Former Body Guard from Largo, FL Recognized for Superior Club Fitting and Unparalleled Passion to Promote TaylorMade Products
CARLSBAD, Calif. (February 24, 2009)- TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company named Bob VanSweden from Golf Repair Center in Largo, Florida the “Club Fitter of the Year,” an honor that recognizes individual retailers who share TaylorMade’s values and are relentlessly committed to fitting their customers into the best performing golf products for their game.
“I can’t think of a more deserving individual to be TaylorMade’s Fitter of the Year than Bob VanSweden,” said David Abeles, TaylorMade’s senior vice president and general manager. “Bob’s talent, dedication and enthusiasm for fitting have helped hundreds of golfers hit longer and straighter shots and enjoy the game more. Besides being great at what he does, he’s also a great friend, and we’re extremely proud to honor him.”
Unlike other FOY nominees who have been mainstays in the golf industry, VanSweden has taken a different route in becoming a master club fitter. VanSweden boxed for eight years before taking his first job as a professional bodyguard in the late 1980’s, where he protected bands like Sting, Megadeath, Extreme, Third Eye Blind and others. By the time he was 30 years old, VanSweden had traveled the world. When he returned home to Los Angeles, Van Sweden met his wife, quit his job as a bodyguard and began playing golf everyday with the money he had amassed as a bodyguard. VanSweden began hanging out at a local golf shop where he accepted an unpaid position and quickly learned the craft of club fitting.
VanSweden currently runs his club fitting business at Missing Links Driving range – the only location in Tampa Bay that offers outdoor custom fittings with a launch monitor.
“Outside of my son being born and standing on the stage at Wembley in London, this is the biggest honor I have ever received,” VanSweden said. “I never dreamed I would rise to the top in a second career.”
VanSweden was selected through a nomination process that starts with the local TaylorMade sales rep identifying an individual from their territory who is respected by their peers, has mastered the craft of club fitting, yet seeks to continue to grow his skill and knowledge of the club fitting process. After being identified by the local sales reps, the nominations are submitted to the regional sales manager to identify the best candidate from each of the four TaylorMade sales regions in the United States. The four regional Club Fitters of the Year nominations are submitted to a committee at TaylorMade HQ to identify the National Club Fitter of the Year.
The other regional nominees for the annual award included Northeast FOY: Kevin Syring (Alpine Country Club in Demarest, NJ), Midwest FOY: Ed Oldham (Head Pro at The Ranch in Westminster, CO) and Western FOY: Rick Westbrook (RedTail Golf Center in Beaverton, OR). Last year’s FOY award was given to Bert Benjamin from Golf Shop at The Robin Nigro Golf Academy in Kansas City, MO.
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 creates high-performance, technology-infused golf apparel and footwear worn by hundreds of professional golfers around the world. Ashworth, which became a brand of the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company in 2008, creates relaxed, lifestyle-oriented golf apparel synonymous with authenticity and quality. Learn more about TaylorMade-adidas Golf and its brands at (866) 530-TMAG (8624) or www.tmag.com, www.taylormadegolf.com, www.adidasgolf.com, www.ashworthinc.com, and www.taylormadegolfpreowned.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 such as adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 33,000 employees and sales of ?10.3 billion.
Contact:
TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Public Relations Department
Christa McNamara
Tel: 760.918.6466
email: christa.mcnamara@tmag.com
