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Scratch Golf Signs LPGA Talent

JB

JB

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We got an email yesterday that said both Christie Kerr and Paige Mackenzie are now officially part of the tour team at Scratch Golf and that Paige would be carrying a Scratch staff bag. I know that Kerr used their wedges for part of the year last year. But it seems they are official.

Does anybody else find it odd that the company that said that they do not believe in paying players to play their clubs now has a "tour team"? There new way of wording that is "Scratch golf continues to not pay players up front, but there is an incentive program".
 
It does seem a little strange. Did these two also get a portion of the company?
 
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I think it is fair if they decided that their old business philosophy was not working and that they should have players on sponsorship. It is never easy to say "We were wrong" so maybe this is just a backward way of changing their philosophy on how to improve their business. If this is better for them and helps them improve then they should go for it.

Sadly player sponsorship just means clubs will cost us more because they have to pay those players.
 
mchepp said:
I think it is fair if they decided that their old business philosophy was not working and that they should have players on sponsorship.
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+1

JB said:
Does anybody else find it odd that the company that said that they do not believe in paying players to play their clubs now has a "tour team"? There new way of wording that is "Scratch golf continues to not pay players up front, but there is an incentive program".
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Yes, whether it's up fron or incentive based it's still a sponsorship of some sort. A little tomato/tomatoe play on words I think
 
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mchepp said:
I think it is fair if they decided that their old business philosophy was not working and that they should have players on sponsorship. It is never easy to say "We were wrong" so maybe this is just a backward way of changing their philosophy on how to improve their business. If this is better for them and helps them improve then they should go for it.

Sadly player sponsorship just means clubs will cost us more because they have to pay those players.
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I agree 100%, but why do they continue to point out "We dont pay players". Leave it alone and just say "this is our tour staff".
 
From ScratchGolf's FAQs: http://www.scratchgolf.com/about-us/faqs/

Q: Do you pay Tour players to use Scratch clubs?
A: No, we do not pay Tour players any money to use Scratch clubs. Tour players use our clubs because they are the best clubs made anywhere in the world and they help them shoot lower scores. In fact, Scratch is the only company on Tour that does not pay up front for players to use their clubs. We get Tour players using our clubs because they are better period. Other companies get Tour players using their clubs by sending them a large check. Even our main staff professional Ryan Moore is not paid up front to use our clubs.

"...not paid up front..."? Sounds like a lil spin on words, eh?
 
It's definitely misleading, I agree with JB they probably need to just drop the "we don't pay players".

Maybe they pay contingency money like a NASCAR sponsor?
 
Paige MacKenzie? Does that mean Nike dropped her? (It must, right?)
 
Spin is the word. Just say what it is and stop skirting the reality.
 
Keith said:
Spin is the word. Just say what it is and stop skirting the reality.
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That's why it's always dangerous to say "never."

They should just admit what it is. Does anyone really care if they pay their players?

(a) all players get paid.
(b) a player wouldn't game a club if it hurt their game.
 
I guess Scratch feels their incentive program for players is different from all the other players who get $$$ for playing clubs etc. Is it really different? Probably in some ways for sure it is. Are they getting paid for sure but who really cares we all know it's just in the wording.

Quality of products and customer service is where Scratch shines.
 
OttawaGolf said:
I guess Scratch feels their incentive program for players is different from all the other players who get $$$ for playing clubs etc. Is it really different? Probably in some ways for sure it is. Are they getting paid for sure but who really cares we all know it's just in the wording.

Quality of products and customer service is where Scratch shines.
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To me this is worse than a company saying they created the longest driver or anything else. The fact is that they say "we do not pay our players to use our products". But that is NOT true. They do pay their players.
 
JB said:
To me this is worse than a company saying they created the longest driver or anything else. The fact is that they say "we do not pay our players to use our products". But that is NOT true. They do pay their players.
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For me it's not a big issue. It is what it is, Scratch feels its different.

From Ari:
Scratch Golf continues to not pay Tour Players up front to play our clubs. Both Cristie and Paige have an incentive program where they can win extra money by winning Tour events.
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OttawaGolf said:
For me it's not a big issue. It is what it is, Scratch feels its different.
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While they may feel it is different, this is from their own website.
Q: Do you pay Tour players to use Scratch clubs?

A: No, we do not pay Tour players any money to use Scratch clubs. Tour players use our clubs because they are the best clubs made anywhere in the world and they help them shoot lower scores.
 
JB said:
While they may feel it is different, this is from their own website.
Q: Do you pay Tour players to use Scratch clubs?

A: No, we do not pay Tour players any money to use Scratch clubs. Tour players use our clubs because they are the best clubs made anywhere in the world and they help them shoot lower scores.
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Looks like they should probable change that now that they're doing these incentive packages.
 
I apologize if anyone here thinks we are misleading anyone. That is definitely not our intent. I am going to change the FAQ on our website to explain the situation a little better. That was written before we signed Paige and Cristie.

We feel that our deals with Paige and Cristie are much different from the pay to play deals that the other companies give out. We did not have to pay either Paige or Cristie a penny to come on staff with us. The only way they get any money is if they win with our clubs on the LPGA Tour. If they do not win they will not get any money. Both (especially Cristie) have turned down very lucrative deals with other companies to come on staff with us and play our clubs. They did not do this because they would get more money from us, even if either wins many times on Tour they will not get the amount they would get from another company. They did it because they believe that our clubs will help them play their best. Everyone on staff with us has turned down much more money than they can make with us to play our clubs because they believe in the end they will be more successful with our clubs that any other.

Also, anyone that is not on staff with us that is playing our clubs on any of the major Tours is not paid to use them at all.

I am happy to answer any questions you guys have. I would love any of your input. Somehow I just found this forum today, I plan to spend a little more time here in the future.



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Ari Techner
President/CEO
Scratch Golf Clubs
 
Ari Techner said:
I am happy to answer any questions you guys have. I would love any of your input. Somehow I just found this forum today, I plan to spend a little more time here in the future.
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We always welcome clarification and education from companies, and am personally very glad that the wording will be changed. As for just finding this forum, we are glad that you did. We have had numerous conversations with a few people at Scratch, that I am surprised did not make their way to you. But that is not for discussion here obviously.
 
Welcome, Ari. I hope you enjoy the forum as much as the rest of us golf nuts. And thanks for explaining your thinking on this subject.
 
JB said:
We always welcome clarification and education from companies, and am personally very glad that the wording will be changed. As for just finding this forum, we are glad that you did. We have had numerous conversations with a few people at Scratch, that I am surprised did not make their way to you. But that is not for discussion here obviously.
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Thanks JB! I was aware of your site but for some reason I thought it was more of a blog. I did not realize that you had such a great forum!
 
Ari Techner said:
Thanks JB! I was aware of your site but for some reason I thought it was more of a blog. I did not realize that you had such a great forum!
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We have amazing forum members that make this place what it is. We have our review site on the home page, this forum, a print publication that hits retailers this spring, a radio program, and more.
 
Re: Scratch Golf Signs LPGA Talent

JB said:
We have amazing forum members that make this place what it is. We have our review site on the home page, this forum, a print publication that hits retailers this spring, a radio program, and more.
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Does this mean I'm an amazing member? Welcome to the board.
 
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