A prior post addressed the number of golf ball related patents that issued in 2006 for the giants. Now, let’s look at the number of patent applications that published in 2006 for the same companies.

Bridgestone: had 40 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

Acushnet: had 20 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

Callaway Golf: had 18 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

Wilson: had 0 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

Taylor Made: had 7 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

Nike: had 0 golf ball related utility patent applications publish in 2006

What does this tell us? Bridgestone and Callaway are hot on the heels of Acushnet. Bridgestone and Callaway obviously want to increase the size of their slice of the golf ball market pie. And what’s up with Nike? (please email me if you know the story behind Nike’s golf ball research and development program)

David Dawsey – The Intellectual Property Eyes and Ears of the Golf Ball Industry

(PS - these are informal statistics compiled quickly by me... no help from the manfacturers... estimated error of less than 5%)