Equipment
Golf Digest: Callaway CEO Brewer explains cuts
EXCLUSIVE: Post cuts, Brewer sees a “more aggressive, authentic and relevant” Callaway
One of the game’s equipment giants shed itself of some size as Callaway Golf announced layoffs impacting some 250 employees worldwide (out of a total of 2,100 employees for an approximately 12-percent drop) across a wide swath of divisions. The workforce reduction was accompanied by an announcement of $52 million in cost-reduction initiatives.
In an exclusive interview with GolfDigest.com, Callaway CEO Chip Brewer said the changes were personally trying but necessary.
“If this surprised anybody, they weren’t paying attention,” Brewer said. “Before I came to Callaway, I knew, and everyone in the industry knew, that there was some level of cost-cutting to be done. It’s very unpleasant but necessary. It keeps you up at night, but you have to do it.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this extensive, to be candid. You have to assess the situation, and as you get further into it, you learn more. If you come in with those ideas predetermined, you’re doing a disservice to the organization. But I wouldn’t say we’re excessively skinny. There’s not a lack of resources here by any means.”
Brewer said the layoffs affect workers across all levels of the organization, but with greater cuts coming domestically than internationally. While corporate support positions were among the most affected areas, research and development was among the least affected.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
golf jobs
Jan 31, 2014 at 6:13 pm
As such, many golfers suffered from fatigue and diminished concentration
long before they reached the 18th hole. The calculations of handicaps are resolute by golf clubs or golfers society.
This is because the head helps maintain the tension of the swing,
and moving it forward along with the hips causes some of the tension, that was built up during the backswing, to be lost.
lloyd
Jan 21, 2013 at 7:19 am
callaway has been losing money for the last couple of years its a shame really as there a good company. the problem is other golf companies have big name sports brand backing the company up like cobra has puma taylormade has adidas and titleist has fila even tho titleist dont seem to have the money to keep there stars and then you have nike who will never run out of cash. the job cuts are bad news but its happening all over the world but if that wot it takes to stay in the business then fine.
Walden
Jul 14, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Too bad, but it’s what is necessary to make the company healthy again. Seems like Tony did a great job in the search and interim position, and I suspect that getting lean (stop losing so much money) and better product will be the key.
Unfortunately, golf is simply a very tough industry right now. Good luck to you and the team.