Ava Romero
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979 by Gary Adams, a golf equipment salesman. Adams took out a $24,000 loan on his house and founded the company in McHenry, Illinois, with just three employees and a single product: a 12-degree driver cast of stainless steel. Despite its humble beginnings, TaylorMade has since become one of the most popular and innovative golf companies in the world, known for its metal woods and commitment to combining innovation with authenticity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Gary Adams |
| Founder's occupation | Golf equipment salesman |
| Loan amount | $24,000 |
| Location | McHenry, Illinois |
| Building size | 6,000 square feet |
| Number of employees | 3 (including Adams) |
| Number of initial products | 1 |
| Product description | 12-degree driver cast of stainless steel |
| Product innovation | Lighter club head, greater forgiveness on mis-hits, and easier to launch the ball in the air |
| Current ownership | KPS Capital Partners |
| Customer service phone number | 1-877-860-8624 |
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What You'll Learn
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979 by Gary Adams
The company's first product was a 12-degree driver cast of stainless steel, which was designed by Adams. This metalwood looked and sounded different from traditional wooden clubs, and it performed differently too. The stainless steel clubhead was lighter than persimmon, which was the dominant material used in driver and fairway wood construction at the time. This meant that the club head could be bigger without adding weight, increasing forgiveness and club head speed.
Adams displayed his metalwood at the TaylorMade booth at the 1979 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, and the company received numerous orders, totalling more than $47,000. This early success was followed by the launch of the iconic Burner series of metal woods in the mid-1980s.
Since its founding, TaylorMade has maintained a relentless focus on innovation, particularly in club technology and performance. The company has become one of the most popular golf brands in the world, with hundreds of professional golfers on the PGA and European Tours using TaylorMade products, as well as many amateur and casual golfers. In 1997, Adidas bought TaylorMade, which helped take the company to the next level in terms of product development and business infrastructure. Despite changing ownership over the years, TaylorMade has continued to innovate and expand its product offerings, including moving into the lifestyle segment of the golf market.
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Adams took out a $24,000 loan to start the company
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979 by Gary Adams, a golf equipment salesman and the son of a golf professional. To start the company, Adams took out a $24,000 loan on his house. With this loan, he rented a 6,000-square-foot building in McHenry, Illinois, that had previously housed a television assembly plant. Adams became one of only three employees, including himself, and set to work on his first product.
This product, the 1Metal/Pittsburgh Persimmon, was a 12-degree driver cast in stainless steel. It was designed to maximise the performance of two-piece balls, which were growing in popularity at the time. The clubhead's perimeter-weighting offered greater forgiveness on mishits, and its lower centre of gravity made it easier to launch the ball into the air. The metalwood looked, sounded, and performed differently from traditional wooden clubs. Adams displayed his innovation at the 1979 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, and received orders totalling more than $47,000.
Since these early beginnings, TaylorMade has grown into a globally recognised brand, renowned for its commitment to innovation and performance. The company has maintained its focus on utilising technology and design ahead of its competition. In 1981, Ron Streck used a TaylorMade driver to win the Houston Open, marking the company's first PGA Tour win. By 1982, seven PGA Tour professionals, including an LPGA player, were using TaylorMade drivers. In 1997, Adidas bought TaylorMade, helping to bolster its business infrastructure and product development. In 2006, the company had its first $1 billion revenue year.
Today, TaylorMade continues to be an industry leader, with a strong presence in the golf market. The company has expanded its product line to include clubs, golf balls, and accessories, as well as lifestyle products through partnerships and brand extensions. Hundreds of professional golfers on the PGA and European Tours use TaylorMade products, and the company remains committed to its original values of combining innovation with authenticity.
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The first product was a 12-degree stainless steel driver
In 1979, Gary Adams founded the TaylorMade Golf Company. Adams was a golf equipment salesman who took out a $24,000 loan on his house to start the company. He rented a 6,000-square-foot building that once housed a television assembly plant and hired two employees.
The first product that Adams and his team of three employees designed and built was the 1Metal/Pittsburgh Persimmon, more commonly known as a 12-degree stainless steel driver. This metalwood looked, sounded, and performed differently from a wooden wood club. The clubhead's perimeter-weighting offered greater forgiveness on mishits, while the lower centre of gravity made it easier to launch the ball into the air.
Adams, the son of a golf professional, was committed to combining innovation with authenticity. He wanted to create clubs that maintained ties to what true golfers perceived an authentic golf club should look and feel like. This first product was designed to maximise the performance of the two-piece balls that were a fad at the time and has since become the norm.
