Daly Signs With MaxFli – TaylorMade

John Daly has signed a deal with Maxfli – TaylorMade Golf. He will play the MaxFli Black Max ball ( a very good, and under appreciated ball, in my opinion), and TaylorMade metalwoods and irons.

I wonder what’s going on here, though. Daly is still on the Dunlop Site. He also recently had announced a deal with Focus Golf, which seems to be have an association with Dunlop. (Google “Focus Golf”, and you are led to the Dunlop Site). And the TaylorMade press release doesn’t say anything about putters, so he may be sticking with Dunlop’s “Redneck,” which is odd, considering that he has a tendency to break them. Loose heads on a putter can’t be good publicity for Dunlop.

Dunlop also has a new ball called the Rebel, which would seem to pay homage to the “Long Ball Rebel.”

Maybe Dunlop and Focus golf are behind on this one, or Daly is marketing them both. I can see where Dunlop would appeal to an entirely different market than the one that would play TaylorMade. He could be marketing TaylorMade to the pro shop crowd, and Dunlop to the Wal Mart crowd (no offense to anyone who shops at Wal Mart. I simply said that because WalMart is the only place around here where I’ve seen the Dunlop Loco Balls and clubs)

And then Daly has his own line of stuff. For example, he has a “Grip It and Rip It” line of gloves. But under his new deal, he will play with Maxfli gloves.

The complete press release is below. MaxFli apparently is trying to inject some color into their products—and Daly certainly will help them do that. The BlackMax also is played by Sergio Garcia and Kenny Perry, but I never thought to look up who was playing the Max until I saw that Daly was. So I guess their strategy worked.

John Daly Becomes Standard-Bearer for the Maxfli Brand
Popular Tour Pro will Play BlackMAX Ball and TaylorMade Clubs
and will Wear Maxfli Glove and adidas Golf Footwear

CARLSBAD, Calif. (February 23, 2006) – John Daly, one of the most popular and recognizable professional golfers in the world, is now a Maxfli Staff player. Daly, known for his unique swing, powerful drives and “grip it and rip it” style of play, will play the Maxfli® BlackMAX golf ball, TaylorMade metalwoods and TaylorMade irons. He will wear a Maxfli glove and adidas Golf™ footwear, and will feature the Maxfli logo on the front of his hat and Noodle® logo on the back. Additionally, large Maxfli logos will be emblazoned on both sides of his staff bag, with the smaller Noodle logos featured elsewhere.

A two-time major championship winner, Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick as an alternate and the 1995 Open Championship at St. Andrews. Other PGA Tour victories include the 1992 B.C. Open, the 1994 BellSouth Classic and the 2004 Buick Invitational. He has also won four times internationally and once on the Nationwide Tour. Legendary for his power, John has led the PGA Tour in driving distance 11 times during the past 15 years.

The start of the relationship between Daly and Maxfli was celebrated with a day of festivities at TMaG headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif., that was attended by all employees. At the event John and TaylorMade-adidas President and CEO Mark King signed the contract that officially made John part of the TMaG family. Next, John took three swings with a driver at a distant target – hitting the target would earn a day off for TMaG employees. He was successful on his third try, eliciting a loud and long roar of delight from the crowd.

“Maxfli needs a spark in the marketplace, and we believe that John can deliver it,” said Mark King, President and CEO of TaylorMade-adidas. “He’s one of the game’s true icons, and as such he resonates with a broad cross-section of consumers. His relaxed persona and his penchant for hitting the ball a long way makes him a great fit for Noodle fans, who favor players and products that deliver both personality and performance.”

“Maxfli is a great brand that fits well with my personality,” said Daly. “Maxfli is about fun and enjoyment, especially Noodle. At the same time, Maxfli makes great performing products. I like to be thought of the same way that I think of Maxfli, as a great performer on the golf course who doesn’t take things too seriously and likes to have fun. I’m excited about my future with Maxfli.”

About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
TaylorMade Golf Company has led the golf industry’s technological revolution since the company was founded in 1979. TaylorMade metalwoods, irons and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Consumers can learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (800) 888-CLUB or http://www.tmag.com, http://www.taylormadegolf.com, http://www.adidasgolf.com, http://www.maxfli.com or http://www.rossaputters.com.

*Darrell Survey