Connect with us

News

Cleveland Golf sues Callaway over use of ‘Roger Cleveland’ name

Published

on

Cleveland Golf Company, Inc. and Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd. filed a trademark infringement, unfair competition and trademark dilution against Callaway Golf Company for imprinting the name “Roger Cleveland” on its Mack Daddy 2 wedges.

In 1990, Roger Cleveland sold all shares and ownership interest in the Roger Cleveland Golf Company he founded, later leaving the company to join the Callaway Golf in 1996. Cleveland Golf was understandably not thrilled when Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 wedges were released in July with “DESIGNED BY ROGER CLEVELAND” printed on the back of the wedges.

Cleveland Golf is allegedly the owners of multiple federally registered trademarks, which the company believes are being infringed upon. They are also stating that using the name Roger Cleveland on Callaway wedges confuses the marketplace, and misleads consumers to thinking that the wedges are affiliated with or originated from Cleveland Golf.

The plaintiff, that being Cleveland Golf, is calling for Callaway to cease and desist the unauthorized use of the Cleveland name, but Callaway has not met their demands.

To summarize: Callaway Golf is being sued because it put Roger Cleveland’s name on a wedge that he designed.

Cleveland Golf certainly has a case, especially as owners of the registered trademarks in question. But this probably wouldn’t be a problem for Callaway if Mr. Cleveland wasn’t so good at designing wedges. So yes, there’s a bright side.

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

53 Comments

53 Comments

  1. Ken Lines

    Jan 8, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    I always thought most golfers knew Rodger Cleveland worked for Callaway so why risk a lawsuit putting his name on a wedge? I have heard some good stories about Callaway such as buying the Ben Hogan Company but I do not have direct access to the details.

  2. CCL

    Nov 20, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    I’m rooting for the game of golf, the golfing public, and small shop owners and professionals. Hopefully, this lawsuit will not negatively affect us, and I don’t expect it will.

  3. website

    Nov 18, 2013 at 12:31 am

    Great article. I am dealing wіth many of &X74;&X68;ese iss&X75;&X65;ѕ as well..

  4. chowchow

    Nov 6, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    Nothing new for the biggest bunch of scumbags in the golf equipment industry. Callaway had the same problem with the Phil Mickelson line.. Titleist stopped that. Titleist owns Phil’s name, just like they do Scotty Cameron. Phil jumped from Titleist who was bring out a PM line back in 2005-2006. BUT Fat Phil wnet off in a Vegas casino and lost several million bucks. He couldn’t cover the debt. Went to Titleist and wanted a big advance on his next contract. Tilteist said no.. They had to wait until Jan 1 when new contracts were handled. Callaway got wind.. Paid off Phil’s gambling losses and sighed him as their face. Callaway and Phil are both a bunch of gutter sleaze bags

  5. GolfDad907

    Nov 6, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    Wow, can’t put the guy who designed the club’s name on it? Waaay too many lawyers in this world.

    Desperate is how this makes Cleveland appear.

    • chowchow

      Nov 6, 2013 at 1:54 pm

      Roger Cleveland is in cahoots with another backer in buying back Cleveland Golf. Sirixon wants to dump them. Lawyers have nothing to do with Clevelands name. Roger Cleveland signed his name away freely to make a buck. Blame Cleveland for that. Greed was his reasoning

    • GSark

      Nov 6, 2013 at 11:24 pm

      Exactly.

  6. N

    Nov 1, 2013 at 5:34 am

    Wow, M over here just calling people “eejits” and telling them they know nothing, while not actually contributing anything meaningful to the conversation. Way to go champ!

    Yes it’s the guy’s name, but Callaway is clearly putting RC’s name there in an attempt to move the consumers that don’t know that he’s at Callaway over to their side. I 100% agree that Cleveland is a company with very little influence, and it may not be around in 10 years, but they may well have a case…it will definitely be interesting to see!

  7. Jim

    Oct 31, 2013 at 3:38 pm

    As an IP attorney, I would want to see the employment agreement and other assignments made by Mr. Cleveland to the company. There is plenty of common law around people’s rights to use their names (it’s not as simple as you might think), but general legal rights get trumped by rights assigned in contracts.

    • GSark

      Oct 31, 2013 at 8:40 pm

      One of the most clear and concise statements which precisely illustrates what is wrong with this world. It’s amazing that inside the grey matter of certain individuals is the notion of whether or not individuals have ownership rights to the names on their birth certificates. Please sir, do us all a favor and take a very long walk off of a very short pier.

      • J

        Nov 1, 2013 at 2:34 pm

        Yes, because knowing the law is an evil thing, and it is Jim’s fault that our legal system allows parties to contract to whatever they see fit. The structure of law in this country gives you more benefits and conveniences than you realize. Sounds like you need to expand your own grey matter before misconstruing and attacking other people’s legal analyses.

