TaylorMade Develops a Special Limited Edition Box Set of Clubs to Commemorate 2008 for China; adidas Golf Designs and Produces the First Golf Bag in History with the Beijing 2008 and Olympic Logo
BEIJING, China (January 18, 2008) – TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of adidas AG, today unveiled two very special and unique product offerings to commemorate the 2008 Games, with just 2,008 of these limited edition products available only in China and Hong Kong.
TaylorMade, makers of the number one driver in Golf*, introduced a special full set of golf clubs from the r7® XR series of product, including an r7XR Driver, two Fairway Woods and an 8-piece set of irons. The technology and performance of this set of clubs is well-known, including TaylorMade’s renowned Moveable Weight TechnologyTM weights. However, for the first time in the history of the company and available only in this limited edition set, TaylorMade has made this entire set of clubs ‘golden’ -including the soles of the metalwoods, the cavity back of the irons, the rings on the ferrules and all of the club’s shafts. Plus, inscribed on the toe of the Driver is the wording ‘2008 Special Edition.’ Rounding out the set is an AGSI®+ Inza Putter, which features the coloring of the Chinese National flag, red and yellow.
Also included in the set are 8-sleeves of the new TaylorMade® TP Balls – 4 TP BlackTM and 4 TP RedTM – featuring TaylorMade’s proprietary new aerodynamics called Low-Drag Performance (LDP) that promote improved distance on the most common types of off-center driver hits. Again, these golf balls have special features to be a part of the package. In addition to coming in specially designed golden boxes and sleeves, all of the balls are numbered ‘8’, to signify the 8th day of the 8th month of 2008 – the Opening Day of what will surely be the biggest event in sporting history.
The entire Limited Special Edition Set comes in a specially-made wooden box which includes a golden plaque indicating the number of the set within the limited series of 2,008, starting from ‘1 of 2,008’ and ending with ‘2,008 of 2,008.’
"TaylorMade Golf wanted to do something special to capture the pride of the Chinese people in, for the first time ever in their country, hosting the Olympics with the Beijing 2008 Games" stated Mark Klingspon, Managing Director for the Greater China Area. "TaylorMade is committed to helping grow the game of golf in China and this is a way for us to celebrate a special moment in Chinese sports history. This collector’s set will help to increase the exposure and attention to the sport of golf in China, at a time when the entire nation’s passion and energy are captured by sport."
Simultaneous to the release of the Limited Special Edition Sets, adidas Golf, an industry leader in apparel and footwear, is introducing a very special limited edition golf bag to commemorate the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, which prominently features, for the first time ever on a golf bag, the Beijing 2008 and Olympic logos. This classic style tour bag is white with accents of black and gold, and includes the Beijing 2008 and Olympic logos in four places on the bag. Each bag is serialized in gold embroidery with its place in the series from 1 of 2,008 to 2,008 of 2,008.
adidas’ Olympic tradition goes back to 1928, when adidas founder Adi Dassler created his first track spike for athletes to compete in the Amsterdam Games. Ever since, the history of adidas and the Olympic Games has been closely linked. adidas China, the Official Sportswear Partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games worked with the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games to acquire the approval to create these collectors’ items.
The bag was first seen in public on a recent visit from to China from Sergio Garcia, while playing in the HSBC Championship in Shanghai. A specially-made bag, including Sergio’s name and his symbol the ‘Spanish bull’ embroidered on it, was presented for him to autograph. The autographed version of the Sergio Bag was publicly auctioned in 2008, with proceeds going to the Golf unit of the Special Olympics.
*#1 Driver in Golf claim based on combined 2007 wins and usage on the PGA, European, Japan Golf, Nationwide, Champions and LPGA Tours, as reported by the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys, Ltd.
About Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc. dba TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company
TaylorMade Golf has led the golf industry’s technological revolution since the company was founded in 1979. TaylorMade metalwoods, irons and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. In 1998, TaylorMade became a wholly owned subsidiary of the adidas Group. adidas Golf footwear and apparel is the choice of hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (800) 888-CLUB or www.tmag.com ,www.taylormadegolf.com , www.adidasgolf.com , www.maxfli.com.
About the adidas Group
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around three core segments adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has almost 30,000 employees and generated sales of more than ?10 billion in 2006.
Contact:
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Public Relations Department
Scott Leightman
Tel: 760.476.5748
email: scott.leightman@tmag.com
John Steinbach
Tel: 760.918.6330
email: john.steinbach@tmag.com
