Swing Some Gold on the Green

Anique Gonzalez

The Olympic Games allow representatives from both large and small countries to compete against one another in ways that would not be possible under "normal" circumstances. Whether a country has one athlete representing it or 200, these games allow everyone from all over the world to be enthralled with the sportsmanship, humanity, heroism, and dedication that is within every one of us.

The next time this event will take the world's stage is only months away. The 2008 Olympic Games, which begin on August 8 and will take place in Beijing, China, are nearly upon us. To commemorate this event several companies have created special product offerings. Golf authority TaylorMade has taken one such product from typical sports accessory to extraordinary and precious collector's item.

Founded in 1979, TaylorMade-adidas Golf has led the industry in technological innovations tied to improving the game. Wholly owned by adidas Group, the company is best known for making the metal wood available to the masses. In fact, today it is the top producer of these products, serving as the leader in the category. However, it has expanded and now produces some of the best gold products currently available.

To illustrate its success consider this: TaylorMade's metal woods, irons, and putters have been used to win hundreds of professional golf tournaments around the world. To sustain this position, the company says, it strives "to continually extend [its] brands' positions as leaders in the development and implementation of advanced performance technologies in [its] products including clubs, balls, footwear, and apparel." Building on this principle, the company has recently introduced a limited-edition set of golf clubs tied to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

This limited-edition golf set, of which only 2,800 will be manufactured, will only be sold in China and Hong Kong. Renowned for its technology and performance, the set incorporates Moveable Weight Technology^TM weights to ensure peak performance and features a "golden" r7XR driver, two Fairway Woods, and an eight-piece set of irons. In fact, the entire set of clubs — from the soles of the metal woods to the cavities of the backs of the irons to the rings on the ferrules and all of the clubs' shafts — is made of gold. And, to highlight the Beijing connection, the driver has been inscribed with the words "2008 Special Edition," while the AGSI+ Inza Putter has red and yellow coloring to represent the Chinese national flag.

While the clubs are the focal point of the set, a second offering that is included in the collection is also prized. Eight sleeves of the new TaylorMade TP Balls, which feature TaylorMade's proprietary new aerodynamics called low-drag performance (LDP) that promote improved distance on the most common types of off-center driver hits, complement the set. Reinforcing the Chinese theme, the balls, which come in golden boxes and sleeves, are labeled with the number "8" to represent the opening ceremonies, scheduled to take place on 08-08-08. Although no exact price for the set is currently available, one set sold for $50,000 at auction.

"TaylorMade Golf wanted to do something special to capture the pride of the Chinese people in, for the first time ever in their country, hosting the Olympics with the Beijing 2008 Games," stated Mark Klingspon, managing director for the greater China area. "TaylorMade is committed to helping grow the game of golf in China, and this is a way for us to celebrate a special moment in Chinese sports history. This collector's set will help to increase the exposure and attention to the sport of golf in China, at a time when the entire nation's passion and energy are captured by sport."