        • GSark

          Nov 6, 2013 at 11:16 pm

          Evil? Who said anything about evil? Who blamed anything on Jim? If you cannot read and comprehend without inference, you should stay out of discussions. I said he illustrates what is wrong with this world, and contracting to sell something your mother gave you the day you were born is one of them. People who deal in such things as though they were buying or selling cotton candy is another. Jim is not at fault, he didn’t invent it, he just bought in.
          Yes it was a little strong to ask for favors, but I believe that those who look at such things and comment so callously need a little cooling off.

    • Randy Goldberg

      Nov 5, 2013 at 8:07 am

      Jim, you are right on. Until such time that all documents, agreements, and assignments can be reviewed, no definitive answer or resolve can be achieved.

      • GSark

        Nov 6, 2013 at 11:21 pm

        Really? I’ll take a stab… they’ll go to arbitration. After a lot of wrangling and millions in lawyers fees they’ll reach and agreement neither side will be truly happy with, but one in which the legal teams of both sides will call a victory.

    • froneputt

      Nov 25, 2013 at 8:33 am

      I am also interested over what Roger Cleveland assigned to Cleveland Golf when he left. If you search under the USPTO, you find “Cleveland Golf” as a protected trademark. My guess is that Cleveland Golf’s complaint is the use of “Cleveland” on an obviously Callaway wedge is confusing to the marketplace. One question I’d have is whether they’d have the same complaint if “Designed by Joe Cleveland” was on the Callaway wedge.

      I don’t think Joe Golfer looks at the fine print on the wedge, or if he does, makes the connection between “Cleveland Golf” and Roger Cleveland. I think Joe Golfer looks at Cleveland Golf or Callaway Golf. It’s obvious they are not the same Company.

  8. Ian

    Oct 31, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    To the Cleveland basher….. You do realize Cleveland golf is owened by Sumitomo Rubber and has deeper pockets than Cally or TM. They will be around as long as Sumitomo wants Srixon/Cleveland to be around.

    • Setter02

      Nov 1, 2013 at 3:05 pm

      Get rid of Cleveland and get more Srixon available in N/A then…

  9. GMatt

    Oct 31, 2013 at 10:12 am

    Does anybody really buy anything Cleveland anymore? Talk about a frivolous lawsuit by an irrelevant company….can you say “buy Cleveland products at Walmart?”

    • K

      Nov 1, 2013 at 2:31 am

      They will never dip that low, they still own the best club companies in Japan. Like XXIO and Srixon.

      • ND Hickman

        Nov 7, 2013 at 12:43 pm

        I would argue that the best club company in Japan in Mizuno, but I freely admit to being very biased on that front.

    • paul

      Nov 1, 2013 at 9:04 am

      I was thinking of buying some of their wedges….

      • Sojourn

        Nov 20, 2013 at 2:43 pm

        Paul: I think most people in the business will agree that Cleveland still makes some of the best wedges out there.

    • Dennis Beach

      Oct 27, 2021 at 10:05 pm

      I use only Cleveland wedges. Have since I started playing this game. I know Roger does not design Cleveland wedges anymore, but the DNA is there, and Cleveland uses it in every wedge they make. The 588 is the benchmark for every wedge out there, regardless of who makes them.

    • Dennis Beach

      Dec 5, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      There ARE a lot of people tbat buy Cleveland products, namely wedges, and putters. Not getting into a pissing contest about this, just stating an obvious fact. I won’t play wedges unless they are Cleveland. Try a CBX2-you might actually like it! I also play a Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft Milled 11c putter. Really nice putter!!

  10. Setter02

    Oct 31, 2013 at 8:07 am

    Stupid lawsuit by a company that likely won’t be around in 10 years anyway. Has virtually no market share and is just trying to get some publicity as their equipment and staffers can’t do it vs. the marketing giants.

    Cally should put a social media spin on this and generate more exposure for themselves by releasing wedges with little catch phrases poking fun at CG. ‘made by the man’ or ‘made by that guy’ with a laser embossed face pic of Roger. I’d game them…

    • Chris Steele

      Oct 31, 2013 at 9:32 am

      Great marketing idea but a PR Nightmare!!! no good has ever come from taking jabs at another company

    • GR8GLFR

      Oct 31, 2013 at 10:30 am

      Um… you do realize that Cleveland still owns the largest market share in the wedge category, right? I’ve managed 2 golf retail stores in the past 6 years. Despite great wedge offerings by Titleist, PING & Callaway.. the Cleveland brand still owns about 30% of the retail market. Which may not sound like much, but it is.

  11. Shallowface

    Oct 31, 2013 at 6:38 am

    The city of Cleveland should sue Cleveland Golf because when I Google Cleveland Golf looking for golf courses I get ads for golf clubs I don’t want.

    Of course, when I say Cleveland, I mean Cleveland Tennessee.

    Anybody who cares about who designed their wedge (and yes there are a lot of us who do) know where Roger Cleveland works these days.

    This is the definition of a frivolous lawsuit.

