Callaway Golf Ball Company Gets Preliminary Injunction Preventing Mark King From Using Trade Secrets

CARLSBAD, Calif. (PROTEXT) - Callaway Golf Ball Company, awholly-owned subsidiary of Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY),today announced that the San Diego Superior Court has entered apreliminary injunction against Mark King, a former Vice Presidentof Callaway Golf Ball Company, to prevent him from using thetrade secrets and confidential information he learned while atCallaway Golf Ball Company. Mr. King signed an employment agreement with Callaway GolfBall Company in April 1999, agreeing to work for the Companyuntil December 31, 2000, and receiving a raise and stock options.On August 16, 1999, King announced he was leaving Callaway GolfBall Company to become President of Taylor Made adidas-Golf, withworldwide responsibility for sales of golf clubs, golf balls,shoes and apparel. Callaway Golf Ball Company demandedarbitration and filed suit, asserting that Mr. King wouldinevitably misuse Callaway Golf Ball's trade secrets and shouldbe barred from reporting to work at Taylor Made adidas-Golf.Today, the Court gave Callaway Golf Ball Company a partialvictory by entering a preliminary injunction preventing Mr. Kingfrom "using, disclosing, copying or transmitting any tradesecrets of Callaway Golf Ball Company," but permitting him towork for Taylor Made adidas-Golf until an arbitrator can hear theCompany's claims against Mr. King. In the arbitration proceeding,which is already underway, the Company will ask the arbitrator toprevent Mr. King from working for Taylor Made until December 31,2000, when the employment agreement expires. "We believe that there is a very real risk that Mr. King willmisuse Callaway Golf Ball Company's confidential information inhis new position at Taylor Made adidas-Golf so we are pleasedthat the Court has entered an injunction against Mr. King," saidEly Callaway, Chairman and Founder of Callaway Golf. "However, wealso believe that it is inevitable that Mr. King will misuse ourtrade secrets if he is permitted to work at Taylor Made adidas-Golf, so we will continue to seek an order, from the courts andin the arbitration, preventing him from working there. We intendto keep pursuing this matter until we completely prevail." For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visitthe company's website on the Internet at www.callawaygolf.com.ots Original Text Service: Callaway Golf Ball Company Internet:http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Larry Dorman of Callaway GolfCompany, 760-931-1771 Web site: http://www.callawaygolf.com

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