By PHILIP REID
Bubba’s driving some sales
YOU’D think that his first name was sufficient recognition alone to be a brand in itself, but Bubba Watson’s moniker as the ‘Baron of Baghdad’ – recognising his birthplace in Baghad, Florida not Iraq – has stuck with his growing legion of fans.
Anyway, the decision to release for sale the pink driver that Watson sports on tour has proven to be a huge success. Ping put 5,000 of the G20 drivers on sale on June 1st and all sold out, with some of the proceeds going to Bubba’s charitable efforts to raise $1 million this season.
New logo tells tales of the past
AS ever, TaylorMade, who specially design logos for each of the Major venues for their tour players, have come up trumps again in incorporating different facets of the US Open at the Olympic Club and about the San Francisco area for this year’s championship.
The logo has an “OFF THE AIR” tag and microphone along with “JF” and “55” at the top which refers to Jack Fleck’s win over Ben Hogan in 1955 when American broadcasters NBC went off the air believing Hogan had wrapped up the title.
The gold medal in the centre of the logo acknowledges Olympic’s status as the oldest athletic club in the United Sates (founded in 1861) and, in the background, the red cables and beams identify with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge which is 75 years old and visible from a number of vantage points on the course. The four stars represent the previous US Open at the course, whilst Daly City references the club’s actual location.
Lastly, the “5” in pinstripes is for Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees’ baseball player and former Olympic club member who was born in the San Francisco area.
Interestingly, there’s no acknowledgment of the San Andreas Fault which actually runs under the golf course!
Down the line: Future US Open venues
2013: Merion, Pennsylvania
2014: Pinehurst No.2, North Carolina
2015: Chambers Bay, Washington
2016: Oakmont, Pennsylvania
2017: Erin Hills, Wisconsin
2018: Shinnecock Hills, New York
2019: Pebble Beach, California
