Acushnet Holdings Corp. (GOLF): Marketing Mix Analysis [Dec-2025 Updated]

You're looking for the real story behind the numbers for Acushnet Holdings Corp. as we close out 2025, and honestly, their marketing mix-the four P's-tells you exactly how they are defending their premium turf. Despite navigating about $30 million in incremental tariff costs, the strategy is clear: drive higher Average Selling Prices (ASPs) across Titleist and FootJoy to support a projected net sales guidance between $2,520 and $2,540 million for the full year. We see this play out in their focus on top-tier product innovation, like the T-Series irons, and a laser-focused promotion effort aimed squarely at the dedicated core golfer through premium channels. Dive below to see the precise breakdown of how their Product, Place, Promotion, and Price strategies are set to deliver an adjusted EBITDA between $405 and $415 million this fiscal year.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (GOLF) - Marketing Mix: Product

You're looking at the core offerings from Acushnet Holdings Corp. as of late 2025. The product strategy centers on maintaining dominance in premium performance across its key brands, using recent launches to drive higher average selling prices (ASPs).

Titleist: Core focus on 2025 Pro V1/Pro V1x golf balls and new T-Series irons

The Titleist golf ball line remains the unequivocal #1 in golf, continuing a streak of 70 years. For the first quarter of 2025, Titleist Golf Balls net sales increased by 4.0 percent, driven by higher sales volumes of the latest generation Pro V1 and Pro V1x models. Titleist Golf Equipment net sales overall saw a 3.8 percent increase in Q1 2025 (constant currency), supported by these ball volumes and higher ASPs in clubs. By the second quarter, Titleist golf equipment sales were up 10 percent compared with the previous product launch cycle. The company also saw a positive initial response to the new T-Series irons following their launch in July 2025.

FootJoy: Shifting to a premium performance strategy for footwear and apparel

FootJoy is actively executing a shift toward premium performance, which is improving profitability despite some volume softness. In the third quarter of 2025 year-to-date, the FootJoy Golf Wear business delivered revenue gains of 4.0 percent (3.1 percent constant currency). This growth was largely attributed to higher ASPs across all product categories and higher sales volumes in apparel. However, FootJoy sales declined by 5.0 percent in the first quarter, primarily due to lower closeout footwear sales and strategic product line rationalization. The newer Premier and Hyper-Flex footwear models are noted as benefiting the brand in 2025.

Club innovation: Successful launches of GT drivers, fairways, and hybrids in 2025

Innovation in the club category is a major driver. The launch of the GT Metals franchise, expanded in Q1 2025 with new hybrids and metals, contributed to growth. In Q1 2025, the increase in Titleist golf equipment sales was specifically driven by higher sales volumes of the new GT drivers, hybrids, and fairways. This focus on new metalwood technology is clearly supporting the premium positioning.

Gear segment: Strong growth in golf bags and gloves, driven by higher ASPs

The Golf Gear segment showed robust growth, posting a 14.2 percent net sales increase in the third quarter to $61.2 million. Year-to-date through Q3, the segment was up 8.0 percent, primarily driven by higher ASPs across all product categories and higher sales volumes in golf gloves. In Q2 2025, the segment reported a 7.0 percent sales increase, with the travel brands, including Links & Kings and Club Glove, growing more than 20 percent year-to-date. Earlier in the year (Q1 2025), the segment saw a 2.2 percent net sales increase, though this was partially offset by lower sales volumes in golf bags.

Specialized brands: Includes high-end Vokey Design wedges and Scotty Cameron putters

The specialized, high-end offerings continue to command premium pricing and attention. In the resale market for April 2025, Scotty Cameron putters showed an Average Price of $298, which was an increase of 2.5 percent. The total resale sales for Scotty Cameron putters in that month were $708,354, a slight decrease of only 0.5 percent year-over-year for the putter category. Vokey Design wedges, such as the SM10s launched in 2024, were cited as a driver of equipment sales growth in early 2025.

Here's a quick look at some of the product performance metrics reported through Q3 2025:

The company is actively managing its portfolio, as evidenced by the Q1 2025 data showing that lower sales volumes of second model year wedges, irons, and performance model golf balls were offset by the new launches. It's defintely a product-led growth story.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (GOLF) - Marketing Mix: Place

The distribution strategy for Acushnet Holdings Corp. centers on making its performance-driven golf products available through established, high-quality channels that align with its premium brand positioning.

Core distribution: Strategic focus on premium golf shops and trade partners

The primary route to market relies on established trade partners, which support the premium positioning of brands like Titleist. The overall health of the distribution network is reflected in the segment performance. For the third quarter of 2025, the FootJoy Golf Wear segment posted net sales growth of $\mathbf{4.0\%}$ year-over-year. The Titleist Golf Equipment segment, which combines Golf Balls and Golf Clubs, grew by $\mathbf{5.7\%}$ to $\mathbf{\$427.6}$ million in Q3 2025.

Geographic strength: Strong sales momentum in the United States and EMEA regions

The United States remains the largest and strongest market, showing robust growth across key product lines. In the third quarter of 2025, the United States delivered $\mathbf{6.1\%}$ growth, contributing $\mathbf{\$397.0}$ million in revenue. U.S. sales growth was $\mathbf{6\%}$ in the quarter, led by Titleist golf equipment, Golf Gear, and FootJoy Golf Wear. The EMEA region demonstrated exceptional momentum, with sales increasing by $\mathbf{20.7\%}$ to $\mathbf{\$91.1}$ million, or $\mathbf{14.0\%}$ in constant currency. EMEA growth in the quarter was $\mathbf{14\%}$.

