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TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company Restructures Product Division

SuperStroke
SkiBumGolfer said:
I guess I don't read this as quite as gloom and doom as some others do. Yes, it does sound like we will lose Adams drivers and irons/wedges, which sucks purely because they've put out some excellent under the radar gear in the past (I've played two of their iron sets and loved both in their own ways), but judging by this statement towards the end:

TMaG features four leading brands: TaylorMade, the #1 Driver and Irons in Golf,* Adams, the #1 hybrid on Tour, adidas Golf, a leading provider of athletic apparel and footwear for golf, and Ashworth, a brand synonymous with the game.

TMaG has not lost sight of the fact that Adams is a powerful name in the hybrid world. And it sounds to me like they will seek to preserve all of these quote "leading brands". So my somewhat hopeful guess is we will see Adams as a sort of boutique corner of TMaG that makes hybrids and fairway woods (Tight Lies is a name with some solid recognition as well) - and while that is kind of disappointing, it would be way better than seeing the venerable Adams name on a bunch of box-set, department store crap.

All my opinions of course though, will be interesting to see what actually pans out. Hoping for the best for Adams' great people.
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I'm of a similar opinion. I just don't see the value in promoting Adams #1 Hybrid status in this press release if they aren't set on marketing them the hybo 'go to' for both the masses and the more discerning 'better' golfers. Like it or not, much of the the discretionary $ for golf equipment is going to come from golfers approaching (or past) middle age. Hybos tend to become a bigger and bigger part of a golfer's bag as they follow that path.
 
I know it sucks, but I don't think the status quo is working at all. I don't ever see any newer Adam clubs on the course , hardly even see hybrids anymore. I think a major shakeup is necessary. I think taking Adams to a specific consumer is a good idea. If that doesn't work I don't see them sticking around much longer.
 
Trout Bum said:
Man the first thing that came to my mind was this is a knee jerk reaction to a declining fan base and diminished brand integrity. We've seen it happen to many lines in the past years and I think Adams needs its own identity in order not to dilute the Tmag brand anymore than it has.

I hope Tmag gets sorted out because I truly feel they have some of the best products out there and watching the slide isn't fun to watch, I'm alson not convinced that a guy with an exceptional history of marketing to households is the right guy to bring this to the top where it belongs, time will tell though.
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couldn't have said it better myself. I am curious to see where it goes as the current direction isn't good. I am a big fan of Adams hybrids as I'm sure many here are. I feel like this was an overstep of Tmag buying them. Both due to time and product.
 
Hawk said:
To me it almost indicates that they are going to keep TM as an innovation/performance brand and give Adams a completely separate identity. IF that's the case, it's pretty much the kiss of death for Adams as we know it. Bummer.
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JB said:
I won't get into too many specifics but I tend to agree with this.
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I totally agree with this as well. This to me is exactly what happened with Callaway buying Hogan. Callaway used a few pieces, but ultimately Hogan died and they got rid of it.
 
Will be interesting to see if they do go a store brand or box set route how that affects any tour caliber hybrid offerings long term. Wilson showed pretty clearly what a bad idea that was I think.
 
deuce said:
Well it will certainly be a challenge, but wouldn't being a part of TM give the Adams brand a leg up in regards to more marketing?

It seems to me, though I reserve the right to be horribly wrong on this, that companies are really starting to split the market up between the run-of-the-mill golfer, the dedicated but not necessarily good golfer, and the hard core and low handicap golfers. It seems that's how XXIO/Srixon/Cleveland is planning on moving, and perhaps this is the TaylorMade/Adams model too? No one would accuse Cleveland of being a brand people will "settle for", but not everyone is going to throw thousands at XXIO gear either.
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To very different models. SRI (the owner of the all three you mentioned) has dominating marketshare in completely different markets. TaylorMade is never going to have a club come out from a different brand that is touted as "better" and featuring more technology than that of their own brand. Nor should they.

SkiBumGolfer said:
I guess I don't read this as quite as gloom and doom as some others do. Yes, it does sound like we will lose Adams drivers and irons/wedges, which sucks purely because they've put out some excellent under the radar gear in the past (I've played two of their iron sets and loved both in their own ways), but judging by this statement towards the end:

TMaG features four leading brands: TaylorMade, the #1 Driver and Irons in Golf,* Adams, the #1 hybrid on Tour, adidas Golf, a leading provider of athletic apparel and footwear for golf, and Ashworth, a brand synonymous with the game.

TMaG has not lost sight of the fact that Adams is a powerful name in the hybrid world. And it sounds to me like they will seek to preserve all of these quote "leading brands". So my somewhat hopeful guess is we will see Adams as a sort of boutique corner of TMaG that makes hybrids and fairway woods (Tight Lies is a name with some solid recognition as well) - and while that is kind of disappointing, it would be way better than seeing the venerable Adams name on a bunch of box-set, department store crap.

