Callaway Upset by NBC Policy

The USGA’s U.S. Open contract with NBC, which the network says permits no advertising on equipment that does not conform to the specifications of the ruling body of golf in the United States, has upset officials at Callaway Golf.

Callaway’s ERC forged titanium driver, one of 15 clubs on the USGA nonconforming list because of a so-called “spring-like effect,” was specifically mentioned in an internal NBC memo stating that no advertising be accepted on the driver.

According to Steve McCracken, senior vice president and general counsel at Callaway, the company believes it is being singled out by the USGA.

“The USGA has gone out of its way to attack the ERC driver,” McCracken said. “This could come to a point where we would have to take some course of action.”

There are more than two dozen drivers on the USGA nonconforming list, but McCracken said Callaway has been the only one mentioned by name. McCracken likened the USGA-NBC stance to a form of censorship.

NBC is in the first year of a new contract with the USGA to televise such USGA events as the U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Open and the U.S. Amateur.

Kevin Sullivan, spokesman for NBC, said the network’s prior contract also included a clause concerning nonconforming equipment.

David Fay, executive director of the USGA, said there is no intent to single out Callaway.

“That has no basis in fact,” he said.

Callaway is advertising during the U.S. Open telecasts and had no plans to include the ERC by itself, although spokesmen for the giant Carlsbad clubmaker insisted it might have considered some type of use of the club as part of a branding campaign in conjunction with its other clubs accepted by the USGA.

The ERC is being marketed in Japan and Europe and Callaway has no plans to sell the club in the U.S. However, Carbite Golf Co. recently announced it would market a Daiwa driver in the U.S. even though it is on the USGA’s nonconforming list.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which legislates golf in all countries except the U.S. and Mexico, has not banned the ERC and it will be allowed at the British Open.

The Royal Canadian Golf Assn., joined the USGA in listing the club as nonconforming. Callaway has filed suit against the Canadian Golf Assn., claiming unfair business practices.