10 ms·

Ironically, anti-competitive moves like this are only going to accelerate the game of golf's steady decline[0]. I get needing to protect your market as a large

Ironically, anti-competitive moves like this are only going to accelerate the game of golf's steady decline[0]. I get needing to protect your market as a large player, but when you are the main player and your product is too expensive to buy and the perception is growing that the sport you specialize in is a waste of time and money, what good does it do to push out someone making a cheaper product that may allow beginning players with smaller budgets to enter the game? [0]http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/the-death-of-golf-20150625 http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/the-death-of-golf-201506...

tbabb 10y ago
Whether that's true or not, I don't think it's enough to rely on the invisible hand to squelch this practice. The truth is, as long as it is advantageous to sue frivolously, companies will do it. And this is bad for the free market, the economy, and consumers. Policy change should make it much more costly to launch a frivolous lawsuit (as distinct from a claim made in good faith), e.g. by making it much easier for a bullied defendant to counter-sue and win significant damages.
- ethbro 10y ago
  Similar to the email spam proposals, charge a modest fee for each motion filed. Set it at a point that isn't a barrier for anyone filing a "normal" amount of motions, but where it increases to real money if your main business is filing large amounts of know-it-will-fail paperwork.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - sirclueless 10y ago
    Filing motions is not their main business. Their main business is putting down competitors. In fact the only reason it works is that they have enough revenue that they can retain lawyers (expensive) to do these things without affecting their bottom line much. Lawyers aren't cheap for Acushnet either, they just have the cash to throw around. Adding fees just hurts small players more. This sounds like a "solution" that makes the problem worse.
  - vxNsr 10y ago
    How did this work?
vhold 10y ago
The fact there is a high barrier of entry might be one of the only appeals golf has at all? Playing it is a status symbol. Although, I think maybe that elite status symbols themselves may be on a downswing, maybe because of the growing awareness of wealth inequality? Super rich people used to ride around in stretch limos and people found it interesting and exciting, now there's a growing perception that's disgusting and super rich people tend to visibly travel in much more inconspicuous vehicles (which are taking them to their private jets). Just a random thought..
- bluedevil2k 10y ago
  Only appeal?? I play golf regularly and I play because I love it. My friends play cause they love it. What a feeling to stand on a tee box looking out over a wide fairway, driver in hand.
  - goldenkey 10y ago
    Well what do you know..a person does something because they like it. How elucidating..
- blhack 10y ago
  >The fact there is a high barrier of entry might be one of the only appeals golf has at all? This is ridiculous. Golf is a sport that you can play from when you first start walking, until nearly the day you die. That's the appeal. It requires extreme concentration in a way that I've never experienced in any other sport I've ever played. I would highly, highly recommend that people learn to play golf. I wish it didn't have the stigma that it does with some people.
  - clubm8 10y ago
    >I would highly, highly recommend that people learn to play golf. I wish it didn't have the stigma that it does with some people. Golf is like animé - it's the fans that make it insufferable.
    - 10y ago
hkmurakami 10y ago
Ehh, you can get perfectly serviceable balls for even cheaper than the costco ball. I bought 10 dozen Top Flite Gamer balls as my winter ball (you tend to lose more balls in the winter due to plugging into the ground, taller rough, etc.) for $9.99/dozen on Christmas sale. I play $48/dozen balls regularly as well, but I'm perfectly content playing the $1 ball. MSRP-wise, Pinnacle balls have been a perfectly fine ball for beginner to intermediate golfers for decades. (I used to be an advanced level player but dropped the game for a decade, and when I picked it up again I opted to use a Pinnacle ball for a few years for the roi) The reason the Costco ball is alarming to the premium ball manufacturers isn't because a cheap good ball exists now (they always have existed), but because a cheap great ball (i.e. tour pro level) threatened to destroy their margins. Basically, it would destroy the "money buys you performance" marketing mystique (even though for 99% of players, they don't get the clubface/ball contact to get that performance out of the ball anyways). Also you can get really good equipment for quite cheap on ebay. It's not like technology has changed much for most of the set. My favorite irons are from 1991. (that being said, unless you know someone who really knows their equipment, bargain hunting on ebay might be difficult due to information overload) The decline of the game is due to a variety of factors. Most important of these is Tiger Woods' demise, and secondary factors include pace of play at golf courses (rounds should be less than 4 hours, not 5+) as well as the inflated prices at many of these places that happened during the boom years.
- ChrisBland 10y ago
  Avid golfer here, while I agree with your premise on the threat to Titleist that KSIGS present. I went out and played 4-5 rounds with the Kirkland Signature and it couldn't hold a candle to the tournament balls I normally play. For a competitive golfer, the ball just is not up to par. For your weekend warrior, its a perfectly fine ball and probably better than the prov1(x) as the cover is much harder and won't wear out as fast.
  - Declanomous 10y ago
    As a perpetually novice golfer, I'm flattered that you think I can keep track of golf balls long enough for the durability to matter. Plus I have yet to find a ball that will survive an encounter with a cart path, unless you fancy hitting range balls.

