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RECREATION
NORTH COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SPRING 2016
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sdnedc.org
W
hile golf is a global sport that
started across the pond in
Scotland some 500-plus years
ago, its current roots run deep in North
San Diego County.
Nicknamed the "Titanium Coast" be-
cause of the top club companies that call
Carlsbad home, North County, and its
business climate in particular, is continu-
ally influenced by the golf economy.
Top club manufacturers such as Taylor-
Made, Callaway, Cobra and Titleist employ
thousands of residents and support hun-
dreds more in related industries such as
golf shaft manufacturing, club head
milling and production facilities – not to
mention housing, restaurants and other
areas that help make those employees –
and the economy – tick.
By far, the biggest influencers in the golf
space for North County are the club manu-
facturers. And among those, TaylorMade
currently sits atop the club kingdom.
With sales estimated over $1 billion, Tay-
lorMade stakes claim as the No. 1 driver
company in golf.
In addition to its full line of woods,
irons, wedges and putters, the company's
product offerings include golf balls and
soft goods brands adidas and Ashworth,
which are also big-time players in the ap-
parel and footwear categories around the
world.
"This is an exciting time in golf and an
exciting time for TaylorMade," said Taylor-
Made CEO David Abeles. "Many of the
initiatives we put in motion over the past
four to six years are starting to get traction,
which is translating into more interest in
golf."
Continuing advances in innovation and
technology are helping the average golfer
play better and enjoy the game more,
Abeles added.
"We are not only seeing participation in
golf stabilize, but grow," he said. "Taylor-
Made is aggressively seeking junior golf
programs to get the next generation in-
volved in this great game of a lifetime."
For the sake of the North County econ-
omy, the golf industry seeing more of an
upswing will have a tremendous impact
GAME CHANGER
n FROM CLUBS AND COURSES TO RESORTS AND RETAIL, GOLF IMPACTS THE ECONOMY BY john phipps
<< Golf courses, equipment makers and
retail stores such as Omni La Costa Resort
& Spa, TaylorMade and Carlsbad Golf Center
are leading economic drivers in North County.
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