Callaway’s Jury Award Halved

A judge Friday halved the $2.2-million verdict won by Callaway Golf Co. over claims that Dunlop Slazenger Group Americas Inc. wrongly advertised that its golf balls went farther than others.

Jurors in federal court in Delaware last year awarded Carlsbad, Calif.-based Callaway, the maker of Big Bertha woods and irons, $1.1 million for lost sales plus the same amount for costs of future advertising to promote its own long-range golf balls.

“To allow Callaway to receive another $1.1 million for prospective corrective advertising would indeed be an unfair doubling of the damage award,” U.S. District Judge Kent A. Jordan said in a 23-page opinion.

Callaway sued the unit of Britain-based Dunlop Slazenger Group Ltd. in 2001. Jurors agreed that closely held Dunlop’s claim that the Maxfli A-10 was “the Longest Ball on Tour” was false.

Dunlop executives in Camberley, England, and Greenville, S.C., couldn’t be reached for comment.

Callaway shares fell 18 cents to $14.87.