The 18STRONG Podcast 165: Chip Brewer | The New Era of Callaway
Oliver “Chip” Brewer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Callaway Golf Company, is a proven leader in the golf industry where he has held executive positions since 1998.
Brewer assumed his leadership of Callaway Golf on March 5, 2012, arriving with a firm belief in technology-driven products and a track record of increasing market share and shareholder value.
Chip joins us today to chat about everything going on at Callaway Golf and the overall shifts the brand has experienced in the last 5+ years to re-emphasize their mission of creating “pleasingly different, demonstrably superior” products.
Chip Brewer’s Background
- Brewer has an undergraduate degree in economics from the College of William and Mary, where he played on the golf team, and later earned his MBA from Harvard University.
- Prior to joining Callaway Golf, Brewer served as CEO of Adams Golf from 2002-2012, where he engineered a turnaround that drove the company to profitability. He was widely credited with transforming Adams from a single-product focus to a diversified brand portfolio. With a clear focus on innovation, Brewer made strategic investments that bolstered the size and success of his product development team.
- He first came to Adams Golf as senior vice president of sales and marketing in 1998 and served as President and Chief Operating Officer from August 2000 to January 2012. He was previously vice president of sales and marketing for Mead Corp.’s containerboard division.
- Brewer embodies a lifelong passion for the game and its continued growth around the world. His father, O. Gordon Brewer, is the former president of Pine Valley Golf Club and is a former member of the USGA Executive Committee.
- Chip’s Approach: We make products that are Pleasingly Different, Demonstrably Superior.
Highlights from this Episode
- Chip takes us back to when he started as CEO of Callaway, the changes he made, his role day-to-day and how it has shifted over time, as well as how the brand has evolved and what changes were put in place to bring back Callaway to be a forerunner in the realm of Golf.
- How they stay innovative with new technologies while staying in the parameters and restrictions of the USGA, how a product goes from idea to finalization, and how Chip sees these as a positive influence to work within the rules and deliver “DSPD” products.
- We talk about their extensive stable of players. From what they look for in a player, what players expect from them, how they’ve expanded more to the youth and amateur players, and how they help push the brand with their feedback.
- How the acquisition of Travis Mathew will shape the future of Callaway in the golf apparel and lifestyle realm, as well as what this means for the future of both companies.
- We break down the market for “Premium Clubs”: What are they, what makes them significantly better than your clubs, and why make the switch.
Where to find Chip Brewer and Callaway Golf:
Website: Callaway Golf
Twitter: @CallawayGolf
Instagram: @callawaygolf
Other Callaway Golf Brands Mentioned:
Caddy Shack or Happy Gilmore?
Caddy Shack
Who would you want to spend a day on the course with and what course would you play?
I would play with Arnold Palmer, Eisenhower, and Tiger Woods at Augusta.
What is your walk-out song?
The Theme from Rocky
What would be your parting advice to impart on the 18Strong Community?
When looking for new gear, Go to a fitter that you trust and don’t rush the process.
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