I am neither pro nor ante Titleist, I use some of their clubs and I use the ProV1x balls, but I am beginning to wonder if they aren't now on the slippery path to ruin.

They have been successfully sued by Bridgestone for infringing their golf balls patents and now the same by Callaway. It seems the technology and design of the ProX range has been ripped off by Titleist from other companies. Its thrown into doubt the future of the ProV range and its rumoured Callaway are gonna try and get Titleist to stop selling them.

The Vokey wedge line is past its best, now superceded by other OEMs with good grinds on their wedges.

The  Titliest wood range seems somewhat past its best, and the traditional market-place of the "better player" seem to be deserting them.

Titleist irons are nothing special, their better blades are usually scorned by good players in favour of Mizuno.

Their putter range of Scotty Cameron's isnt the must have that it used to be. Cameron's incapability to design anything original that is successful means its trapped with the Ping Anser copies that its been touting for years.

Els left Titleist and they havent signed up any players of note as staff players.

Then their sister company Cobra seem to be after the Titleist market-place with better player clubs coming out and a real level of support from many golfers for their products.

The Footjoy range is still good, but not quite the must have it used to be, other OEM's seem to have caught up and surpassed a lot of the FJ offerings.

 The head pro told me today Titleist are getting very unpopular with retailers due to the inflexibility and now to try and recoup the enormous fines they are having to pay Bridgestone and Callaway they have introduced a postage charge to ship products to their own outlets. He's well p*ssed off about this and says it will cause him to rethink whether he wants to continue stocking Titleist and Footjoy.

Titleist products seem to be second choice nowadays. They seem to be getting left behind in design and technology, and the revelations about their patent infringements seem to confirm they don't have any original ideas. It leaves me wondering if we are seeing the demise of Titleist, and whether Acushnet will cut its losses on the Titleist range and put its thrust in their Cobra line.

Personally I would like to see Titleist come out with some innovative products and win back some of their waning market-share.

Any opinions?

I certainly don't have the knowledge that you have with rergards to titelist and it's corporate woes.

I do know that I love my two Vokey wedges

It leaves me wondering if we are seeing the demise of Titleist, and whether Acushnet will cut its losses on the Titleist range and put its thrust in their Cobra line.

Personally I would like to see Titleist come out with some innovative products and win back some of their waning market-share.

Any opinions?"

Most of the smaller local golf retailers I've used in the past don't stock Titleist / Footjoy as it was mentioned that this restricts the products they can offer the public, yet the most of the other well known brands are there for all to see in direct competition with each other.

How can you be so short sighted as to limit your competitiveness in what is obviously a difficult market, its their choice of course, but if losing sales due to limited exposure to the public turns you on then so be it. 

And finally why is that Troll such an Arsehole, is it because................................

when he joined an ugly contest, they said "Sorry, no professionals."

The Trolls so ugly................

he looked out the window and got arrested for mooning.

The Trolls so ugly................

just after he was born, his mother said "What a treasure!" and his father said "Yes, let's go bury it."

The Trolls so ugly................

they push his face into dough to make cookies.

they didn't give him a costume when he auditioned for Star Wars.

The Trolls so ugly................

instead of putting the bungee cord around his ankle, they put it around his neck

The Trolls so ugly................

when he walks into a bank, they turn off the surveillence cameras

The Trolls so ugly................

his mum had to be drunk to breast feed him

The Trolls so ugly................

his mum had to tie a steak around his neck to get the dog to play with him.

The Trolls so ugly................

the government moved Halloween to his birthday.

The Trolls so ugly................

they pay him to put his clothes on in strip joints.

when he went to the beautician it took 12 hours. . .for a quote!

The Trolls so ugly................

when he tried to take a bath last year, the water jumped out!

The Trolls so ugly................

even Rice Krispies won't talk to him!

The Trolls so ugly................

on Halloween the kids trick or treat him by phone!

The Trolls so ugly................

he turned Medusa to stone!

The Trolls so ugly................

people go as him to Halloween parties.

Personally I would like to see Titleist come out with some innovative products and win back some of their waning market-share.

