Callaway Big Bertha Arrives
In 1991 Callaway launched the iconic Big Bertha
driver. That year it carried Mark Brooks to two PGA Tour wins and by the end of 1992 it had become the number one driver on the LPGA Tour, the senior’s tour and the Hogan Tour.
By the end of 1994 Callaway’s impact had grown even more with sales bursting past the $250 million dollar mark and Callaway drivers now the number one choice of PGA professionals. The same year also saw the launch of Big Bertha Callaway fairway woods and the Big Bertha Callaway irons allowing all golfers the chance to enjoy the forgiveness of the Big Bertha throughout their bag. By 1995, with Callaway professional Annika Sorenstam capturing her first major, Callaway drivers had become the number one choice on every major tour in the world.
By 1996 Callaway had become the world’s largest manufacturer of golf clubs and the range covered everything from Callaway drivers to Callaway wedges and Callaway putters.
By the end of century Ely Callaway’s vision of being the biggest and the best was fully realised with Callaway’s annual sales now dwarfing their nearest competitors. In the new millennium Callaway signed Arnold Palmer and Arnie’s remaining appearances in tournaments around the world would seem him delight his fans with a bag full of Callaway clubs.
The Callaway Odyssey Continues
Callaway had also purchased Odyssey putters and they continued to grow their market share and the launch of the Two Ball putter was to completely revolutionise the way manufacturers approached putter design. At the same time the launch of Callaway golf balls was also impacting on that notoriously competitive market.
The quite incredible impact that Callaway had made in such a short period of time is best illustrated by the company's position of dominance: By 2003 Callaway drivers, Callaway irons and Callaway putters were the number one choice of world golf – as they had been for the previous seven years.
With Annika Sorenstam continuing to win and rip up the record books Callaway was also to enjoy back to back major success when Phil Mickelson and his Callaway golf clubs won the 2005 US PGA and the 2006 Masters – in a little over a year Sorenstam and Lefty added four major titles (along with Michael Campbell’s US Open) to Callaway’s ever growing list of achievements.
Ely Callaway died in 2001 but today the company remains infused and enthused by the dedication and commitment he brought to the company he created.