McLaren Golf has entered the golf equipment market with the official launch of two sets of irons, Series 1 and Series 3, along with a range of branded golf bags and accessories.
In the run up to the official launch on April 29, McLaren Golf announced the signing of world No.5 Justin Rose, Ryder Cup legend and LIV Golf player Ian Poulter, and 2014 US Open champion Michelle Wie as tour brand ambassadors and company investors.
Rose is understood to have spent almost two years working with McLaren’s R&D team on the design of the new clubs and is putting a set of the Series 1 irons into play at this week’s Cadillac Championship. As part of the equipment deal, Rose will also wear the McLaren Golf logo on his apparel and have a custom McLaren Golf bag in papaya orange, the McLaren F1 team’s racing colours.
Speaking about the launch, which was timed to coincide with Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, Neil Howie, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Golf, said: “We’ve been working toward this moment for some time, and there’s a real sense of anticipation in seeing it all come to life.Behind the scenes, we challenged every part of the process – from materials to construction – to uphold the exacting standards and constant pursuit of excellence that define McLaren. To now introduce these irons to the world and see them in the hands of golfers is incredibly exciting.”
Henrik Wilhelmsmeyer, Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Automotive, added: “McLaren Golf translates the precision and performance mindset that defines our brand into a new, relevant context. It’s a strategic extension of McLaren – designed for those who value performance, craftsmanship, and purpose.”
LIMITED LAUNCH
Those expecting a full range of equipment to be unveiled at launch were left a little disappointed, with the fledging golf brand dipping its toe in the market with the introduction of two irons, the Series 1, which is described as a ‘modern tour blade’ for elite players, and the Series 3, a player’s distance iron which is claimed to offer ‘scintillating speed, responsive control and vibration-dampening feel’.
Both Series 1 and Series 3 irons are priced at £360 per club in the UK, €420 throughout Europe, and $375 in the US in the stock configuration. The equipment is being sold on a direct-to-consumer basis through the McLaren Golf website, and through a limited range of custom fitting specialists.
In the UK, these comprise Club Champions venues in Crawley, Basingstoke and Glasgow, while the US boasts over 200 fitting locations. The dealer locator map on the company’s website also features six fitting facilities in Australia, and several others in South Korea. Shipping times for new clubs are quoted at 3-5 weeks following the initial order.
SOFT GOODS
Also included in the initial launch are a range of soft goods, including branded golf bags and accessories.
A stand bag, which has been designed in partnership with premium bag brand Vessel is priced at £495. Made of synthetic leather, it boasts a 6-way top with full-length dividers and is offered in a choice of four colours – papaya, black, navy and grey.
The company’s tour ambassadors have all been pictured with a Mclaren-branded tour bags in the F1 team’s papaya colour palette, although they are not currently available to buy on the website.
There is also a golf glove offered in a choice of two colours (papaya and white) which have been made in partnership with G/Fore and retail for £31, and a collection of hats (£95/£35), headcovers (£145) and golf towels (£50).
8AM PARTNERSHIP
McLaren Golf’s launch into the golf market is also being supported by 8AM Golf, a golf-focused holding company which works with a variety of leading golf brands across a wide variety of industry sectors, including Golf Magazine, Muira, True Spec Golf, Payntr, T-Squared Social and Fairway Jockey.
8AM Golf will serve as an investor, partner and advisor to McLaren Golf, offering a variety of golf-specific services to fine-tune McLaren’s entrance into golf market.
Hoyt McGarity, CEO and President of 8AM Golf, said: “We’re extremely honored to be partnering with McLaren on this amazing undertaking. It’s been two years in the making and it’s incredibly gratifying to now see this high performance, precision irons hitting the market. We’re anticipating tremendous growth for years to come and look forward to continuing to advise and lend our expertise to McLaren as they work to do for the golf industry what they have already done for the auto racing industry.”
For more details, visit www.mclarengolf.com