The geographic performance for Q3 2025 was as follows:

Direct-to-consumer: Utilizes fitting services to connect directly with the dedicated golfer

Acushnet Holdings Corp. emphasizes direct engagement through services that enhance product adoption and loyalty. The company's focus on product innovation, quality, and fitting services is noted as resonating with golfers.

• CEO David Maher highlighted the importance of fitting services.
• The dedicated golfer core consumer base is described as healthy and resilient.

Regional softness: Navigating lower sales volumes in FootJoy wear in Japan and Korea

While the overall business shows strength, specific international markets presented headwinds, particularly for the FootJoy Golf Wear category. In Japan, net sales saw a significant decline of $\mathbf{11.5\%}$ ($\mathbf{-13.4\%}$ in constant currency) in Q3 2025. In Korea, sales were relatively flat, showing $\mathbf{0.9\%}$ growth for the quarter. The Q2 2025 results specifically cited lower sales in FootJoy golf wear as the primary driver for sales declines in both Korea and Japan. For Q3 2025 in Korea, the decrease was largely attributed to lower net sales in FootJoy golf wear, specifically footwear and apparel.

Supply chain: Diversified and flexible supply chain to mitigate tariff risks

The company is actively managing supply chain risks, particularly from tariffs, through diversification. Incremental full year gross tariff costs for 2025 are projected to be $\mathbf{\$30}$ million, with a $\mathbf{\$15}$ million impact expected in the fourth quarter. This tariff headwind contributed to a $\mathbf{50}$ basis point decline in gross margin, bringing it to $\mathbf{48.5\%}$ in Q3 2025. Management stated plans to offset a meaningful portion of this full-year gross tariff headwind.

Management detailed supply chain adjustments to mitigate these costs:

• Plans include sourcing golf clubheads from Vietnam and Taiwan.
• This action aims to reduce dependence on China for U.S. production.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (GOLF) - Marketing Mix: Promotion

Promotion activities for Acushnet Holdings Corp. are designed to communicate product superiority and drive adoption among its core demographic. The messaging is highly consistent across channels.

Brand message: Emphasizing product innovation, quality, and fitting services to dedicated golfers.

The core communication strategy centers on the mission to be the performance and quality leader in every category. This is reinforced by highlighting innovation, such as the successful launch of the new Pro V1 franchise and the T-Series irons. The company explicitly focuses on the 'dedicated and discerning golfer,' making this the central theme of its marketing efforts.

• Focus on being the performance and quality leader.
• Messaging supports new product cycles like the T-Series irons.
• Emphasis on fitting services to ensure optimal product performance for the consumer.

Investment: SG&A expenses increased, reflecting investments in growth and marketing.

You can see the commitment to promotion through the Selling, General & Administrative (SG&A) figures. The company is actively spending to support growth initiatives, including Advertising & Promotion (A&P).

The SG&A increase reflects ongoing investment in A&P to back new product introductions and enhancements to the fitting network and IT systems. Furthermore, an additional restructuring charge of approximately $5 million was expected in Q4 2025 related to the voluntary retirement program.

Sponsorships: Leveraging the Titleist and FootJoy brands through professional golfer endorsements.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. employs a 'pyramid of influence' approach, which heavily relies on the visibility of its brands on professional tours. The goal is to tell the story of success from the top of the pyramid down to the amateur.

• Professional tour wins frequently feature Titleist products.
• Endorsements are critical for maintaining the #1 position in the competitive golf ball market.
• The sales network works closely with trade partners, making on-course pro shops the key marketplace for promotion and distribution.

Digital focus: Utilizing online platforms to support the new product cadence, like the T-Series irons.

The strategy includes enhancing online platforms and e-commerce capabilities to better serve customers. This digital investment supports the rollout of new equipment, such as the successful Titleist T-Series irons.

Target audience: Marketing efforts are laser-focused on the resilient core consumer.

The entire promotional structure is built around the 'dedicated golfer,' a consumer segment defined by passion and commitment to the sport, rather than just skill or demographics. This focus is considered healthy and resilient, underpinning the company's confidence even amid macroeconomic variability in regions like Japan and Korea.

For you, the key takeaway is that marketing spend is directly tied to product innovation and supporting the core customer where they play and practice.

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (GOLF) - Marketing Mix: Price

The pricing element for Acushnet Holdings Corp. centers on successfully implementing higher average selling prices (ASPs) across its product categories to support revenue growth and offset external cost pressures. This strategy is clearly reflected in recent performance; for instance, consolidated net sales for the third quarter of 2025 increased 6.0%, with growth in Titleist golf equipment driven by higher ASPs in golf clubs, and growth in Golf gear and FootJoy golf wear also driven by higher ASPs across all product categories in those segments. Furthermore, the company is consciously walking away from lower price points in certain segments, like FootJoy golfwear, to intentionally reposition the brand up-market, prioritizing margin over near-term volume. This disciplined approach to pricing power is a key component of the current strategy.

Here's a quick look at the latest full-year 2025 financial expectations, which factor in this pricing discipline:

The company is actively managing significant external cost pressure from tariffs. The expected incremental gross tariff cost impact for the full year 2025 is approximately $30 million. To counter this headwind, Acushnet Holdings Corp. is employing a multi-faceted mitigation approach, which includes leveraging its established pricing power and executing sourcing shifts within its supply chain. This proactive management is designed to offset a meaningful portion of the tariff impact, protecting profitability targets.

The mitigation efforts specifically involve:

• Using pricing power to improve realized prices.
• Executing sourcing adjustments in the supply chain.
• Focusing on premium product mix.
• Disciplined inventory management.

The success of these pricing and mitigation actions underpins the projected profitability for the fiscal year, with Adjusted EBITDA projected to be in the range of $405 million to $415 million for FY 2025.