Callaway's agreement with TaylorMade

Callaway stand at the recent Munich show

Callaway Golf(/A> and TaylorMade have reached a settlement and patent license agreement resolving their recent disputes over golf club and ball technology.

Details of the settlement are being kept confidential by the two companies, which are leading brands in golf hardwear and software - including the Callaway FT-5 and muscleback blades used by Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els and the irons and r7 SuperQuad TP drivers used by Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. Callaway also manufactures putters under the Odyssey brand

Under the terms of the agreement, each company will have specified rights to make products under patents owned by the other. Technologies at issue in the settlement include high moment of inertia (MOI) drivers, undercut irons and golf balls.

The agreement resolves all pending litigation between the companies.

Last week Callaway Golf won a patent infringement case against Acushnet, the makers of the popular Titleist Pro V1 and ProV1x balls. Callaway filed suit in June in US District Court in Delaware, USA, alleging Acushnet's Titleist Pro V1 line of golf balls infringed on patents owned by Callaway. Jurors found in favour of Callaway on four of the five patents.

Titleist Pro V1 technology challenged

Acushnet counter-claimed that the Titleist Pro V1 is based on more than 70 of its own patents and believes it will eventually prevail in the case.

"The jury's mixed decision has created ambiguity that will have to be resolved post-trial," said Joseph Nauman, an Acushnet executive vice president.