Any opinions?

interesting comments & observations Joe , all of them ... some of which I wasn't aware of -

not too sure why but I've always looked on Titleist as being an 'American' type of brand - they seem to fare well (or have done) on the PGA circuit as in players that use that brand for years  --  likewise the amateur & club player market in America appears to lean heavily towards Titleist , or it at least used to ...

marketing as a 'better players' club ?  --  again that would have appeared to have been the case (not so sure of recent times ?) and there does seem to be this mystique floated around that Titleist clubs are more difficult to use or less forgiving than other brands

Titleist irons v Mizuno irons  --  much of a muchness in the 'players' models IMO - both good clubs , I personally think Titleist irons 'look' better than Mizuno but the game isn't played on 'looks' as we know  --  fashion & trends (maybe better marketing ?) often dictate what players use -

Titleist drivers of particularly the 9 series range (983K , 905 , etc ...) I still reckon are some of the best drivers produced of recent times both in looks & performance - classic lines & elegantly finished  --  again fashion & trends have moved people to other products maybe ?  --  the new D series drivers are an acquired taste IMO given what they've previously produced

I often wonder if they've overlooked and dropped off some of the R&D innovation on the club side of things to focus mainly on golf ball performance ?

if they have then it looks like they're 'up the creek without' as the saying goes and certainly from what you're saying Joe re: the patent stuff with the balls

Here is my impression of Titleist's brand image.

Their balls are great (well their not actually their balls because they ripped off the other companies innovation )

Their irons are for better players and look dated. I wouldn't even consider them if I was after a new set.

Their woods, I am not even aware they have any new woods out. Ok they have the D1 and D2 but with the exposure of the Burner, FTI etc they seem quite shy.

Footjoy's I do like. Very good quality and appearance and a total image for eveyone, from traditional to funky AQLs. Really the only part of their range that appeals to me.

Overall I would consider the Titleist brand to be arrogant and up itself. They obviously think they are the greatest, it's just a shame the paying public don't agree. For any major company to be caught cheating and then humiliated in court shows that their are severe problems in their corporation.

Yes Creo, I think you may be correct. Titleist is on a downward spiral. No1 ball in golf ? Not for long me thinks !

I like Footjoys and half-wish I'd bought Cobra clubs instead of my Pings. I liked the Pinnacle Exceptions but now they're gone.

Nothing under the Titleist brand appeals to me - but then none of it is supposed to  - and having alienated me with their elitism, I'm not fussed either way what the future holds for the label, tbh.

That's a big question Creo! but I'll give it a go as I see it.

(Only just realised how long this is, sorry) 

Scotty Cameron putters, they never were my cup of tea. I don't think that there is anything wrong with them as such just not my thing. I agree that they aren't necessarily THE putter to have these days but when they were the putters to have, they were pretty much the only premium putters around (by premium I mean over inflated prices). These days we have Mizuno Bettinardi, TP Mills, Ping Redwood, Callaway Black? Basically lots of expensive putters to choose from. (I use Mizuno Bettinardi)

Vokey wedges. With the exception of the spin milled line and a couple of limited edition models, these haven't really changed for years. It could be looked upon that they are being left behind but I still think they are as good as anything else around. The only difference is that Titleist aren't trying to replace a line just to generate sales like certain other companies do. (I use Vokeys)

Footjoy. I'll only comment on the shoes as I don't use gloves. I've just went back to Footjoys after a year or so in the wilderness that was Adidas Tour 360's. Now the 360's were lovely and comfortable from the off but seamed to age very quickly. First pair looked very tired after around 4 or 5 months and seemed to go very lose then leaked. Second pair I got closer fitting but exactly the same happened. I went back to FJ and to be honest think that the fit (for me) are far superior. I haven't tried any of the other makes so can't comment but I do think that the FJ's are better than Adidas. Style wise I think that they have improved though generally are still a bit aged compared to some of the more modern makes. (I use FJ Dryjoys)