All my opinions of course though, will be interesting to see what actually pans out. Hoping for the best for Adams' great people.
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My point above in regards to why it does not work out that way in most cases. However I will point out about the last line, that many of the Adams people are no longer with the company.

I wont launch any specifics about where the Adams brand is headed, because I dont think its my place, but I will say that I think Hawk is very close in a lot of what he is saying so far in this thread.
 
TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company Restructures Product Division

jlukes said:
I would hope that Tmag would keep those innovative people within Adams and simply have them design certain things and just role it out under the Tmag name
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Unfortunately it's just as likely TMAG incumbents will see Adams newcomers as threats and move to isolate and eliminate them. Hope not, but that is how these things often go.

Almost doesn't matter what the buyers intends strategically, friends wind up protecting their friends.
 
JB said:
To very different models. SRI (the owner of the all three you mentioned) has dominating marketshare in completely different markets. TaylorMade is never going to have a club come out from a different brand that is touted as "better" and featuring more technology than that of their own brand. Nor should they.



My point above in regards to why it does not work out that way in most cases. However I will point out about the last line, that many of the Adams people are no longer with the company.

I wont launch any specifics about where the Adams brand is headed, because I dont think its my place, but I will say that I think Hawk is very close in a lot of what he is saying so far in this thread.
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Probably true, as you know way more than I do about the situation. But I just think it odd for them to single out Adams' hybrid position if they simply intend to axe them.

Related point, I'd rather just see the Adams name die honorably than be relegated to crappy department store dreck.
 
SkiBumGolfer said:
Probably true, as you know way more than I do about the situation. But I just think it odd for them to single out Adams' hybrid position if they simply intend to axe them.

Related point, I'd rather just see the Adams name die honorably than be relegated to crappy department store dreck.
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I agree with you there. Im not sure that is the goal, but I think some are believing that will be the result. Think of the guy that plays once a month that wants a set of clubs. But he wants that set to be name brand and look decent. Adams may be that brand for him. Not sure it works, but I can picture it. The problem then runs if they go this route, then have a tour used and performance hybrid, how that works.
 
JB said:
I agree with you there. Im not sure that is the goal, but I think some are believing that will be the result. Think of the guy that plays once a month that wants a set of clubs. But he wants that set to be name brand and look decent. Adams may be that brand for him. Not sure it works, but I can picture it. The problem then runs if they go this route, then have a tour used and performance hybrid, how that works.
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Adams by TaylorMade? Could totally see that. This way that once a month-er will still get the name recognition from TaylorMade, but he gets the cheaper set. Then they could have the true Adams line for high caliber hybrids? I dunno. You're right, it is an interesting balance to strike.
 
THis sounds to me like a company search for an identity. TM is a solid golf company and should continue down that path. I hope they find their way.
 
Why even buy Adams if you are going to strangle the brand out of existence? Just to thin the competition? Not like TM doesn't have good tech themselves.

To those seeking out the Adams brand, the ones in the know will know it's not really Adams and for those not in the know, the Adams name won't mean diddly anyways.
 
Watching TMAG slowly drop from the highest point in golf really speaks to just how volatile this industry can be. But it's also refreshing to see that they're forced to change things up in order to slow their fall. It's promising for is the consumer. It's a war in the trenches to get the consumer back. The consumer will win in the end with more quality options. As far as Adams goes, it's sad to see them potentially be an OEM of the past. But as many have eluded too, the hybrid has been their mainstay. But it's hard to stay alive with a one trick pony. Sad but it's facts. Besides the advancement of other OEMs in the hybrid market has seriously closed a gap that once was.
 
deuce said:
Why even buy Adams if you are going to strangle the brand out of existence? Just to thin the competition? Not like TM doesn't have good tech themselves.

To those seeking out the Adams brand, the ones in the know will know it's not really Adams and for those not in the know, the Adams name won't mean diddly anyways.
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I think TM is in a very different place right now than they were when they purchased Adams.
 
The more I think about this, the more I think Adams would be alright as something closer to an SGI brand...they already count Yes! Putters as a subsidiary (and those might be the most underestimated putters around) as well as known as makers of outstanding hybrids. I can't help but think that there's nothing wrong with becoming the SGI slice of TMAG not unlike what Cleveland appears to be morphing into for Srixon/Cleveland/XXIO golf. While a lot of people might bristle at the idea of their beloved Adams brand becoming "entry-level" or SGI focused, I think it's another way a well-known brand name becomes a way for someone who wouldn't get into the sport due to cost of entry to get "decent" or "brand-name" clubs to maybe get into the sport.

The idea of a $500-$700 box set with a TaylorMade driver, Adams everything else, and a Yes! putter would be a steal if you or I saw it at Wal-Mart or Target. But at the same time, it would be a great entry-level product that would also advertise the range of the TMAG organization. That almost makes me want to see it happen. I don't think it would be a detriment to the Adams brand, so much as using the Adams brand to break down the barrier to entry. I think something like this theory fits right in with the "hack-golf" that TMAG has been pursuing the past year.
 
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