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Why TaylorMade Should Not Release A New Driver

SuperStroke
cbaker2882 said:
I actually took it as a very positive article for TM saying they have a chance to right the ship if they handle their current situation correctly. The M1 has been a huge hit...ride that a little.
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Like you said in another post (one of my favorite sayings and scenes in any movie)

Some people just want to watch the world burn

I loved the article and think it's spot on. TM has a proven winner right now. Ride that train, make some money and right the ship. Another release only makes the angry mob even angrier. JMO of course
 
I think the title of the thread/article was misleading. JB states it's an inventory problem not a release problem if you actually read it.

Therefore I thought the title should have read something more to that effect. Other than that I agree that TM needs a new inventory mgt process.
 
erock9174 said:
I think the title of the thread/article was misleading. JB states it's an inventory problem not a release problem if you actually read it.

Therefore I thought the title should have read something more to that effect. Other than that I agree that TM needs a new inventory mgt process.
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This thread is based on the article on the home page. The entire article is based on the discussion of TaylorMade not releasing another driver due to their previous inventory management process.

Again, I urge people to read the article before saying something is wrong with it.
 
So, here's my thinking: One, it would be foolish to replace the M1 at this point. It's selling, it's climbing up the market share, it might be the best overall driver they've released in the past couple of years. It is the flagship driver of TaylorMade heading into 2016. Two, and some of this is personal opinion, releases at the PGA show are generally of flagship products. Therefore, it would not make much sense to release a new driver at the PGA show unless it's the replacement of the M1, which, as I said, would be foolish in my opinion. Also, I don't think replacing the AeroBurner is necessary at this point, unless it's with an adjustable version (call it a mid-cycle refresh), and I think the perception would be that delivering something like that at the PGA show would be an attempt to make a mountain from a molehill.

I do think TaylorMade should and will introduce some changes to their adjustability, particularly a newer, lighter loft sleeve, but I don't think that would be any reason to rush a new driver to market.
 
erock9174 said:
I think the title of the thread/article was misleading. JB states it's an inventory problem not a release problem if you actually read it.

Therefore I thought the title should have read something more to that effect. Other than that I agree that TM needs a new inventory mgt process.
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The argument is more that TM can use a different release strategy in order to help take care of the inventory problem, while not diluting the success they've had with the M1. At least that's how I understood it, but JB's article explains it better than I can.

To me it seems like they've taken care of the inventory issue - there are a lot fewer M1s on the shelf in the store I go to, but there are still a good amount of R15/Aeroburners. But they're sitting at a lower price point, which can serve the niche that the "new" line would in terms of price.
 
JB said:
This thread is based on the article on the home page. The entire article is based on the discussion of TaylorMade not releasing another driver due to their previous inventory management process.

Again, I urge people to read the article before saying something is wrong with it.
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I read both. Article then thread. I can still be of the opinion that this thread title is misleading.

I also don't agree that TM shouldn't release a more price conscious, more game improvement driver for the masses to compete with other oems.

It's an inventory mgt issue. Not a new release issue. If this is JB's point just call the thread title. Let's solve TM's inventory problem.
Not TM shouldn't release another driver.

He basically said in his article he loves shiny new releases. You can't have it both ways.
 
I don't think it's an anti TM article, but if the inventory issue is better with the M1, I don't see how another release at another price point couldn't help them if the same inventory correction was followed.

I agree that Callaway manages this better and CPO has been a terrific way to help it. But just like the photo of all the TM drivers in the store, I'm beginning to see that from Callaway. Almost 30 of the 2014 drivers were up front at my local GG. Now I like Callaway, I'm just hoping they don't go down the same path.

I don't know if there is one, but was there a home page review of the M1? If not, why?
 
erock9174 said:
I read both. Article then thread. I can still be of the opinion that this thread title is misleading.

I also don't agree that TM shouldn't release a more price conscious, more game improvement driver for the masses to compete with other oems.

