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NAMES FOR GOLF DRIVERS

Perspective from the 19th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Ever thought about this question?

Who comes up with the names for golf drivers, especially for me, for Callaway whose golf clubs I play?

When I bought a Callaway driver several years ago, it was called Epic.  And that was followed each year by new names:

  • Epic Flash
  • Rogue
  • Mavrik
  • Paradym smoke
  • Big Bertha
  • And perhaps others.

Now, I have just learned that Callaway is marketing a driver with a new name – “Elyte.”

Not sure how the new name is pronounced.  But I suspect it is “elite,” not “e-light.”  The latter would not be a goal of Callaway staff who have designed and now make the new driver.

In all this, I wish my job would have been to think up new names for the new drivers.  For all I know, it is done with two objectives in mind – first, that the name sounds good and, second, that the new name translates into marketing more drivers.

My own driver – the Epic – has been in my golf bag for about five or so years now.  I have tried the new ones is that I don’t need to spend money for a new driver.  Plus, if I was to spend the money, I would need two – one for my home in Salem, Oregon and another for my winter home in La Quinta, California.

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