We ran across an interesting driver design concept from an unlikely source recently. Makes us think…will Puma make the jump?
Don’t think a company like Puma could make an impact in the industry? Nike sure has…so…what do you think (Yes or No)?
- Categories
- 2012 PGA SHOW
- Spy Golf Products
- “MyGolfSpy Labs”
- Golf Patents
- Contests!
- Golf News
- “A Look Into The Future”
- Do-It-Yourself
- “How To Articles”
- How It’s Made-Golf
- The Week In Review!
- Japanese Designs
- “Name That Club” Win Prize!
- Golf iPhone Apps
- Golf Polls
- Golf Tips
- Where Are They Now?
- Golf Videos
- Spy Interviews
- “Deal of the Week”
- 2009 PGA SHOW
- 2010 PGA SHOW
- 2011 PGA SHOW
- Uncategorized
- Reviews
- Compare Clubs
- Forum
- Store
- $50 Deals
- Popular Posts
- Send Tips
- Donate
Loading ...
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks more like an advertisement then concept driver designs to me
Hey Nolan – glad to see you at MGS! Hope you continue to be a part of this fast growing community.
This is actually not an ad…but a concept drawing by a hired designer.
I think they could, but it won’t be easy.
From the drawings you have there I must say that those are some very forward thinking designs. They are very unique to say the least.
It would be really hard for Puma to break into the golf EQUIPMENT industry. They’ve been making performance shoes and apparel for a long time, and they make really exceptional products… but the market is already saturated. They would need to put some really strong tour players on payroll actually using their stuff, and WINNING with it in order to have a chance.
Even if they make a driver that tests for 30 more yards, golfers won’t trust a “non-golf” company to make high end equipment.
Look at Tour Edge. Their exotics line in fantastic. Those clubs are as good or better than everything that’s out there… but they don’t make the sales that the big companies do.. not even close. And they’re actually RECOGNIZED as a golf company.
Gonna be tough.
Driver looks kinda cool… a little TOO designer, it’s a golf club, not a race car!!!
Thanks for sharing, though… never would have thought!
I think puma could make it in the industry, they’ll have a leg up over any other new companies because of their good standing in sports and golf overall. Guys who love other puma products are gonna be willing to take a chance on their equipment. If they could get a big name tour pro to play w/ their clubs then they’ll be well on their way, but its not gonna be easy. The design looks really cool and that will definitely catch peoples eyes and intrigue them to look into Puma as a club maker. I wish them luck, maybe one day they’ll be able to compete w/ Nike and Adidas/TaylorMade.
really cool designs but the colors would throw me off…i like a more traditional looking club
Yuck! I bet we will see those drivers on the shelves at walmart.
Hey Chris not to rain on your parade but have you heard of Nike? They are doing pretty well in the equipment industry and they were famous for making high performance shoes too. And the main reason Tour Edge doesn’t sell is a combination of no advertising and high prices. They do make great stuff I’ll agree but at $350 for a 3-wood no thanks people would rather save $150 and buy the R9 and move the faces around. However, I agree in that Puma should just stick with what they know. They make awesome shoes and great clothes. Plus they already have a big tour following. If they were to do it though it may be a descent idea to perhaps resurrect the Macgregor name. Do a TaylorMade/Adidas partnership type thing. That would be awesome in my mind.
Just to let you know it would be hard for puma to team up with Macgregor. Since golfsmith, just purchased them and are now an in house product. They will release clubs in early 2010.
Though I agree that entering the market at this point will be tough at best I don’t think going for the big endorsement deals has anything to do with success. Just look at the history. Look at the biggest names in golf history that have either endorsed or owned their own companies that have not made it. Gary Player-gone, Arnold Palmer-gone, Jack has never made money with his line, Nick Price has never endorsed a company that has not gone broke or just flat got out (Goldwin, Ram, Sonartec just to name a few). Freddy couldn’t make with Lynx and then there are the oldies like Hogan, Hagen, Snead and many others. Fat endorsement deals take way to much needed money and cash flow. Yet, there are recent companies that do well without any endorsements such as Guerin Rife. A great performing product that is well marketed and not cost prohibitive. The real answer is in the basics such as production cost, marketing, product performance and price point. The real question at this point is timing. Is now the time? There is upside to this market right now. Advertising costs have tumbled, manufacturers are dropping production costs and the pent up demand is building. The question is how long before it lets loose? I wish there was a way of forecasting that one. Whoever figures it out will be a wealthy man!
