I've been imprinting golf balls for clients for years and, sure, I love them as a promotional item. But I think you've got to be careful before you start slapping your brand on a little white orb that you are going to hand out...and that will find its way into the golf bags of all sorts of people (as well as deep woods, ponds, parking lots, etc.).
First off, all golf balls are not created equal. Just look at the prices for a dozen balls at retail, ranging from a low of about $16.00 to a high of $46.00. Construction, materials, branding, marketing, PGA Tour use...these all have an impact on the price and perceived value of a specific ball brand, and with few exceptions, price tells us where a ball fits in the hierarchy of quality and playability. The good news is, since this hierarchy is defined, everyone knows which balls are the best and which are the bargains. Simply fit the ball to your needs.
Here's what you need to take into consideration as you think about which brands to purchase and imprint:
1. Budget: we've carved the golf ball market into these categories: Pro Level ($40 per dozen and up), Top Amateur Level ($25 to $40), Recreational Level ($20 to $30) and Promotional Level (under $20). Figure out what you can drop and whether you will be breaking up the dozens into sleeves of 3 balls each...then pick a good brand.
2. Who will get the balls? If you are greasing top clients, go with the best out there. You don't want to risk the perception that you saved a few bucks...Titleist Pro V1 and V1x are the most expensive balls and they are played by the majority of guys on Tour. You can't go wrong giving them away. If you think the Pro V1 isn't creative enough and want to mix it up (hey, all golfers are looking for the magic potion, they will try anything once), go with an alternate pro model from TaylorMade (Penta TP), Callaway (Tour iz), Srixon (Z-Star), Nike (20 XI) or Bridgestone (B330). Sponsoring a golf outing and you're going to be there in force? Don't go on the cheap...opt for a mid-level ball in the high $20 range. Sponsoring an outing and you only need a basic ball to get some credit? Stick in the $18 to $23 range. Need to have some sleeves lying around for occasional client use and employee gifting? Look in the high $20 to mid-$30 range and watch for promotions (buy 12 dozen, get 2 dozen free). At the low end of the scale you can find "rocks" that run $3.50 per sleeve. I do not advise going there. You wouldn't put your logo on the cheapest plastic mug out there, would you? Why put your brand on a product that is know by all to be the cheapest one available??
3. What is the promotion? Golf outings do NOT need golf balls to be provided by a sponsor although it seems to be a knee-jerk reaction these days. If you get stuck with supplying them, look at the attendees and choose based on the audience. Inventory for ongoing client gifting should include pro-level and top amateur level balls. Employee company stores and catalogs can get by with a single top level recreational ball such as the Callaway HX Diablo.
4. Packaging. Most folks opt for retail packaging; the brand of ball is obvious, so you benefit from that perception. Don't totally ignore the various custom packaging options, however. They make a huge impression and allow you to break up dozens into smaller, equally high value gifts.
Hope this helps, folks...hit 'em straight!
