW spoke with Summit Golf Brands CEO Paul Clark, who said that the Zero Restriction acquisition gives the company the opportunity to easily enter more categories including performance applications and that further acquisitions could be within the companys future. Clark commented that the company will focus on establishing Summit Reps that carry all three lines and can help retailers utilize the full power of the group.
Sales for the group are growing well, with a focus on organic growth in the near-future, though an acquisition that fits into the companys current structure without compromising what has been built would not be completely off the map.
Jack Nicklaus Golf Apparel begins its second year since its relaunch with collections that hearken back to the heyday of the Golden Bear. The brand, which is owned by Hartmarx Corporation, has doubled its business since the relaunch occurred, with a focus on pure green grass distribution. The company has four collections, each tied to a Jack Nicklaus designed course and each featuring Legacy 18 and Performance 18 sub-collections that offer traditional double mercerized cotton or performance looks, respectively. Special call-outs from the line-up fall to looks taken directly from famous shots of Nicklaus in major tournaments, freshened up for todays market.
AHEAD saw a new booth setup, in which it straddled the shows main aisle, lead to record booth visitors for the company. The apparel manufacturer continues to bring its position as a provider of value basics with a fashion to green grass accounts around the country. The company beefed up its performance offering for 2008 while offering the PP line, for performance polyester, and the PCM line, for phase change material, that offers thermal regulation and not just warming or cooling properties.
Puma, now 21 months into its golf program, is focused on building its structure through very tightly regulated distribution. The business has seen dramatic new accounts growth since inception, increasing from 6 reps carrying the line originally to 15 now. The companys apparel offering for the show was inspired by the fashion of the 1950s with vintage cues paired to modern hits. Overall, the companys product line has tripled in size since its original offering with 4 collections for spring/summer and 3 for autumn. The big launch for Puma, however, was in footwear, not apparel, as it showed the new SmartQuill cleat that will hit retail in early February.
The SmartQuill shoe features a unique quill traction system that is specifically designed for the left and right foot of the left- and right-handed golfer. The obvious worry here is the amount of inventory a retailer would need to have on hand. As such, Puma will sell lefty sets through its website, while righty will be sold through retailers.
Nike will push its 2008 product line under the “Total Performance” tag as it revamps the womens line and expands the Tiger Woods collection. The TW line will grow to include Tiger Woods Platinum, a sexy, engineered, modern collection with a short, slimmer fit than the earlier Tiger line. It is positioned above the Nikes Tour collection and to the side of the TW Collection. Fashion cues in the Platinum line included traditional golf looks, but also drew on outdoor industry styling, particularly in the lines outerwear offering.
In womens, Nike focused on designing a complete look, from head-to-toe with footwear, bottoms and tops all having a cohesive look and story. In footwear, Nike will offer its air cushioning for both men and women, but hid the technology on the womens side, finding that customer wanted a lower profile, more fashion look.
adidas had two major initiatives in its footwear program that could not be farther apart. On the one hand, the company is offering its Tour 360 LTD, a hand-finished leather golf shoe that features traditional looks married to technological advancements. With an SRP of $250, the shoe is designed for the top-end, country club golfer. On the other side of the spectrum, adidas is extending the Powerband with the Powerband Sport, which has a running shoe silhouette including a mesh upper, but paired to the companys Powerband platform.
In apparel, adidas launched a baselayer in the form of the TechFit PowerWeb that includes TPU powerbands to support key zones of the body promoting strength, speed and endurance. In addition, the company upgraded its outwear offerings with a wash and dry lambs wool sweater, as well as a completely revamped rain suit.
Ashworth had one of the biggest changes in its product line compared to last year as Allan Fletcher, the companys new CEO, and his executive team refocused the Ashworth brand on a much younger consumer. Edward Fadel, president, described the newest effort as decade 3 for the Ashworth brand. With a new management team and a new design team on staff, as well as the return of founder John Ashworth, last years country club feel has been replaced by youth and excitement. Prints and stripes were found throughout the line, with four deliveries to keep the offering fresh through the year.
Fletcher and his team have also been hard at work building Ashworth, Inc. into a bit of a golf softgoods holding company, acquiring the Sun Ice brand. Originally founded as a ski brand in the late 70s, Sun Ice expanded into golf in the 90s. Coming from Canada, many of the companys reps there already also carry the Ashworth brand, making the fit within ASHW quite snug. (see more on page 6)
PAHR Fairway Essentials was another brand on the show floor catering to the youth movement. The company is in its third year of worldwide distribution with 85% of its distribution in the green grass channel. Mens accounts for approximately 55% of sales with an original demographic of 22-31 intended. However, the company said that in reality it has found customers ranging in age from 18 to 55. Interestingly, the backing for the company comes from the action sports industry with names like Dave Mirra, Jeremy McGrath and even Ryan Sheckler, all tapped as money behind the venture.
