TaylorMade Golf has purchased K&M Golf, the custom putter-making operation established by world-renowned putter craftsman Kia Ma in 1992.
Ma, 49, entered the golf industry in 1981 with Shamrock Golf as manager, then joined Ray Cook in 1987, rising to vice president of manufacturing before leaving in 1992 to start K&M.
Considered one of the best and most sophisticated putter customizing operations in the world, K&M has customized putters for a variety of premium golf equipment manufacturers and led the industry in the art of producing high-quality milled putters when the practice began in 1989.
K&M has served as Rossa’s exclusive customizing shop, since Rossa was launched in 2002, and performed custom work on Rossa putters that were used to win 13 times worldwide last year, including The Open Championship at Muirfield.
Located in San Marcos, California, K&M Golf will relocate shortly to TaylorMade headquarters in Carlsbad. Ma, formerly president of K&M, has joined TaylorMade as manager of tour engineering and finishing, putters, and will work directly with Tom Olsavsky, director of Rossa, and TaylorMade’s Tour Department.
“Kia’s expertise at customizing putters is well-known throughout the industry and was a key reason for Rossa’s success on the world’s tours last year,” says Olsavsky. “Now that Kia is a full-time member of the Rossa team, we expect even greater achievements from tour pros using Rossa in 2003.”
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