It's an inventory mgt issue. Not a new release issue. If this is JB's point just call the thread title. Let's solve TM's inventory problem.
Not TM shouldn't release another driver.

He basically said in his article he loves shiny new releases. You can't have it both ways.
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Yes you can. And many OEMs are proving that right now.
 
I wonder how much of their decline is due to perception and how much is due to really bad product. People tend to jump on the bandwagon pretty hard at times and TM has been synonymous with poor quality for quite sometime. Is it really the quality or just one guy following the next and sharing an opinion without fact.

Just thinking out loud. Good article BTW!!
 
Tadashi70 said:
I wonder how much of their decline is due to perception and how much is due to really bad product. People tend to jump on the bandwagon pretty hard at times and TM has been synonymous with poor quality for quite sometime. Is it really the quality or just one guy following the next and sharing an opinion without fact.

Just thinking out loud. Good article BTW!!
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You make a good point, I don't think any of their releases have been bad product, maybe not as good as others, but in this day and age I don't think there is a while lot of bad product. There shortcomings to me were a little self inflicted, but the past few releases of equipment outside of two iron sets have been pretty decent in my hands.
 
Tadashi70 said:
I wonder how much of their decline is due to perception and how much is due to really bad product. People tend to jump on the bandwagon pretty hard at times and TM has been synonymous with poor quality for quite sometime. Is it really the quality or just one guy following the next and sharing an opinion without fact.

Just thinking out loud. Good article BTW!!
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I don't think it's been poor product. As of recently that is. The M1 and R15 have been popular and successful on tour. They just buried themselves starting with some less than stellar-ier marketing
 
JB said:
Yes you can. And many OEMs are proving that right now.
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I went back and read the article again.

I was off base with my comments towards you regarding the title of the thread. I see now what you were trying to get at. And I didn't really find any contradictions in your statements. For that I apologize.

We can agree to disagree though on the main theme of the article however. Whether or not a new release is good for TM its hard to say. If managed the right way I can't see a problem with it and it still keeps them relevant in the marketplace (i.e. having a lower cost alternative to the M1 and with less bells and whistles). If ill-managed it could spell more problems for them from a profit standpoint.


Some mentioned marketing as TM's downfall.

My opinion is that is off base. I play as a single most of my rounds which gets me grouped up with all kinds of players.. from good golfers to high cappers, young and old. I would say TM gear fills more bags than any other oem from what I have seen.
So their marketing has to be doing something right to get clubs in all these golfer's hands. I am not sure what TM's current market share is but I have to think its still first or at least 2nd. You can't have poor marketing and still be #1 or #2 in share.
While I haven't studied TM's financials from a profit standpoint they appear to be moving product as I see it on the course. I think the problem is at what profit margin. Which brings up the inventory management issue again.
If they are constantly having to buy back inventory or give rebates to retailers for overstocked items, well simply that is bad business. I have read in the past couple of years that TM has missed sales projections. But honestly, I'd have to think the golf industry is down as a whole. In my area which is pretty rich in golf courses and golf shops, at least one course seems to close down every year or two due to lack of play and profitability. Fact is real estate opportunities brings in big dollars and the courses sell out. But that is a discussion for another time. At the end of the day if there are less people playing golf that is less equipment being sold so I believe a decline in demand is simply the reason for TM's recent troubles. I work for a company that is heavily dependent on new oil well drilling. With oil being as low as it is there is not much my company can do to drum up new demand. People just quit drilling wells at the current oil price.
 
TaylorMade was #1 in marketshare in every single club category outside of wedges and putters 18 months ago. Until a month ago they lost #1 in every single one of those categories.

Their financial slide is well documented as they went through something like more than half a billion in cash and laid off a huge percentage of work force. The head marketer, head R&D guy, head of golf balls, head of HR, head of PR and CEO all left. Along with those they had massive lay offs. All the while, Ping, Callaway and a number of others have increased sales year over year.

