WORLDWIDE GOLF INSIDER

August / September 2017

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w ith 25 years of experience in the footwear and apparel business, Chris Lindner's feet are firmly planted in a profession he clearly loves. Now a year into his tenure as the new president of FootJoy, we recently caught up with the industry veteran to discuss his move to the company, why a good pair of golf shoes is so im- portant, and some of the significant changes he has seen in the business: you've been involved in a number of shoe brands, why did you decide to make the move to golf and footJoy? This is an absolute dream job for me. I love the game of golf and have been a fan of the FootJoy brand my whole life. One thing that many people don't realize is that since the 1920s, there have been only three leaders of FootJoy – the original founders, the Tarlow brothers, and, most recently, Jim Connor, after a storied 28-year ca- reer – so to get the chance to lead this incredible and iconic brand was truly an opportunity of a lifetime. • • • why do you think footJoy is such a popular brand among golfers and what do you attribute to the com- pany's success? First and foremost, I think the brand has been successful because golf is our singular focus and biggest passion. We've been dedicated to creating the highest-quality, best- performing products in the game and we go to great lengths to make sure each one meets the demands of play- ers at every level. When you look back, you realize that the best players in the game have trusted FootJoy to perform at the highest level. It was the shoe that Walter Hagen chose for his U.S. team in 1927 as captain of the first-ever Ryder Cup team (they won by seven points). It has been the brand to win every shoe count on the PGA Tour since 1945. Players like Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, Jimmy Walker and Andrew "Beef" Johnston have helped the brand achieve more than 6,000 tour wins worldwide. FootJoy also has become a true leader in golf apparel by infusing great design with performance materials to create a col- lection that golfers love. Outside of great product, I believe the other key to FootJoy's success is that we've been a company that truly values the relationships that we have with our many retail partners. So many of our consumers have been in- troduced to FootJoy because we've earned the trust of knowledgeable re- tail staff along the way. • • • what do you look for in a golf shoe? For me, it really depends on the day. If I'm walking a difficult course or playing 36, I'll make sure I've got something that is comfortable and lightweight like the PRO SL or Hyper- Flex II. If I'm looking for more stabil- ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 INSID ER Q&A a perfeCt fit Industry veteran Chris Lindner steps into the top spot at FootJoy Chris Lindner. ›››

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