Page 49 - Golf Champion - August 2024

during the manufacturing process. While Tim had some
experience in this area as a former business consultant,
he had never scaled something this big. Having to source
materials and production facilities in China, the Wright
brothers discovered various speed bumps between the
language barrier, the lead times, and quality control with
their supplier.

“We ordered a thousand carbon fiber grips but the product
did not pass our quality inspections. We had to go back to
the drawing board, remake the mold, reorder, and change
suppliers,” said Wright. “Welcome to trial and error and
blowing away our budget for 2023. The key to bringing a
product to market is patience and we’re still working on
patience.”

Caliber Golf made its debut at the 2023 PGA Merchandise
Show in Orlando. The story behind this 21st century
innovative pair of Wright Brothers caught the media’s
attention along with the eye-catching grip resulting in
many positive product reviews after the show.
easy. Wright sensed he was on to something, and Caliber
While not the cup of tea for some traditionalists, like
Golf was born.
many things in golf, the game has become more forward-
Teaming up with his brother Chip, the pair collaborated thinking in terms of equipment design and options. The
to launch the company. From light bulb moment to grip category alone has seen many changes and much
prototypes to patent approval to manufacturing and, innovation, most notably in 2009, with the launch of
finally, birthing the baby, it was a two-and-a-half-year SuperStroke putter grips.
process. The two brothers have meshed their skill sets
Golfers who have switched to the Caliber hockey grip and
extremely well. Chip handles sales and marketing while
shaft combination have experienced improved feel and
Tim heads up the operations, financial accounting, and
control. Unlike a traditional round rubber grip, Caliber
business management.
Golf’s is rigid; the rectangular shape allows for a more
“It is a team effort. There are things Chip understands that
I don’t,” said Wright. “It’s the little things that matter. If
you can continue to grow as a team, you’re much better off
than working alone.”
The biggest challenge early on was getting the grip
approved by the USGA. Previous attempts to design
something similar by other hopeful inventors had failed.
After hiring an engineering firm, working through several
iterations and submissions, and getting positive feedback
from the USGA along the way, the Wright brothers were
successful.
By attaching the putter head to a golf shaft suspended
inside a carbon fiber hockey stick styled grip, the brothers
created a grip “system” that was ruled conforming. Then
the real fun began.
Launching a golf company, or any company for that
matter, is not for the faint of heart. As with many start-ups,
there were bogies made and lessons learned, especially

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