While the M1 is a good start, they released other products with virtually no buzz at all and still have to figure out a whole lot of other things. They have gone well below of projections with just about every release for the last 18 months. It has far less to do with margins anymore, and the crazy part is, if they completely eliminated all of the "old inventory" in stores, they would not have been #1 in marketshare in total metal woods in a LONG time.
 
This was a good article and raises some very interesting questions.

I wonder, how much does the adjustability/personalization of golf clubs help to keep inventory down? With a head that was not adjustable, you would most likely have 9/10/11/12 degree heads to inventory and they would mostly be assembled on A/R/S/X flex shafts in different configurations (not a ton of 12X or 9A, but still).

Now with the push to get fit, you have a 9/10.5/13.5 (or high trajectory) and the ability to swap out shafts. You also have a person going in, testing out clubs and then having the club ordered with a custom shaft in it or going home and ordering it online. Retailers carry less inventory, but need to have several shaft options available for testing purposes.
 
Had a good conversation yesterday with the manager of my local GG, who was my boss when I worked there years ago. We talked a lot about the industry and equipment. Got on the topic of TM the M1 and PSI irons. Said the PSI irons are most likely just going to be shelf candy because people come in and jump to other options including last year's RSI 2. Talked about the rumor of the M2 and he told me they were shown information on it however shortly after has not heard a thing. Added that he already has all the SKU numbers in the system for a good chunk of the year and there is nothing in the system about it. He also said the M1 has sold well, which is a good thing.
 
Interesting. Added speed pocket, no sliding weights. It almost looks like a throwback.

EDIT: I wasn't thinking. Please delete this post if there are embargo issues or it is out of line.
 
Why TaylorMade Should Not Release A New Driver

ArmyGolf said:
Interesting. Added speed pocket, no sliding weights. It almost looks like a throwback.
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I like the rearward weight port.

Very r9 460'ish
378928e878c65f756a5d2a3cb1975b41.jpg
 
We at THP honor all embargo dates so image has been deleted
 
As we have said numerous times, if people want to discuss things fine, but we do not allow watermarked pictures.
If someone wants to start a thread, by all means do so, just keep the watermarked images out of it.

Thank you.
 
Why not start a pre-release area like other forums ? Exposure and buzz has to be a good marketing tool for oems. No?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
erock9174 said:
Why not start a pre-release area like other forums ? Exposure and buzz has to be a good marketing tool for oems. No?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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We have rules.
Watermarked images are not allowed on THP.
Whether its good or not for an OEM is of little concern to me.
If someone wants to start a thread on something, they are more than happy to, however it does not change the fact that watermarked images are not allowed on the forum.

We honor embargo dates here, like many other media outlets, and because of that are able to put pre-release equipment in the hands of THPers directly. Its one of the many perks that this place offers, for those that choose to take part.
 
erock9174 said:
Why not start a pre-release area like other forums ? Exposure and buzz has to be a good marketing tool for oems. No?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The race to be first too often becomes more important than the race to be right. I'd rather attend a forum that reliably gets info straight from the OEM's mouth than becomes reliant on "I heard from a friend of mine whose cousin is working the PA system at the PGA show that..."
 
Paladin said:
The race to be first too often becomes more important than the race to be right. I'd rather attend a forum that reliably gets info straight from the OEM's mouth than becomes reliant on "I heard from a friend of mine whose cousin is working the PA system at the PGA show that..."
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To each their own.

Sure there is a lot of speculation floating around but there is also a lot of solid info on pre release gear out there from reputable sources as well. Patent sites, Shop Mgt, etc. discounting It all can be a disservice.

To the mods, My bad for posting the pic. I didn't realize my copy was watermarked until after it loaded on here. By the time I could delete it, it was already down.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
9d355d630938df81bfe1e909666502b5.jpg


Posting this to change image on Tapatalk.
 
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