Equipment
Cleveland Golf Sold to SRI Sports
Quicksilver Inc. announced the sale of Cleveland Golf today to SRI Sports Limited.
Quicksilver acquired Cleveland 2005 after purchasing the Rossignol Group. Bit by bit, Quicksliver began minimizing Cleveland’s costs and expenditures. In the past year, their stable of high dollar Tour Pros For has been slowly whittled down with only Vijay Singh remaining from their marquee staff. It became clear that Quicksilver was interested in selling Cleveland. Since June of 2007, rumors have been constantly surfacing as to who Cleveland would be sold to. However, today’s announcement that SRI Sports Limited, a Japanese company and parent of the Srixon golf brand came as a surprise to many. The remaining shares of Cleveland golf were purchased by Quicksliver this September and the final total of the sale is estimated to be $132.5 million.
Quicksilver’s decision to sell Cleveland is part of a company wide move to reduce their presence in the hardgoods business. Bernard Mariette, President of Quiksilver said, "We believe this transaction is a key strategic action for our company that will drive immediate value and enable us to reduce both our exposure to the hardgoods space and our degree of leverage." The move appears to be welcome by Cleveland officials as well. Greg Hopkins, President of Cleveland Golf said, "We are excited by the many positive aspects of this deal, including the combination of a great brand in golf with a new organization that is completely and solely devoted to the sport. Significantly, their operating model is set up to anticipate and respond to the seasonality and other specific requirements of the golf market. We believe that this singular focus will benefit the entire Cleveland organization in a number of ways."
Although a bit of a dark horse candidate, it appears that SRI Sports Limited will be a welcome home for the Cleveland brand. "Cleveland has a clear position of dominance in the important wedge market and a fast-growing presence in drivers and irons. We believe that this business will prove highly complementary to our own. We are looking forward to demonstrating Cleveland’s full potential to the market and believe that the business can benefit greatly from our stewardship," said Ryochi Sawada, Chairman of the Board of SRI Sports Limited.
Yet this acquisition has set up an interesting dichotomy within the SRI Sports brand. Srixon USA, also owned by SRI, has recently begun making major headway in the U.S. market, especially in the area of golf balls, where their ZUR line has gained rapid acceptance among Tour players and amateurs alike. Srixon’s club sales have been used as support with golf balls being the main focus of the brand. With Cleveland’s acquisition and their strong line of patents and products like the popular HiBore and CG irons and wedges. The end game for SRI and how Cleveland will fit into their global strategy will be very interesting to watch.
What do you think this sale will have on Cleveland Golf and SRI’s future? Discuss it in our fourms!
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament. Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (9 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 3-wood: Callaway Elyte Titanium (15 degrees) Shaft: KBS PGW 5-wood:...
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Elico
May 3, 2008 at 5:09 am
I am a 48 year old golf beginner (I used to play tennis), and after having tried “normal” irons, I tried Hibore, and now I can play golf!
So thank you Cleveland Hibore, I do not care about their shape and noise…
Have you tried an oversized tennis racket? It is the same thing: it helps!
robby
Apr 9, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I hope SRI keeps the current sales teams for both Srixon (balls) and Cleveland in place and does not try and combine the sales forces at this time to save a few dollars.One of the brands will suffer.SRI should continue to have two distinct sales forces calling on off course and on course businesses until such time the brands are strong enough to stand on their own..ie Titlist and Cobra.Neither brand currently has enough clout or leverage to make a business buy more Srixion balls or more Cleveland clubs just because you have one rep for both products?
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Quint
Nov 9, 2007 at 9:40 pm
I hope someone from SRI reads this and lets the Cleveland name alone. I have been a Cleveland player for years. I have owned TA5s, TA2s, CG4s, and all the woods. It would be a shame for clubs so easy to hit and marketed with PGA tour players to go away. I am glad that SRI has the chance to expand the great name of Cleveland Golf. The Hi-bore driver was a hit and I still use it to this day. Remember SRI, we want to hit the clubs, and wear the hats the guys on tour use. Keep the Cleveland line going! Thanks.
Andy
Nov 1, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Srixon did not buy Cleveland Golf. SRI sports bought Cleveland Golf. Huge Difference. SRI and Cleveland are BOTH owned by SRI sports. Srixon therefore DOES NOT own Cleveland. They are subsidiaries of SRI.
