CaddyDaddy Golf, the company behind the innovative and popular gloves have been around quite a bit longer than you might have imagined. In fact, we are approaching their 20 year anniversary and gloves were not even on their radar when this project began back in 2002.
Rod Dunlap was working for a software company selling their goods back in 2002 and showed up to work one day with a crude drawing of a golf bag with a cooler built into it. It was “their million dollar idea”, because back then it wasn’t the norm like it is today in nearly every bag that is on the shelf at your local golf store.
“Lukewarm beer led to our entry into the golf business”, says Dunlap, one of the owners of CaddyDaddy Golf.
“I still laugh about how I thought a single $20 cooler would make us rich but it definitely taught us a lot about the golf business with no experience whatsoever.”
The idea was a good one however, so they started the project. Due to initial costs, rather than create this golf bag with a cooler built in, they began researching the perfect standalone cooler that would fit inside the bag. Later that same year, the original 9 Pack Golf Cooler was born. Rod Dunlap offered this.
“The coolers were a great starting point for us. We made every mistake you can imagine but the growing pains were necessary to establishing a viable business. We quickly realized the cooler would be a mainstay but wouldn’t be an overnight sensation and a lot of hard work was necessary to become profitable. My business partner and I sacrificed a lot over the years working multiple jobs while trying to keep the side business going. I’m really proud of what we’ve built, but we couldn’t have done it without a lot of family support.”
Over the nearly 20 years in business, CaddyDaddy Golf has continued to launch products and grow the brand’s portfolio. Some of their highlights and biggest releases are obviously that 9 Pack Cooler that still exists today.
“I think at last count I found 5 to 6 direct knockoffs of our original cooler for sale on Amazon. I wish I felt flattered.” Added Dunlap.
2 years later, the company released their first ever Travel Cover. 2 years after that, they released their hybrid travel bag. 2 years following that launch, they brought the 1st Constrictor Travel Cover. While the Constrictor still exists today, it has gone through a number of iterations and the reviews on the THP Forum are fantastic.
The Constrictor is the company’s number one selling product in terms of revenue and that is after 2 price increases that were necessary due to shipping and material increases. Despite those rises, the product still comes in at barely over $100 and it would be a challenge to find anything resembling this kind of high quality at that price.
Of course, the golf industry has been full of peaks and valleys and as their travel bag business increased, the pandemic hit and as we all know travel early on was completely shutdown. So, did it kill the company or the growth? Rod Dunlap offered this.
“The pandemic was really tough on every luggage company out there. Luckily, when you’re a small business you can pivot a lot quicker than the big boys. We were able to slow manufacturing while holding a lot of product on standby for when the dust settled. We monitor our inventory really closely and have a tremendous logistics partner in Phoenix that’s been a huge asset when many other vendors simply can’t get products in stock.”
This tough shift also led to spending more time on gloves and developing what some have called a disruptor in that space with the Claw. Unique is underselling what CaddyDaddy is putting forth in this glove, but it didn’t happen overnight. It started with a project called the Talon and…this is better explained by the man himself.
“We originally started with a glove called the Talon. We ran with the idea for a couple years but decided to discontinue for a variety of reasons.
It turned out to be a costly project but we never gave up on the overall idea.
After the Talon fail, we spent a lot of time researching various fabrics, silicone printing and new suppliers. We spent a ton of time testing and trying various fabrics and designs until we launched the original Claw. During the original Claw launch we sent samples to numerous golf writers and the initial feedback was really positive.
I remembered THP was kind enough to do a Talon review for us so we reached out again with the newly developed Claw.
THP member feedback has been instrumental in developing new glove models and fine tuning the existing Claw line. We couldn’t be more grateful!
We’ve never been a direct business to consumer company but that’s changed with the Claw. It’s another huge learning curve for us but it’s been a lot of fun along the way developing new commercials and marketing.”
While the Constrictor mentioned earlier is their number one product in terms of revenue, when it comes to total units sold, the Claw wins hands down. The growth that CaddyDaddy Golf has seen with this product is unlike anything they have introduced in these 20 years.
If you are unsure of what the Claw glove is or have not seen images of it in the past, here is a look at the THP Forum thread with hundreds of reviews. To say golfers like it is an understatement, and while unique for the segment, the durability and grip is unlike anything on the market.
The company’s main focus is on this glove line because it has changed the business overall and how they can expand. The Claw has added some options and the Claw Pro in white is now available on their website. The Claw Max, will be relaunching early next year with an updated design as well and they are excited to share that with our readers soon.
So the current climate at CaddyDaddy seems great, but how does a small business like this get impacted by the pricing and inventory challenges that are currently plaguing the golf industry? Rod Dunlap offered this:
“We’ve learned a lot over the years adapting to unforeseen circumstances while trying to grow our core business. I think we run our business a lot differently than most. I still handle most of our customer service because I want to hear everything from customers good or bad. It really helps me stay grounded and always learning more about what golfers are looking for. Many of the new product ideas we’ve introduced have been modified by customer feedback.
My business partner designs our websites and graphics and turns product ideas into real images that can be easily manufactured.