Ugliest looking driver i have ever seen. Puma cannot make a jump w/ a driver shaped like that.
They are going to sell like hotcakes!!! Remember…America is NOT the only golf nation and with the Anime art that I see there, every japanese kid that picks up his first club is going to get one. I myself am going to give it a fair shake and try it when it comes out. I may be different from others but if it works better than what I have…..it’s for me…
Well we will have to wait and see if these drawings actually come to life and come to market. Sounds like you think these would work better if released in Japan James.
Well I agree that the top version would not do well but if a major OEM came out with the bottom model it would sell.
Great comment Matt
Looks more like a part of a student design study then a real concept proposal. Too much of “automotive” design to work in a conservative market.
Regarding the possibility of making it on a fierce market as the golf arena I think it is dependent on your marketing power and what might swing in favor for a Puma golf gear brand is that they have a distrubution network that surpass what Tour Edge had when they emerged.
I agree with James to some degree in that sense that radical design is compatable with the image of Puma and that they have a young following that like to “stand out” and break away from tradition.
I think Puma would do better in Europe than America. They just don’t have a strong enough brand image out here. Nike was able to do it because they are a monstrously huge company with one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Puma might be able to capture a small niche market, but I don’t see them raising enough capital for the big time endorsements, state of the art R&D, and competitive marketing campaign they’ll need to break through an already inundated market.
Looks like they were designed by Jack Hamm.
POWWWW!!!!
Providing they are competitively priced these will sell like hotcakes in the UK! The crazy colours and funky looks will really appeal to to those guys who like to look better than they play. Golf Punk readers and Ian Poulter fans will tear your arm off to have a shot of these.
As for my earlier comment… What I said about the Japanese market wasn’t a slight to Puma. In Japan, (I lived there for 3 1/2 yrs) if you have a hobby…you have one hobby and that is where all of your heart, soul, and money go. As soon as and Aoki-type player shows up on the leader board of a major swinging one of these drivers….the rest of the golf world will want to play it too.
While Puma is primarily a Soccer equipment company, they will have an audience within the confines of Europe and a smaller one in ther USA.
Puma’s golf clothing has already stared filtering in to your local golf courses. maybe they can do golf clubs also.
Very interesting. Without giving away any spy secrets, where did you come by these renderings? I would like to see more of what they might have up their sleeve. Good detective work, indeed.
Sorry Leland…we can not give our source. We will have more sketches coming up soon.
The top one is essentially a Mac’s Ax. I wonder if Puma got Robert MacKeil’s permission to “jazz up” his design. MacKeil Golf made a 15-3-3-3 ti version and Louisville Golf evidentially made a laminated maple version called the Stealth (MacKeil originally went to Louisville Golf to make his design in wood).
I think Puma made no meaningful changes to the design past what MacKeil did around 2003 with his beta titanium driver (there were fairway woods too). The Mac’s Ax looked flamboyant, but was actually designed to bring the center of gravity further back than any other club, ever. The unconventional geometry resulted in an extreme face-axis MOI and draw bias also.
There are some definite similarities Tim. I need to get one of those for my collection.
I contacted Robert MacKeil about these drawings. He sent me an email indicating he got my information. I know how to get new Mac’s Axes from Bob, but the heads are sold at an appalling price. An assembled club is a much, much better value if that is what is desired. Send me an email, mygolfspy, if you want to contact Mackeil. I believe you are the forum administer and should have my address.
I need to retract my use of the word “appalling” in my last post with apology. I may have offended Mr. MacKeil by this statement. I am not quite sure why he is mad at me, but he is fully able to discover this post.
These clubs look amazing … If I owned those I’d have a place on my wall to hang them while not is use. They are pieces of art.