GOLF / THOMAS BONK : The Club-Making Business Is Also Getting Oversized

When Ben Crenshaw won the Masters in 1984, he used a set of Walter Hagen forged irons. He has used the same irons every year at Augusta.

When Crenshaw won the Masters two weeks ago, he used oversized metal woods.

In 1995, there are no woods like metal woods--for club makers, pros and the club-buying public.

Manufacturers Cobra and Callaway have set the pace, but they are getting competition these days. It is estimated that nearly half of all American players carry oversized metal woods compared to none five years ago, according to an article in last week’s Barron’s.

While Callaway and Cobra stocks rose dramatically after being offered publicly for the first time, both have slipped recently. Opinions about what they will do next are split.

Barron’s reported, for instance, that Merrill Lynch had downgraded Callaway, but analyst Dan Dorfman remained bullish on Callaway.

No one is arguing that oversized clubs aren’t here to stay. There are just going to be a lot more to choose from.

Taylor Made reported last week that sales of its Burner Bubble metal wood have passed 500,000. Cobra said Thursday that it had obtained a temporary restraining order in federal court in San Diego blocking the sale and distribution of knock-offs of its oversized irons and metal woods.

There are more than 48 manufacturers of oversized clubs. But the number of manufacturers may have grown more than the market. Barron’s reported that there are 24.5 million players in the United States as of 1993, which worked out to a 2% growth rate each year for the six previous years.

At any rate, Callaway expects its sales to increase 23% to $550 million and Cobra predicts sales to rise 33% to $165 million.

There are a lot of members in the oversized club club.

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History of the World: Remember the World Tour? It caused an uproar in December when plans for a rival to the PGA Tour were announced by Greg Norman.

Since then, though, the World Tour has virtually disappeared. But in the April issue of Men’s Journal, Norman said the PGA Tour derailed the World Tour because it was afraid of the new tour’s impact on the old order.

Said Norman: “I personally think the PGA Tour is trying to keep their players with them more to protect their business than for the betterment of golf.” He said he has been saying for seven years that something like the World Tour should happen.

“The game of golf has transcended American golf. Now does that mean American golf is staid and has become a little antiquated with the rules and regulations in their system? I couldn’t answer that question. But I do know the rest of the world has caught ‘em and passed ‘em by.”

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Daly update: John Daly said he’s learning to play all the clubs in his bag and not pulling out the driver, even when his gallery eggs him on.

“It’s just like alcohol,” he said. “There’s always the temptation to open a Miller Lite. But I’m getting there. I’m not saying I’m better at it, but I’m striving to get better.”

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FYI: For what it’s worth, Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey is No. 1 in Golf Digest’s 1995-96 list of the greatest U.S. courses. It is followed by Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Merion.

Also included on the list are the Olympic Club in San Francisco at No. 11, Riviera No. 29, Los Angeles Country Club No. 33, Spyglass Hill No. 34, Valley Club of Montecito No. 79 and Sherwood Country Club No. 95.

Golf Notes

The Sixth Paul Runyan/Orthopaedic Hospital “Play for the Children” tournament will be held May 8 at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale. Details: (21)3 748-2217. . . . The fourth Erik Kramer Celebrity-Am will be played May 15 at Woodland Hills Country Club. The event benefits the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and Valley College. Details: (818) 506-7806. . . . The Mike Haynes Arizona State tournament will be played May 12 at Tustin Ranch Golf Club. The event benefits the ASU athletic department and the College of Business. Details: (310) 207-8131.

East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where Bobby Jones learned to play, is being restored to its 1926 condition in time for the Olympics next summer. . . . The grand opening of the new Robert Trent Jones II layout, the south course at Coto de Caza, will take place in early June.

The 18th Senior Masters Golf Assn. tournament will be played Tuesday though Friday at Indian Wells Golf Resort. The event benefits junior golf programs. Details: (619) 779-9864. . . . The Pathways Volunteer Hospice is sponsoring tournament June 7 at Rio Hondo. The event benefits the hospice to be used to assist the terminally ill and provide support to adults and children. Details: (310) 496-4519.

Ryder Cup captain Lanny Wadkins doesn’t expect to see the first six positions firm up for the team that plays Europe at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 21-24 until after the U.S. Open in mid-June at Shinnecock Hills. He also said he hopes to watch closely when some of the candidates for the team play Oak Hill around the U.S. Open. “I want to see some guys play it, look at the guys’ games and see whose will fit in on the golf course,” he said.