We had a lot of extra time on our hands last year when our travel bag business was nonexistent. We tried to turn the situation into a positive and worked tirelessly on the Claw gloves.
As a small business we can make product improvements on the fly and get them to market a lot sooner than large companies. This is a huge advantage for us most of the time. We’ve always taken risks and are not afraid of failure.”
Failure sounds as if the coffin is closing, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The old cliche of learning from mistakes seems to be what keeps entrepreneurs thriving and in this case. CaddyDaddy has been able to pivot while creating innovative products that brings interest to the brand overall.
The one question we forgot to ask is where did the name come from? Perhaps Rod Dunlap will drop that in the comments below or we will get that answered in the next segment. For more information on the any of their travel products, check out their website at www.caddydaddygolf.com. The Claw Glove line has its own website and that can be found at www.clawglove.com.
My CaddyDaddy travel bag The Hackers got me this year is incredible and kept my Morgan Cup sticks safe and sound. I have a friend who is a prolific user of their cooler as well. He loves sneaking IPA’s in wherever he can ?
Always fascinating how people start a business and it actually gets traction and grows. Love the line about getting rich with their first product. ?
Next on the horizon is mentioned there with the Max glove coming early in the new year.
I’m really enjoying this series.
CaddyDaddy is one of those brands that I’ve read about on the forum, and looked into a couple of products, but never pulled the trigger.
These Brand Stories help. It is also cool to see @Rod Dunlap on the forum from te to time.
Great article!
Also, glad he didn’t stop with just the cooler. The gloves are pretty legit ?
I agree with all that you wrote above.
@JB I really enjoy these brand stories and you’ve done a great job with them.
Is there a place on the site where these are located like a "Library" ?
Tour Edge
https://www.thehackersparadise.com/a-brand-story-tour-edge-golf/
Callaway Golf Balls
https://www.thehackersparadise.com/a-brand-story-callaway-golf-balls/
Online Golf Sales with Budget Golf
https://www.thehackersparadise.com/a-brand-story-online-golf-sales-and-budget-golf/
Bridgestone Golf
https://www.thehackersparadise.com/a-brand-story-the-bridgestone-golf-ball-journey/
Evolving with Evolve
https://www.thehackersparadise.com/brand-story-evolving-with-evolve/
CaddyDaddy is this one.
If you’re even thinking of considering their Claw glove and wondering about its durability, look towards @Jman … a lot of THPers know he plays a lot. Something like 250+ rounds this year (251 when he was last on Off Course with @Canadan ) and he has one. The first Claw glove lasted him a lot of rounds.
I know I love mine and will be getting another one if my first one ever wears out (250 rounds is like 10 years of golf for me)
Yeah, the claw is VERY appealing to me. I’ve looked at then several times and for whatever reason, I still don’t own one????
I mean, it’s freaking washable if I remember…
Perfect for me and how much I like to use the same glove.
If anybody is on the ledge about a Claw glove, don’t hesitate – they’re great gloves! Very comfortable, amazing grip, and they last longer than any golf glove I’ve ever owned. I easily get 60-70 rounds out of their gloves, even in the Arizona summers when they’re soaking wet with sweat every round. Rod is constantly testing, refining and improving the design of his gloves, and his passion for his product shows in the end result.
They are washable, and they hold up well even through multiple washes. For most people, one of their gloves will easily last a full season of golf.
If you’re going to buy a glove, just try to Claw. You won’t be disappointed. The performance of the glove has been outstanding. Grip is the best I’ve had, ever. Breathability is fantastic, but the best part is the durability. It’s going to last longer than any glove you’ve had before, with little or no drop in grip.
And that reminds me I need to order another couple claw gloves since I lost one a couple weeks ago. Always need to have a back up or two.
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"THP member feedback has been instrumental in developing new glove models and fine tuning the existing Claw line. We couldn’t be more grateful!"
The Constrictor 2 golf travel bag I ordered just before The Morgan Cup last year has seen a fair number of flights since then and it literally looks as new as it did the day I got it. Really works great!
Thats a fun fact! Company names are always a challenge to come up with
The Constrictor 2 that I have now is incredible and I would put it against any soft case out there! @Rod Dunlap‘s customer service is also outstanding so he has a customer for life. So being able to learn more about them is a lot of fun!
They really are that is why I was mad at myself for not asking during the article writing haha.
I am a proud owner of a CaddyDaddy cooler and a couple Claw gloves. The performance in the glove is outstanding and it is all I wear now. @Rod Dunlap is a beast!
I’ve played 5 rounds of 18 with the Claw, and I haven’t lost a golf ball. I’m famous for losing golf balls. Not saying it’s the glove, because I’ve also been playing quite a bit of golf, and getting better… but I gotta throw some Superstitious Love at the Claw. No lost balls… Haha!
I love the feel on the hand. The grip seems natural and solid. It has played in Puget Sound wet environs, and it held firm. I’m not sure if putting with or without it, has been better… normally, the glove is in the back pocket for the putt… but I’ve been liking the feel on the putter… Go figure. It’s wet up here. I’m going to put the Claw to the test on Saturday, because it’s going to be Wet and Cold… Cheers! and Thanks to Rod Dunlap!
Have some good ones coming.
AWESOME!