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Cobra Golf A Driving Force In Marketplace Momentum Continues for Fastest Growing Golf Club Brand with Nearly Seven Point Gain in Past 12 Months Contact Joe Gomes FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (July 22, 2003) - The momentum continues for Cobra Golf, the fastest growing golf club brand in the industry. According to the most recent Golf Datatech on/off course market share results from May, Cobra reached a 12.7% share in woods and 7.4% share in irons, making Cobra the third best-selling brand in both categories. This impressive growth trend in woods is supported by Golf Datatech's recent rolling 12-month ranking of 10.2% share versus 3.5% in the prior year rolling 12-month ranking - a single-year increase of 6.7 percentage points. Cobra also was the top-selling driver and fairway metal model for the May period in the on/off course channel. Cobra irons showed impressive growth as well, more than doubling its rolling 12-month share from 3.0% to 6.3%. "To achieve these types of results in an industry where rounds of play are down and retail sales are down, this is another milestone for the Cobra brand," comments Jeff Harmet, General Manager, Cobra Golf. "We have been tireless in our effort to leverage the spirit of innovation and founding principles of Cobra Golf and the original King Cobra franchise. We are succeeding by making the game more enjoyable for golfers by offering quality, performance and innovative technology-based products at a fair price." Designed for the avid golfer, the new comprehensive King Cobra SS line's larger 'Sweet Spot' is the relevant point of difference versus other drivers in the game improvement category. The performance benefits of the King Cobra SS drivers are superior distance and accuracy. Cobra's technical engineers achieve this superior performance with exclusive, oval insert, thin perimeter technology that expands the sweet zone area across nine points on the clubface for a hotter and more forgiving product. "From drivers to fairway metals to irons, the 'new' King Cobra SS line appeals to a wide range of golfers who seek quality performance enhancing clubs," said Harmet. "Some of those golfers may have once played Cobra and have returned to the 'new' Cobra brand, while others are new players seeking long, straight distance who are playing the King Cobra brand for perhaps the first time. We are confident that once a golfer demos a King Cobra golf club, he or she will want to continue playing it." Staying true to its blueprint of getting the King Cobra SS driver line into golfers' hands, more than 2,500 Demo Days are scheduled and nearly 500 authorized Cobra custom fitting accounts established for 2003. Cobra has expanded the functionality of the Demo Day pages on its web site, www.cobragolf.com, to include nationwide schedules accessible by name, location, address, geographic state or region, or zip code. A complete list of Demo Day activities according to event structure is also available. Cobra also is the driver of choice of six long-drive competitors, including four-time world champion Jason Zuback, Brian Pavlet, Mike Moulton, Art Sellinger, Dan Boever and Eric Lastowka. For additional information about Cobra Golf, please visit us online at www.cobragolf.com, or contact Cobra Customer Service (1.800.555.9282). For photography or media inquiries, please contact Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211). Titleist(R), FootJoy(R), Cobra and Pinnacle(R) comprise the major golf brands of Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO). |