Regular MYGOLFSPY readers remember yesterdays article “SPOTTED: MacGregor Prototype Putter & MacGregor 2009 VIP Pro Irons “ which talked about how MacGregor’s new prototype irons and putter have helped put Greg Norman back on top going into the last day at the Open. However, the “Shark” might be more important to MacGregor’s then MacGregor is to Greg Norman for 2009. He is now not only on the “Board of Directors” for MacGregor but has also taken a major role inside the Sales and Marketing Division at the company.
This is an interesting story…
Getting Back on Track in US
MacGregor is based in Albany, Ga., and has been around for 110 Years! The company has seen and made a lot of changes since its inception in order to stay successful in the golf business. But 2008 and 2009 have been and will continue to be a very important new phase and also challenge for the company.
The Challenge: How match the superb Japanese sales with dwindling US sales? You see MacGregor has struggled of late in US golf sales, but their sales in Japan have been very good. Why is that you ask…the two markets are very different, we talked about this a few months ago on MYGOLFSPY (read article). Well, MacGregor has realized that the MacTec line that they have been pushing for the past few years which does great overseas does not do well at all in the US. Nowadays you almost have to have two separate lines. You see a lot of companies doing this now (Callaway, Ping, TaylorMade, etc), one line for Japan and other markets and one for the US.
“Our product, the last three to four years, was designed in Japan and was very successful, in Japan. We need to have the right product for the U.S. market.” said Reid Gorman.
So out goes the MacTec line here in the US and in comes a more traditional look that golfers in the US are more accustomed to seeing from MacGregor. This years line is named the MT Line. Also gone is the putter designer Bobby Grace, don’t quite understand this one yet…but I am sure one of them had a good reason. And it might be the fact that MacGregor is going back to its traditional roots and maybe Grace just did not feel like that was a good move…don’t know.
“It’s been a transitional period on many levels,” said Reid Gorman, president of MacGregor Golf North America. Our primary objective with the new product line is to reestablish confidence in MacGregor Golf and to once again become the club choice for players at every skill level,” said Gorman.”
MacGregor’s Newest Employee: Greg Norman
Like we said there have been a lot of changes at MacGregor over the past 110 years but none more important for their future then the ones they are making now. The biggest change is the fact that back in October Norman purchased a hefty sum of ownership in the company, and was intelligentally named to the Board of Directors shortly after. Soon after that announcement, they also stated that he would have a major role in the Sales and Marketing Department for the company. What could be better for the Sales and Marketing then having your newest employee and Ambassador of golf, Greg Norman leading the Open on the final day and playing with some of your newest prototype sticks?
Pondering: This makes you think…Did Norman come back to golf just to revive MacGregor? And if he did, does that mean he can just turn his game on whenever he wants? If so…then this is not only one of the best business men you will ever meet..but this could also be one of the best sports stories of all-time.
What do you think? Leave a comment…we would love to hear your opinion.
CRay
15 years ago
>>> I called Macgregor golf headquarters yesterday. No one could answer any technical questions about their current driver!! Not customer service, sales, ..no one knew anything about their current product<<<
Hmm interesting … sounds like any given day calling Cleveland Golf in California…..
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