As the sports world has been leaning in to the 250th birthday of the United States this year, the golf industry is cashing in—big time.
Golf equipment manufacturers, brands, and retailers alike have been seeing high demand for special-edition Americana-themed products ahead of this semiquincentennial Fourth of July.
“The response from golfers exceeded even our highest expectations,” Callaway VP of global marketing Nick McInally told Front Office Sports.
Callaway rolled out a USA 250 Collection of clubs, which included drivers, putters, and wedges—some at significant markups. For example, the Ai-DUAL USA 250 Freebird Cruiser putter is selling for $429.99, compared to the $349.99 price point for its standard Jailbird counterpart. That hasn’t turned customers away, though.
“The demand was so strong that our team quickly went back to work to produce additional inventory wherever possible,” McInally said.
TaylorMade was the other major golf equipment maker to produce U.S.-themed clubs, as part of its Americana 250 Collection, also with a noticeably premium price point.
The three-club Americana MG5 wedge set is selling for $750, or $250 per club, which is $50 more than the $199.99 retail price for a standard MG5 wedge. TaylorMade’s Americana Spider ZT putter is $649.99—$200 more than the standard Spider ZT model at $449.99.
Trading Greens For Red, White, and Blue
Beyond specialty clubs, TaylorMade, Callaway, and many other brands rolled out golf balls, headcovers, hats, apparel, and various other accessories adorned with all kinds of 250 markings and 1776 monikers to celebrate the occasion.
Swag Golf—the company that made the U.S. Ryder Cup team’s bags in September—has a $250-dollar-bill George Washington putter headcover that actually costs $125.
PXG is selling a $495 Stars and Stripes golf bag, and launched a fan giveaway that will see the winner receive a one-of-one set of custom PXG Stars & Stripes 250 wedges, among other products.
The official America250 store even has a golf section, although its most expensive item is a $75.99 polo.
Stars, Stripes, and Sales
Americana-themed merchandise and red, white, and blue collections in golf are prevalent every summer, typically starting around Memorial Day and running through the U.S. Open in June and into July 4. Even more brands got involved this year, and retailers reaped the benefits.
“I will say that there are a fair amount of those products that I wish I had more of,” PGA Tour Superstore Senior VP of merchandising Ben Helmrath told FOS.
The America250 gear sold particularly well in Northeastern PGA Tour Superstores. “I could have quadrupled the inventory, and we would have been fine in those markets,” Helmrath said.
At Golf Galaxy, USA 250 is one of the top trending themes online.
While some special collections have sold out or have low inventory, many products will stay in stores and be available online for the remainder of the summer, and could see more spikes around Labor Day and the Presidents Cup, which will be back on U.S. soil in September at Medinah Country Club just outside Chicago.
