FIELDREPORT
Pride and FootJoy R
ussell Lawes, FootJoy's marketing manager for the UK, Ireland, South Africa
and the Middle East, is a seemingly inexhaustible source of statistical and technical information. I had never spoken to him
before this assignment – to preview FootJoy's footwear range for 2015 in advance of the ordering season – but his name was more than familiar to me. For several years his email
address would pop up in my inbox on an almost daily basis - providing the shoe count from whatever event happened to be taking place on the European Tour at the time. On any given week, at least
twice as many tournament professionals were wearing FootJoy shoes than any other brand and it was Russell's job to convey that illuminating, though somewhat inevitable information. Whether such statistics drive
sales amongst ordinary golfers who have to pay for their shoes and have only a limited understanding of the nuances of the research and development that's been ploughed into making them is obviously a moot point. But there can be no denying that in a crowded marketplace FootJoy overwhelmingly remains the brand leader. The determination to stay on top is especially keen, if the analytical
work Russell and his team have done over the past 12 months is anything to go by. “Our research suggests that 70 per cent of all golfers wear the wrong
size golf shoes,” he says. “Our reps did a detailed survey this summer of 3,488 golfers we fitted and discovered that 2,435 of them were previously wearing the wrong size shoes. “With this in mind, we've issued our key
accounts with a piece of equipment known as a Brannock Device, free of charge. This measures heel-to-toe length along with the width of the foot and depth of the arch, and then how the shoe reacts to the foot. “Our parent company in the US has been working with the University of Massachusetts to devise a system that can fit shoes much more precisely and thus maximise performance.
16 SGBGOLF
Comfort, styling, performance and, above all, a perfect fit are the messages FootJoy wants to get across to the golf industry as the turn of the year approaches. Paul Trow hears how the Acushnet brand keeps striding ahead of the game.
“For instance, shoes that are too wide and move around too much can
result in a loss of up to 26% in power, which is an awful lot for any golfer to give up. Also, shoes that don’t fit properly will wear out much quicker, particularly the leather on the inside. “We give our accounts access to the FootJoy University online – this is a bespoke link that includes a video. You can also access FootJoy shoe- fitting via YouTube. This has been a massive success and a lot of accounts have written or emailed in to say how much it's helping their businesses. The viral element is very powerful. “We measure what’s going on with the
feet transaction-wise during the golf swing and our product guys can track that data.” For 2015, enhancement is probably the
buzzword. “Featuring never-before-seen shoe categories, as well as performance upgrades and design enhancements to existing consumer favourites, FootJoy’s latest offering will strengthen its status as the world’s most trusted brand amongst Tour professionals and amateurs, alike,” trumpets the latest press release to emanate from Acushnet Towers. On the whole, 'never-before-seen' refers
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