4

THE 2016 MERCHOLOGY CORPORATE GOLF BUYERS GUIDE

Corporate golf is big business, with millions spent annually entertaining customers, partners, investors, and employees. And everyone knows that the best golf events give you some kind of swag by which to remember the tournament or round.

Merchology is a leading online retailer who partners with the best golf brands in the business to offer awesome gift and apparel options for your golf events – ensuring that your investment in golf as a sales or entertainment activity is a unique and memorable experience.

In golf, brands matter.

Your customers and employees won’t remember the generic golf gear giveaways you selected, in an effort to save a little money. Branded golf items make both an initial AND lasting impression; these are items your event participants will actually keep for years to come.

Beginning with clubs, every golfer has loyalty to the name that they believe will make the difference in their game. Whether it’s Titleist for a ball, Ping for clubs, or Ogio for a bag, there isn’t a sport that has more dynamic brand relationships and personal preferences than golf.

The world’s top players have become synonymous with the golf brands they represent. Think about what Tiger Woods has done for Nike or what Jordan Spieth is doing for Under Armour. This year, adidas looks well positioned with Jason Day wearing their stripes. And can anyone watch Rickie Fowler play a hole without noticing his brightly colored, fashion-forward PUMA gear?

The Masters represents the unofficial kick off for the golf season, and planning for events has gone into high gear. Customers and partners are asking Merchology about the top golf brands and products they can co-brand for 2016, so we thought we’d share our insight about the best choices this season for your company’s golf marketing.

Introducing the Merchology
2016 Corporate Golf Buyers Guide

Here are some of the top Merchology golf products that will showcase your company’s impeccable taste, whether you’re hosting an important round at the club or sponsoring an entire tournament.

CLOTHING

Ah, the golf polo. Most men seem to have a closet full of them. The challenge is finding “companion styles” for both men and women. You want the group to look coordinated in a style that is classic and wearable after the event, but you must ensure you offer women a cut that’s flattering for them too.

Our top choice this season is the Under Armour Men’s and Women’s Corporate Performance Polo. The product was specifically designed with the corporate buyer in mind. The UA logo is placed on the sleeve leaving ample space on the chest for your company’s logo. Co-branding with Under Armour is a wise move for your company – due to its partnership with Jordan Spieth, Under Armour may well be the hottest brand in golf right now.

 
Another piece we love year after year is the adidas Golf Men’s ClimaLite 3-Stripes Pullover and Women’s ClimaLite 3-Stripes Full Zip Jacket.  This is another example of how men and women want different things from their apparel, and adidas seems to get that. Men generally prefer pullovers, while women prefer full zips.  
adidas Golf Women’s ClimaLite 3-Stripes Full Zip Jacket
adidas Golf Men’s ClimaLite 3-Stripes Pullover

CAPS
Headgear is something most golfers rely on during every round for the pure functionality of keeping the sun out of their eyes. Everyone loves a great cap, and most people wear them regularly off the course as well. Here are three favorites from the pros, one as a timeless classic and two as more fashion- and tech-forward styles for 2016.
 
The Titleist Unstructured Chino Twill Cap comes in numerous colors that gives your company an opportunity to align your brand colors with the color of the cap. This is truly your classic golf hat; you can’t go wrong. This unisex style has a classic fit and feel and is found in pro shops around the world.  
Titleist Unstructured Chino Twill Cap
Our Callaway Liquid Metal Cap for men is back for its second season with the Callaway logo featured front-and-center in their unique “liquid metal” fabrication.  The complementary Callaway Women’s Uptown Golf Hat offers a smaller logo and polka-dot styling.  Both caps have 30+ UV protection and a built-in, moisture wicking sweatband.  Your company’s branding can be added to either side of the hat or on the back above the adjustable strap. These two styles make a fashion statement while delivering above-and-beyond on function.  
Callaway Women’s Uptown Golf Cap 
Callaway Liquid Metal Cap

GOLF BALLS
The most common corporate golf gift is a sleeve of balls – and we believe you can never go wrong with this choice. However, if you’re trying to mix it up a bit, we have a gift pack of the most recognized golf ball on the market for you. Our six-ball Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball Gift Box also includes a ball marker and divot repair tool.  
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball Gift Box

ACCESSORIES
Golfers love accessories, but it’s not just about swag – it should be about functionality and performance. Here are our favorite functional corporate golf gifts and tournament gear. 


COOLER

Beverages are a big part of golf, especially on hot summer days. But hey – who says it has to be hot to enjoy a beverage on the course? The Callaway Clubhouse Mini Cooler Bag is a perfect co-branding piece for your company; the top flap of the cooler offers a big space for your logo. This perfectly-sized, mobile cooler ensures your guests will carry this gift with them on the course for years to come, whether they use it for water or beer.  It can also double as a lunch box on days in the office. 
Callaway Clubhouse Mini Cooler Bag 

UMBRELLA

Another example of a functional gift on the links and off is an umbrella, and who doesn’t wish they had a good umbrella when they get caught in a downpour?  Employees and customers will be thanking you when they use the durable Nike 62” Windsheer Lite Umbrella that can withstand even the strongest windIt is available in black with five different accent colors and space to co-brand right on the umbrella. This is a great “one size fits all” and unisex gift for the masses.  
Nike 62” Windsheer Lite Umbrella


TOWEL

Perhaps the trendiest fabric in sports is microfiber and this nicely sized PUMA Player’s Microfiber Towel brings style and technology to the most constant accessory attached to most golfers’ bags. Available in orange or black, this towel is sure to be appreciated and used for years to come by your clients and employees. The vibrant orange color is a fun (but “safe”) way to introduce a pop of color to a sport dominated by white, black, and grey!  
PUMA Player’s Microfiber Towel       

DUFFELS

Shoes, extra jackets, pullovers, and anything else that golfers need to carry to the course or locker room belong in the Nike Sport III Duffel Bag & Nike Women’s Tote Bag II.  These bags are two more examples of how styles can be coordinated yet different for men and women. Plus, check out these fun colors! One comes in camo and the other in bright pink – but your classic black is still available for both. Your logo next to the Nike Swoosh—talk about co-branding with a winner.  
Nike Sport III Duffel Bag
Nike Women’s Tote Bag II

GLOVE

Perhaps you’re the lower tier sponsor of a big tournament but would still like to make an impression with a reasonably priced gift. Consider the Under Armour CoolSwitch Golf Glove. With exclusive UA technology delivering comfort and performance, this brand new, 2016 released product is sure to be something your guests will put to good use this season and for years to come.  
UA CoolSwitch Golf Glove  

                                                                      
TOURNAMENT PACKAGES

Do you need more than just one item for that sales team event? Are you trying to make impressive gift choices while staying within a budget? The Merchology Corporate Golf tournament packages offer multiple brand-name items for complete gift packages that are above and beyond. And if you need any tips and tricks on how to plan a golf event, check out this blog post from our Merchology golf team!

UA Golf Packages
Nike Golf Packages


This buyers guide only represents a handful of the thousands of golf products that Merchology can co-brand for your organization. Visit www.merchology.com to see more!