tbabb 10y ago

Whether that's true or not, I don't think it's enough to rely on the invisible hand to squelch this practice. The truth is, as long as it is advantageous to sue frivolously, companies will do it. And this is bad for the free market, the economy, and consumers. Policy change should make it much more costly to launch a frivolous lawsuit (as distinct from a claim made in good faith), e.g. by making it much easier for a bullied defendant to counter-sue and win significant damages.

ethbro 10y ago
Similar to the email spam proposals, charge a modest fee for each motion filed. Set it at a point that isn't a barrier for anyone filing a "normal" amount of motions, but where it increases to real money if your main business is filing large amounts of know-it-will-fail paperwork.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- sirclueless 10y ago
  Filing motions is not their main business. Their main business is putting down competitors. In fact the only reason it works is that they have enough revenue that they can retain lawyers (expensive) to do these things without affecting their bottom line much. Lawyers aren't cheap for Acushnet either, they just have the cash to throw around. Adding fees just hurts small players more. This sounds like a "solution" that makes the problem worse.
- vxNsr 10y ago
  How did this work?

vhold 10y ago

The fact there is a high barrier of entry might be one of the only appeals golf has at all? Playing it is a status symbol. Although, I think maybe that elite status symbols themselves may be on a downswing, maybe because of the growing awareness of wealth inequality? Super rich people used to ride around in stretch limos and people found it interesting and exciting, now there's a growing perception that's disgusting and super rich people tend to visibly travel in much more inconspicuous vehicles (which are taking them to their private jets). Just a random thought..

bluedevil2k 10y ago
Only appeal?? I play golf regularly and I play because I love it. My friends play cause they love it. What a feeling to stand on a tee box looking out over a wide fairway, driver in hand.
- goldenkey 10y ago
  Well what do you know..a person does something because they like it. How elucidating..
blhack 10y ago
>The fact there is a high barrier of entry might be one of the only appeals golf has at all? This is ridiculous. Golf is a sport that you can play from when you first start walking, until nearly the day you die. That's the appeal. It requires extreme concentration in a way that I've never experienced in any other sport I've ever played. I would highly, highly recommend that people learn to play golf. I wish it didn't have the stigma that it does with some people.
- clubm8 10y ago
  >I would highly, highly recommend that people learn to play golf. I wish it didn't have the stigma that it does with some people. Golf is like animé - it's the fans that make it insufferable.
  - 10y ago

hkmurakami 10y ago

Ehh, you can get perfectly serviceable balls for even cheaper than the costco ball. I bought 10 dozen Top Flite Gamer balls as my winter ball (you tend to lose more balls in the winter due to plugging into the ground, taller rough, etc.) for $9.99/dozen on Christmas sale. I play $48/dozen balls regularly as well, but I'm perfectly content playing the $1 ball. MSRP-wise, Pinnacle balls have been a perfectly fine ball for beginner to intermediate golfers for decades. (I used to be an advanced level player but dropped the game for a decade, and when I picked it up again I opted to use a Pinnacle ball for a few years for the roi) The reason the Costco ball is alarming to the premium ball manufacturers isn't because a cheap good ball exists now (they always have existed), but because a cheap great ball (i.e. tour pro level) threatened to destroy their margins. Basically, it would destroy the "money buys you performance" marketing mystique (even though for 99% of players, they don't get the clubface/ball contact to get that performance out of the ball anyways). Also you can get really good equipment for quite cheap on ebay. It's not like technology has changed much for most of the set. My favorite irons are from 1991. (that being said, unless you know someone who really knows their equipment, bargain hunting on ebay might be difficult due to information overload) The decline of the game is due to a variety of factors. Most important of these is Tiger Woods' demise, and secondary factors include pace of play at golf courses (rounds should be less than 4 hours, not 5+) as well as the inflated prices at many of these places that happened during the boom years.

ChrisBland 10y ago
Avid golfer here, while I agree with your premise on the threat to Titleist that KSIGS present. I went out and played 4-5 rounds with the Kirkland Signature and it couldn't hold a candle to the tournament balls I normally play. For a competitive golfer, the ball just is not up to par. For your weekend warrior, its a perfectly fine ball and probably better than the prov1(x) as the cover is much harder and won't wear out as fast.
- Declanomous 10y ago
  As a perpetually novice golfer, I'm flattered that you think I can keep track of golf balls long enough for the durability to matter. Plus I have yet to find a ball that will survive an encounter with a cart path, unless you fancy hitting range balls.