Irons. Well as you know I've just been to Brampton for a fitting session so I do like at least one of their sets. I think that they are well made clubs but they haven't went down the route of making flashy clubs, which is generally a bonus in my opinion. Overall I'm not a fan of their irons as I've found them very hard feeling and quite unforgiving as well but I do think that they are nice looking clubs. I haven't ordered the irons as yet and don't know if I will but I really do like the 755's. (I use Mizuno MP67's)

Drivers. I still think that there drivers are as good as anything else on the market, it's just whether they suit you best or not. (I do have a 905R but use a Burner TP instead)

Balls. They make great balls but as it appears, they use other peoples technology. They may have "borrowed" another companies technology but they still seem to be able to put it to better use than the company that owns it. (Use them more than other brands but not religiously)

I really don't think that Cobra will ever be able to take over the better players mantle from Titleist. No doubt about it that Cobra are very much in the ascendency at the moment, probably due to some very timely sponsorship deals with a bunch of players that immediately hit the front page. I like some of the Cobra stuff but still can't look at it in the same light as Titleist gear. I don't think that Titleist are quite the force that they once were and the ball situation between Callaway and Bridgestone will hit them very hard. I think that the irons probably sell more slowly than many brands as they tend not to be dropped in price in the same way as many companies gear does. Also I think that most companies can now offer something in the same market area's that they didn't compete in not so long back.Ultimately the way that I see Titleist now is that they are still at the top level in all area's, just that there market is now being eaten into from other manufacturers and they haven't really went far enough down the chain into the game improvement market to get that share back. They will continue to make lots of money very nicely but not to the same degree as they used to. 

Oh, and just to add, have you seen the new irons that are on GolfWRX? Somewhat reminiscent of the Ping S58 so a bit of a change to their usual lot, whether thats good or bad is another matter. 

Titleist certainly doesnt have the cred that it has had in the past and I think this is as much down to image and attitude as anything else.  They are like a lot of big brands who get all wrapped up in themselves believing they are bigger and better than anyone else and not moving with the times.  

This hasnt stopped me buying a set of 755 irons (they performed the best for me when I was custom fitting and I liked their thin profile look) and footjoys.   I also have a vokey wedge.   I dont use their balls though or anything else.

Other companies are putting more time and effort into their visual appeal and trying to fit in with what the mass market wants to see and hear.

I'm not sure i like the "better players" tag we're giving Titleist.  What I believe they should be given is the "Players".  That doesn't mean all the + handicappers out there, what i find Titleist cater for are those that like the finer things in golf. 

Take the 755's that have been mentioned, you see them on the shelf and they are massive cavities!! Then you pick them up and see forged staped down the side, Hmm intersting for a big cavity you think, the as you set up the club you see a blade looking back at you?  I love that, it gives you all the stuff a "player" wants to see but a ton of stuff that the novice can content with. 

The same is true of there 695's on sight they seem like run of the mill blades, no miarulous forging process (that probably comes from the same forging house as most top name brands...?) no magical wieght manupulation, just a tiny club head, a super skinny sole and as good a grind as you get on stock irons... All the things you need if you really need a blade. 

Wedges, putters all survive on reputation and you only get that reputation by being class.  I feel people who make comments like they feel hard off the face or don't have the technology input are just churning the wheel that everyone has before.

As for price, Titliest are a big company and will so have massive overheads, think of the pro's they sponsor, balls they provide to proactise ranges, scholarships they hand out.. this all makes it's way back into the product, and we pay it because we want to see the best players playing on tour.

I've got no problem with titliest and I really hope nothing is really amiss.. It's a pity they are not a small custom house, who always seem to be producing quality just because nobody has heard of them, then I think there real input would be appreciated.    

Mr. Titleist, Do I get any commission?

I'd only just spotted this on the home page when I flicked across it :

http://www.golfmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/5450/v/1

I dare say money/contract is involved but all the same he's another that's made the move away from Titleist  ....  not holding on to many Tour Staff as Creo said in 1st post

fair point Tim -

I've never used any Nike stuff so couldn't comment - only place I've seen their stuff for sale is in AGD stores ...

I don't doubt Dyson has been financially rewarded for making the move which I'd guess maybe took him around a second to decide if he should stick with Titleist or go with Nike  --  bit fickle these pro players