Golf Clubs CARLSBAD, Calif. (ots-PRNewswire) - Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) announced today that government authorities in Taiwan raided a major golf club counterfeiter on May 10, 1999. The raid was targeted against a factory that was producing counterfeit golf clubs, along with a warehouse and a retail outlet selling the bogus golf clubs. The crackdown reportedly followed a tip-off obtained during the filming of the Home Box cable television program "Real Sports" where host Bryant Gumbel used hidden cameras during visits to golf shops and club head manufacturers in Taiwan. The May 10 raid in Taiwan was carried out by officials of the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, which is responsible for the enforcement of intellectual property laws in Taiwan, with assistance from representatives of Callaway Golf. Government investigators raided the Tung Chi factory located in Taoyuan, near Taipei, and seized approximately 500 fully assembled counterfeit metal woods and irons. The action also netted almost 800 counterfeit metal wood and iron heads that were ready for assembly with counterfeit shafts. The fake merchandise also included counterfeit bags, medallions, gloves, head covers, decals and grips. According to one government investor in Taiwan, the value of the seized goods, including the fake Callaway Golf products, was approximately $4 million. Ely Callaway, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Callaway Golf, expressed his support for the raid, which was the second such action in Taiwan since January. "I recently explained to our shareholders and our employees that this is an important issue for the Company, and that we will fight against the sale of illegal copies of our golf clubs." Steven C. McCracken, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Callaway Golf, also complimented Taiwanese authorities. "We continue to work with our colleagues to stop the counterfeiting of Callaway Golf products. We hope that increased law enforcement and heightened public awareness will deter persons from engaging in such illegal activities." Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha(R) Hawk Eye(R) Titanium Metal Woods, Big Bertha(R) Steelhead(TM) Stainless Steel Metal Woods, Big Bertha(R) X-12(TM) Stainless Steel Irons, Great Big Bertha(R) Tungsten*Titanium(TM) Irons, and Bobby Jones(R) and Carlsbad Series(TM) putters. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) putters and wedges with Stronomic(R) and Lyconite(R) inserts.
For more information about Callaway Golf Company, visit the company's Web site on the Internet at http://www.callawaygolf.com ots Original Text Service: Callaway Golf Company Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Larry Dorman, Steve McCracken or Krista Mallory of Callaway Golf Company, (USA) 760-931-1771 Web site: http://www.callawaygolf.com