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Callaway
Golf Stops Internet Seller of Counterfeit Clubs
Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY), announced today that it has settled a law suit
filed on May 18, 2000, in the United States District Court in Santa Ana, California,
against Taylor Golf Supply, of Detroit, Michigan. The suit alleges that Taylor
Golf Supply operated a web site selling counterfeit Callaway Golf components.
Under the terms of the settlement, Taylor Golf Supply will stop selling the offending
clubs. Taylor Golf's owner also consented to the entry of a judgment and permanent
injunction by the Court, and paid Callaway Golf an undisclosed sum of money. Taylor
Golf Supply's activities were identified by Callaway Golf's Internet monitoring
program and by consumers and shareholders who complained to Callaway Golf about
Taylor Golf Supply's web site. The web site offered a selection of counterfeit
and knock off golf club components that infringed trademarks of Callaway Golf,
including the "Galleray Golf Pro Tour Hawk" irons, "Callaway Tungsten Injected
Titan Steel" irons, and "Gemini III" irons. Taylor Golf Supply also advertised
and sold "Extensa" irons with a partial undercut infringing a Callaway Golf patent,
and counterfeit Callaway Golf medallions to apply to the irons purchased from
Taylor Golf Supply. As
part of the settlement, Taylor Golf Supply's owner voluntarily surrendered more
than four hundred and fifty assembled golf clubs and counterfeit components to
Callaway Golf. The web site has already been changed. "We
continue to challenge those who counterfeit our products because of the damage
that such products cause to our company and to the golfing public," commented
Steve McCracken, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Callaway Golf.
"Monitoring the Internet is an important part of our overall strategy to protect
the intellectual property rights of Callaway Golf." |