The Titleist brand started with a vision - and an x-ray. The Titleist success story began one Sunday in 1932, when Phil Young, a dedicated amateur golfer and owner of a precision molded rubber company, missed a well-stroked putt in a match with his friend, who was head of the x-ray department at a local hospital.
Convinced that the ball itself was at fault, Young and his opponent went to the hospital, x-rayed the golf ball in question and found that its core was, in fact, off-center.
With his discovery, Phil Young persuaded Fred Bommer, a fellow MIT graduate, rubber specialist and avid golfer, to head up the Acushnet Golf Division. They set out to develop the highest quality and best performing golf ball in the world; one that would be uniform and consistent in quality, ball after ball.
It took Young and Bommer three painstaking years to perfect the first Titleist golf ball, but when it was ready in 1935, it could truthfully be introduced to club professionals and golfers as the best ball ever made. Applying a lesson well learned, Young implemented a process check that is still in practice today: every Titleist golf ball is x-rayed.
When it was ready in 1935, the first Titleist golf ball could truthfully be introduced to club professionals and golfers as the best ball ever made.
The story of the script
The Titleist name and script originated when the first Titleist-branded golf balls were being produced in 1935. Executives were looking for a word that was synonymous with excellence; a name that identified a champion. The name 'Titleist' was unanimously chosen as the name of the golf ball and brand. With the name decided, the company needed to develop a logo.
An executive suggested the handwriting of office secretary Helen Robinson who was considered to have beautiful penmanship. Helen was given a sheet of paper and asked to write the word ‘Titleist.’ The way she wrote the word on the page that day is exactly how one of the world’s most recognised marks continues to appear today, gracing every piece of Titleist equipment throughout the world.
Building trust in a brand
In a game where consistency and preciseness of shot are rewarded, Young and Bommer focused their efforts on product quality starting with the "process". This was a game changer at the time. A second game changer was their distribution policy.
Golf professionals only
While most golf equipment was sold through department stores, Young and Bommer made the decision to distribute Titleist product through the individual most capable of discerning a performance and quality superior golf ball. They adopted a distribution policy of "sold through golf professionals only" and took the first step towards becoming the leading brand of the golf professional and the golf pro shop.
Going to the golfer
Needing a way to validate performance and quality excellence, Titleist debuted the Acushnet Golf Ball Demonstration Machine in 1936. The Demonstration Machine toured to the most prestigious golf courses of the day, validating Titleist golf ball superiority. These events were both incredible and indelible as golfers across the country were awed by Titleist golf ball performance.
Most played
By 1945, the company turned its attention to the collection of professional golf tournaments, known today as the PGA TOUR. They focused on getting the Titleist golf ball into the hands of as many players as possible. This novel "most played" strategy was based on the premise that if most of the best players trust your golf ball for their livelihood, then it must be the best golf ball.