SGBGolf_May09_p18:SGBGolf_May09_p18 30/04/2009 12:02 Page 18
Field report
Promise of continuity from
Ping Collection
Umbro’s licence to produce Ping Collection apparel in Europe expired at the end of 2008,
and the brand team has left to establish Ping Collection Europe Ltd. Robin Barwick spoke
to one of the new company’s founding directors, Simon McGuigan
T
he golf apparel trade really has been a shuffled deck over the Fiona Reilly, both from Umbro, while Paul Reed, formally of Glenmuir and
past 12 months. We have seen ownership and management Srixon, has been appointed national sales manager.
changes throughout the sector, with TaylorMade adidas taking “In February we launched the Autumn Winter 2009 range and we are
over Ashworth and getting entangled with Callaway; MacGregor currently receiving orders for delivery from July 1,” adds McGuigan. “The
parting ways with Greg Norman Collection and the arrival of new supplier base for Ping Collection was always been completely separate from
licensee Severn Under; and then Umbro, so we have been able to simply
when Nike bought Umbro in 2008, carry on those established relationships
it was abundantly clear that Ping with suppliers. We are maintaining
Collection Europe could not remain continuity in terms of staff, customer
attached to the empire of the service and sales, to ensure the
‘swoosh’. transition from Umbro is seamless. As
The situation has prompted the far as the retailers and consumers are
creation of Ping Collection Europe Ltd, concerned it will be business as usual.”
and while it might seem that the Not only does setting up Ping
apparel brand has been belted around Collection Europe Ltd make sense due
like the ball in a pin-ball machine over to Nike’s take-over of Umbro, but
the years, there is in fact a strand of McGuigan also believes the strength of
continuity that has kept Ping Collection the Ping brand in terms of golf
Europe on a stable footing since its conception 10 years ago, which is the equipment will give Ping Collection a significant boost in an apparel market
father-son partnership of Peter and Simon McGuigan. that is both slow and crowded.
Ping Collection was first brought to Europe my Peter McGuigan’s “There are a lot of brands competing for a finite market share,” he says,
company PMG in 1999, having obtained the license from global license “so one of the reasons we have taken on the brand at what could be
holder Perry Ellis International. PMG was taken over by Umbro in 2000, and considered a risky time, is that Ping is a very consistent performer at the top
the Ping Collection license was transferred to the famous football company end of the hardware market – Ping is always in fashion. Golfers have
in 2002, with Ping Collection maintaining its own team for sales, marketing, confidence and trust in the Ping brand and that is very important. Ping
product and customer service. Collection will continue to work very closely with Ping, and there are very
Simon McGuigan became Ping Collection’s marketing manager under few apparel brands that can draw from such heritage and authenticity.
Umbro, and once Nike had come in, the opportunity to set-up Ping “We have always taken pride in reflecting the core values of Ping, and we
Collection Europe Ltd was born. While Umbro will continue to oversee Ping will continue to do so.”
Collection’s Spring Summer 2009 range until the end of June, the brand’s With Ping clubs still growing in popularity in mainland Europe, McGuigan
Autumn Winter line comes under the auspices of the new company. hopes Ping Collection will be able to follow suit.
“With Umbro’s Ping Collection license expiring we saw an opportunity to Ping Collection’s new top-end rain suit for Autumn Winter, Absolute Zero,
take Ping Collection forward in Europe,” says Simon McGuigan, managing is a prime example of how Ping hardware is directly influencing Ping
director of Ping Collection Europe Ltd. “Ping Collection Ltd now holds a Collection’s apparel, as the jacket has subtle, embossed detailing translated
three-year license for Ping Collection from Karsten from Ping’s renowned G10 driver (RRP for jacket
Manufacturing, which owns Ping.” £130; trousers £90). Accents from G10 can also
The global license held by Perry Ellis, be found some polo shirts, including the Force 9.
incidentally, expires at the end of 2009, and it is “Autumn Winter is heavily focused on the
understood the company is taking on performance categories such as rain suits, and all
responsibility for Callaway apparel as the merry- rainwear for Autumn Winter is completely new,”
go-round continues to turn. says McGuigan. “All our rainwear is incredibly
“We wanted to ensure continuity,” states lightweight. We want our product to look great,
McGuigan, which is somewhat crucial considering but it is also built for performance.”
Ping Collection Europe has taken on an Autumn So Ping Collection enters a new era, but if all
Winter 2009 line that began development under goes to plan, we might not even notice.
Umbro last year. McGuigan has brought on board
product manager Rebecca McElligott and designer The new line-up: McElligott, McGuigan, Reilly and Reed www.pingcollection.co.uk
18 SGB GOLF MAY 2009
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