The launch of this driver sent a clear message that TaylorMade was founded on innovation and taking golf into a new era. The use of stainless steel meant that the club head could be bigger without adding weight, increasing forgiveness and club head speed. This driver spearheaded the move for professionals from persimmon to metal.
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TaylorMade was bought by Adidas in 1997
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979 by Gary Adams, a golf equipment salesman who took out a $24,000 loan on his house to start the company. Adams's commitment to innovation and performance in golf club design helped TaylorMade become a globally recognised brand.
In 1997, eighteen years after it was founded, TaylorMade was acquired by Adidas. This move helped take TaylorMade to the next level in terms of product development and business infrastructure. Under Adidas, the golf company expanded its portfolio by purchasing the clothing company Ashworth and Adams Golf. In 2006, TaylorMade/Adidas had its first $1 billion revenue year, marking a significant milestone in the golf industry.
TaylorMade's success has been linked to its innovative metal woods, with a particular focus on club technology and performance. The company's first product, launched within the first year of its founding, was the 12-degree 1Metal/Pittsburgh Persimmon driver with a stainless steel head. This driver was lighter than traditional persimmon wood clubs, allowing for a bigger club head without adding weight. The launch of this driver led to a shift in the industry, with professionals moving from persimmon to metal.
TaylorMade continued to innovate with the release of the r7 Quad driver in 2004, which introduced "Movable Weight Technology," allowing golfers to change a club's weighting properties. The R9 driver, released in 2009, featured "Flight Control Technology," giving golfers the ability to adjust loft, lie, and face angle.
In 2017, Adidas sold TaylorMade to KPS Capital Partners for $425 million. Despite the change in ownership, TaylorMade has maintained its position as an industry leader through continuous innovation and expansion into lifestyle products, demonstrating its ability to adapt and grow in the golf market.
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The company continues to focus on innovation and performance
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979 by Gary Adams, a golf equipment salesman. Adams took out a $24,000 loan on his house and founded the company in McHenry, Illinois. He rented a 6,000-square-foot building and hired two employees, including himself.
The company's first product was a 12-degree driver cast of stainless steel. This metalwood looked and sounded different from a wooden wood, but most importantly, it performed differently. The clubhead's perimeter-weighting offered greater forgiveness on mishits, and its lower centre of gravity made it easier to launch the ball into the air.
Since its founding, TaylorMade has maintained a relentless focus on innovation, particularly in club technology and performance. The company's success was initially linked to the metal woods they produced, with the follow-up to the 1Metal/Pittsburgh Persimmon being the iconic Burner series of metal woods launched in the mid-80s. Over the years, TaylorMade has earned a reputation for being one of the most innovative companies, utilising technology and design ahead of its competition.
In 1997, TaylorMade was bought by Adidas, which helped take the company to the next level of product development. Under Adidas' ownership, TaylorMade continued to innovate and expand its product offerings. In 2004, the company introduced the r7 Quad driver, which popularized "Movable Weight Technology," allowing golfers to change a club's weighting properties and, thus, the flight characteristics it produces. In 2006, TaylorMade/Adidas had its first $1 billion revenue year, marking only the second time a golf brand had achieved this milestone.
In 2017, Adidas sold TaylorMade to private equity firm KPS Partners (or KPS Capital Partners, according to another source) in a deal worth $425 million. Despite the change in ownership, TaylorMade has continued to focus on innovation and performance. The company's strategy includes continued innovation in club technology and performance, expansion of the lifestyle segment through strategic partnerships and brand extensions, an enhanced focus on the growing women's golf market, development of sustainable manufacturing practices, and investment in digital technology and custom-fitting experiences.
Through strategic partnerships, product innovation, and market expansion, TaylorMade continues to shape the future of golf while serving players across all skill levels. The company's commitment to developing groundbreaking technologies, combined with its expanding presence in the lifestyle segment, allows it to serve golfers in ways that go beyond traditional equipment. As TaylorMade looks to the future, it remains focused on pushing the boundaries of what's possible in golf performance while creating products and experiences that resonate with the modern golfer.
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Frequently asked questions
TaylorMade Golf was founded in 1979.
TaylorMade Golf was founded by Gary Adams, a golf equipment salesman.
The first product launched by TaylorMade Golf was the 12-degree driver cast of stainless steel.
TaylorMade Golf was founded in McHenry, Illinois, US.
TaylorMade Golf is currently owned by KPS Capital Partners, who bought the company from Adidas in 2017.