Nutzfourgolf
Nov 1, 2007 at 11:23 am
How about those people who don’t think Srixon makes great irons??? I play the Srixon irons and left Mizuno to do so…. I also play the new WG-706 wedges – left Cleveland wedges to do so. My Driver is a TM Super Quad and 3 Wood is Titleist – I play what I belive in and what works for me. Srixon is a great brand and make kick ass hard goods not just great balls. My adage is try before you buy…. And don’t knock it before you try it – or if you’ve never hit it! I think the acquisition is beneficial for both companies. I’m sure that alot of folks were surprised that Srixon had the juice to buy another premier brand. Most surprising to me was the fact that Srixon seems to target the niche market and Cleveland targets the mass market. Will be interesting to see how the brand differentiation shakes out… Just my opinion! Keep it in the short stuff!
Anonymous
Nov 1, 2007 at 12:25 am
Hibore XL was one of the best selling drivers this year. At times, it is the best selling driver. for those who said that it’s a flop, please do some research before you make such a false statement.
it’s great that some people like classic shaped drivers, but why aren’t the major brands making them anymore? because classic shape is old technology. It’s simply doesn’t even come close to some of the “modern drivers” from a performance standpoint. If you rather choose a classic driver simply because you’re more used to it, you’re just fooling yourselves!
a lot of people criticized metal woods(same way that people are criticizing geometry driven drivers) when they first came out, who’s actually using them now? For those who complain about oddly shaped drivers, maybe you should go back to persimmon woods to be truly classic, otherwise, aren’t you just a hypocrite?
Back to the topic, I can only see good things come out of the merger. I look forward to seeing what both companies will be making in the near future.
uncleboo6
Oct 31, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Good move!!! hopefully will help to return to the Cleveland of old!! great wedges solid irons and growing the driver market.It makes sense to marry the two brands (Srixon and Cleveland) to create a stronger market presence to chalenge the big guys!
Juansky
Oct 31, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Time to get rid of my Hibore before prices take a dump! Titleist here I come!
Anonymous
Oct 31, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Sumitomo Rubber Industries and their division of SRI sports are best known as the premiere market leader, #1 in Japan under the Dunlop/XXio brand. People who believe Cleveland and Srixon will be heavily involved with one another are absolutely mistaken. Although Srixon balls are doing well and gaining momentum, Srixon equipment does not hold a candle to the number of units that Cleveland sells annualy. Cleveland will remain untouched for the forseeable future, and operate as a complimentary brand within the SRI umbrella. They are DOMINATING in wedge share following the release of Zip Groove Products… and for a while this season the Hibore XL was the best selling 2007 driver. It is unfortunate that the sale rumors have created such an opportunity for people to bash the company… because market share wise they are doing quite well. It will be interesting to see what Cleveland can accomplish with a company who understands the seasonal nature of the golf business and hardgoods, especially with some financial backing to expand. Those are three key elements the company lacked under quiksilver…. and thus why a change was needed. I look forward to good things from Cleveland Golf now that they have support from such a huge, golf minded, successful company. Stay tuned… and don’t bash for no apparent reason.
George
Oct 31, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Good news for Cleveland, they are in dire need to get a true technology in their equipment. The HiBore was a disaster and
really thumbed the nose of golfers who love more traditional shapes, plus that sound was unbearable! Perhaps with the technical
resources of SRI they can leverage more technology and performance from the brand.
Jerry
Oct 31, 2007 at 10:17 am
Some of Cleveland golfs older drivers were classics and still played by many, like the 460 comp. If you look at Adams and the new driver 4350 tour, maybe they will go back to that classic shaped head with some major updating and a deep face and upgraded shaft options as many of us still like the classic shapes. I think they can improve sales to the demanding golfer if they continue in that direction
Josh
Oct 31, 2007 at 10:05 am
I think it will be great for both Srixon and Cleveland as brands. Srixon golf balls are getting more and more recognition. Plus the new forged irons are beautiful. Perhaps they can focus Srixon directly to golf balls, and start releasing some nice FORGED cleveland irons and such. Something like some gunmetal 701 tours with the CG symbol on the back perhaps???
Derick
Oct 31, 2007 at 8:41 am
I wonder if SRI will use cleveland as there club brand and Srixon as there ball brand. Cleveland was really making strides in the right direction as far as club design, were Srixon needs a little help. All and all I think it was a good purchase for SRI and hopefully the customers will see great equipment in the future from Cleveland.
James
Oct 31, 2007 at 6:38 am
Does this mean they will start making any decent equipment???