| | Golf luxury brands flocking to India | | New Delhi, 15 February 2010 : Golf icon Tiger Wood’s offcourse shenanigans may have taken some sheen off the game, yet in India it’s on an upswing. A growing list of aficionados and new brands in the market attest to the game’s increasing popularity. From less than a lakh players just a few years back the game now boasts of over half-a-million players. And from almost zilch presence, international golf gear makers and golf luxury brands are now flocking to India.
The latest to tee off being Callaway Golf Company. It has roped in ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh as its brand ambassador. Callaway joins the likes of TaylorMade (golf brand of Adidas), Cobra, Ping, Footjoy, Titelist, Cleavland Golf and Nike Golf for a slice of the Indian golf market. While an average joe could start with a rented club on the driving range, most marketers are eyeing the enthusiast to the fashion conscious golfer who spend around Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh each on just the equipment, and more to make a statement.
That includes Oakley golf glasses, golf Ts, shoes, caps to golf simulators. The last are a very recent entrant into the market. For the over enthusiastic golfer, simulators can set him back by at least Rs 25 lakh, though could help get the swing right. Small change for the kick all the practice could give if it translates into a birdie, eagle or a hole-in-one on the course! Companies like High Definition Golf from Canada are selling simulators in India via local golf distributors.
``Golf is a game you dress up to, unlike, say, boxing where you literally dress down to for an encounter. So, from equipment to apparel makers and even realty developers, everybody is eyeing the golfers wallet,’’ says Rahul Singh, CEO, Greg Norman Collection India, a top-end golf apparel maker.
The market for golf and related equipment, worth about Rs 100 crore, has been growing at 25-30% a year over the last three years and the coming years could see even faster growth. This change has come about almost apace with the growing economy. For instance about four years back India had just 80 golf courses, most of them out of bounds for the public as they are defence properties. Today, the country boasts of about 250 golf courses and another 50 are under various stages of development, say experts from Callaway and TaylorMade.
``We are bringing our entire line in the country,’’ says Vivek Mehta, country head, Callaway Golf India. That includes Callaway Golf equipment and sister brands, Odyssey and Top-Flite. Callaway has over 3,000 patents for golf equipment and prides itself in the technology that goes into its gear, like the super premium range which uses fusion technology — fusing different metals in the golf club head. Its range like the FT1Z driver (Rs 24,000 each) and X22 fairway wood incorporates fusion of titanium and carbon composite body to get the best inertia and centre of gravity.
A Callaway golf set could cost Rs 10,000 (Top-Flite brand) and go all the way up to Rs 2 lakh. Occasionally, the company comes out with special editions, like the Damascus Grand Putter, only 20 of which were made, each retailing for $2,000. Callaway plans to market from multi-brand outlets beginning March 1 and roll out its exclusive stores from second half of 2010. | |
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