Ponte Vedra Beach, FL — (September, 2006) For centuries golfers have battled the elements of wind and rain in pursuit of on-course competition, largely losing that battle until finally, in 1981, a perfect storm of innovation and entrepreneurship saw the founding of ProQuip Ltd. and its heralded vision for modern-day golf weatherwear.
Today, 25 years later, ProQuip celebrates its Silver Anniversary framed by countless milestones, including the development of the world’s first Gore-Tex golf rain suit; being named the official weatherwear provider for 17 of the last 26 Ryder Cup teams (seven times outfitting both teams in the same year); and in 2006 creating the industry benchmark for light, breathable, quiet and waterproof golf apparel with its new Silk Touch product line.
Founded in Gloucester, England, but now headquartered in North Berwick, Scotland, ProQuip Ltd. touches four continents with its dedicated range of weatherwear for men, ladies and juniors. ProQuip USA is the company’s North American distributor, based a pitching wedge away from PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
Richard Head, managing director for ProQuip Ltd., has been with the company since 1990 and reflects on its longevity and sustained success. "I feel the key to ProQuip’s leadership role over the years has been its ability to concentrate its passion and expertise on a singular focus – keeping golfers comfortable and the game of golf enjoyable in all kinds of weather conditions," remarks Head.
"Not a week goes by when I don’t meet someone who purchased one of our tartan jackets in 1993 or one of the early rain suits in ’82. It’s very gratifying to see the breadth of ProQuip’s reach over the decades within the world’s golf community," continues Head.
ProQuip was founded in 1981 by Roy Redman, an English entrepreneur and sportsman who learned of a new, waterproof and breathable fabric called Gore-Tex being used in weatherwear for several outdoor sports. Redman saw the potential applications of the fabric for golf weatherwear, and struck a multi-year exclusive agreement within the golf industry in Europe to purchase Gore-Tex fabric.
Soon the first ProQuip Tri-Lobal rain suits were available in British golf shops for the tidy sum of 70£ UKâ?¦well worth the price, but a big step up from the 15£ cost of the steamy, plastic slickers routinely being used by golfers of the day as protection against the elements.
The subsequent years saw ProQuip spread its legacy of creating lighter, quieter, more breathable and stylish product ranges with offerings such as the Nereus Tartan line (a worldwide staple of golf weatherwear through the early nineties,) the Ultralite line (a major departure from Gore-Tex to lighter and more breathable waterproofs), and in 2006 the Silk Touch line (the lightest and softest weatherwear on the market today.)
While ProQuip’s innovative styling has endeared itself to the everyday golfer for a quarter century, it also has found a following at the highest levels of competitive golf. Indeed, the company’s tenured relationship with The Ryder Cup is unprecedented in the golf outerwear industry. Seventeen Ryder Cup team captains — from Nicklaus and Jacklin to Sutton and Woosnam — have chosen ProQuip to keep their players comfortable and dry (no other company has been chosen even five times, and none has ever outfitted both teams in the same year).
Additionally, ProQuip is the preferred weatherwear for the on-course officials of the PGA TOUR, the PGA European Tour, the Southern Africa Tour, the French Golf Federation, the Dutch Golf Federation and many more.
"We’re flattered to gain such consistent acceptance by the most accomplished individuals, events and governing bodies in golf," says Randy Payne, president of ProQuip USA. "At least once a month an LPGA or PGA Tour professional will walk through our doors to view the latest ProQuip offerings. They almost always walk away with new rain gear, which they utilize on-course because of its function and styling, rather than an endorsement dealâ?¦that’s very rewarding to the company."
As ProQuip enters the next quarter century its focus is trained on continued technological innovation, refined styling and broadening the market for its lightweight weatherwear. Notes Head, "More and more we see our products being worn off-course — on airplanes, on the banks of a trout stream, at a football game. The rain suit that used to be folded in your golf bag pocket is now being used every day, and for all sorts of reasons. Sharing that message with the market is part of the plan for ProQuip’s continued growth over the next 25 years."
ProQuip is the preferred supplier to the 2006 European Ryder Cup Team, and is an official supplier to the PGA TOUR and PGA European Tour. For further information on the ProQuip product line call 904-273-8007. ProQuip USA, 3201 Sawgrass Village Circle, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. www.proquipusa.net.
Contact:
Warren Grant, Windfall
404-266-2351
Windfall72@aol.com
