Callaway Sues Acushnet Over Pro V1

Callaway has filed suit againt Acushnet, alleging that the Titleist Pro V1 ball violates four or more of Callaway’s patents.

The lawsuit, says Callaway spokesman Larry Dorman, was filed “only after repeated attempts to negotiate a settlement failed.” He would not specify how long the companies were negotiating, other than to say “quite a while.” According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, the two companies had been involved in discussions over golf-ball intellectual property since at least last summer.

Callaway says that it acquired the patents in 2003, when it bought Top Flite. The patents apparently have to do with the construction of multilayerballs with solid cores and polyurethane covers.

Interestingly, this is the second suit filed over golf balls against Acushnet in less than a year. In March of 2005, Bridgestone filed suit alleging that ten of its patents were violated.

The suits have the potential to be ground shaking. The Pro V1 has generated a billion dollars in sales, and is the number one ball on tour.