  12. Roger

    Oct 31, 2013 at 2:28 am

    Compensation will be awarded to Cleveland Golf at a rate of $588
    per day that the Naming Infringement continues.
    Lawyers will be Lobbing evidence back and forth…….
    much PR Spin will be created and the Jury will feel a Wedge or great divide over the Gaps in the evidence…..
    No Golf Company will have bought the “”Name”” without enduring
    exclusive right to use of That Name…hope im right!!
    Hope there’s a Fair Way to settle it!

    • Scott

      Nov 15, 2013 at 6:59 am

      Clever post on Halloween Roger….I am sure you had Skulls on your front yard as you offered Chili Dip to the Mack Daddy’s while the kids Bounced from Hazard to Hazard. When I hit a shot Fat….and I rarely do…I make it after too many Dos Equis. Kudo’s to the funny post!! PGA Quarter Century Member and I love the new wedges..

  13. Matthew Carter

    Oct 31, 2013 at 12:24 am

    If RG sold all rights to CG, Callaway shouldn’t be able to use RG name etc….

  14. Christopher

    Oct 31, 2013 at 12:16 am

    It would be hilarious if Callaway removed Roger’s name from the wedges then moved their factory to Cleveland. Then they could stamp Made In Cleveland on their clubs.

    Considering Cleveland Golf started out making replicas of other classic golf clubs of the 1940-50s this is quite amusing.

    • Jack

      Oct 31, 2013 at 9:13 am

      LOL

    • Double Mocha Man

      Nov 2, 2013 at 8:45 pm

      Why would anyone move from California to Cleveland?!

      • Blopar

        Nov 3, 2013 at 6:38 pm

        I live in Cleveland and I’m leaving. Roger can move here in my place.

  15. The Vog

    Oct 31, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I bet Cleveland loses. I am not an attorney, but I would bet there is no law or contractual issue that would prevent Callaway using Rogers’s actual name.

    • M

      Oct 31, 2013 at 1:31 am

      You know nothing, so you should shut up.

      • K

        Nov 1, 2013 at 2:24 am

        I bet you’re part of Cleveland 😉

        • Forsbrand

          Nov 1, 2013 at 3:21 pm

          Is there a place called CALLAWAY in Florida? Callaway golf wedges designed by Roger CLEVELAND, made in CHINA…………

      • Pablo

        Nov 7, 2013 at 1:45 am

        Play nice M, or else no dessert tonight! =P

    • johnny

      Oct 31, 2013 at 9:42 am

      I bet you Cleveland wins this as it is contradicting the Cleveland golf name with callaway

    • Tiger1016

      Oct 31, 2013 at 4:51 pm

      To start, my preference on aesthetics would be for this wedge to not have the Roger Cleveland stamping on it to begin with because I like a cleaner look. Nevertheless, after spending two minutes glancing through the motion that was filed, it looks like Cleveland / Dunlop Sports is going to have to pay much better attention to detail on some blatantly obvious and important facts in the case if they want to have any chance of success. They misname and even misspell the wedge claiming it is named the “Roger Cleveland Mac Daddy 2” when it is simply the “Mack Daddy 2” wedge and I guess could technically fully be described as the “Callaway Mack Daddy 2 Wedge Designed by Roger Cleveland”.

    • J C

      Nov 3, 2013 at 12:29 pm

      taxes

      • J C

        Nov 3, 2013 at 12:30 pm

        this got put in wrong spot and cant find way to remove it 🙁

    • chowchow

      Nov 6, 2013 at 2:07 pm

      You will loose that bet. You may want to check out the Phil Mickelson Putter that Callaway tried doing a couple years ago. Phil’s name was taken off the putter. Tiltiest said no way.. Titleist has the right to fat phils name on golf clubs.

  16. Chris

    Oct 30, 2013 at 11:06 pm

    What a fascinating legal case

  17. Jud

    Oct 30, 2013 at 10:14 pm

    Adam Taylormade should start creating drivers for Nike. It could read, “Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Driver created by Adam Taylormade”. Now to find a guy with the last name Taylormade…

    • M

      Oct 31, 2013 at 1:32 am

      And you’re an eejit

      • neil

        Oct 31, 2013 at 7:50 am

        wow havent heard that since i lived at home!

        Scottish?

    • GMatt

      Oct 31, 2013 at 10:03 am

      And it can be 17 yards longer or Covertier

    • chowchow

      Nov 6, 2013 at 2:13 pm

      you do know that TaylorMade rescued Adams from going out of business. Adams’ CEO went over to Callaway is now taking Callaway into a deeper HOLE.. Look for Bridgestone Golf to make a hostile take over for Callaway. Callaway has been on the verge of going chapter(pick a #) bankruptcy years. I own a golf shop and Callaway is by frthe worst of the OEM’s to deal with. Wrong stuff all the time. Next to impossible to get a RA to send it back. Callaway is getting their just rewards. LAWSUITS for being scumbags!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

on

I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

Continue Reading

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

on

GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

Continue Reading

News

BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

on

Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending