Golf Pickleball Crossover: Golf companies like Parsons Extreme Golf and Invited are turning their attention to pickleball. With more people picking up paddles, golf brands see a chance to grow. New gear, tournaments, and club conversions show how golf and pickleball are starting to team up in a big way.
Golf and Pickleball Join Forces
Troon, the world’s top golf management company, began working with Selkirk Sport nearly four years ago to help build interest in pickleball.
More recently, Selkirk Sport partnered with Invited, a company that owns and runs private golf clubs. According to Rachel Minucciani, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Selkirk, Invited now sees pickleball as “a massive growth category in their portfolio.”
Rachel Minucciani explained that both Invited and Selkirk work together on many projects. These include demo days and tournaments like the Invited Celebrity Classic.
In Austin, Texas, Invited turned two tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. In just one month, 145 new members joined to play.
PXG Launches New Pickleball Gear
Parsons Extreme Golf, also known as PXG, is joining the pickleball trend. PXG was started in 2014 by Bob Parsons, a former Marine and golf fan. The company is known for high-quality golf equipment. Now, it is using the same care to make pickleball paddles.
PXG said it listens to what its customers want. To them, golf and pickleball both focus on “precision, performance, and fun.” PXG added, “It isn’t a departure from golf – it is a natural extension.”
The company is launching two new paddles: the PXG XP1 and PXG XP2. The XP1 is built for all skill levels with a larger sweet spot. The XP2 is longer and made for more skilled players who want extra reach, power, and ball speed.
PXG’s team worked with experienced pickleball players to design the paddles. Their engineers played pickleball themselves to understand the game better.
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Will Other Golf Brands Join In?
More golf brands are showing interest, but not all are making the jump. While PXG is moving forward, companies like Titleist seem unlikely to follow right away.
Other brands, such as On, which is known for tennis shoes, haven’t stepped into the pickleball space either. Brands like Lacoste are sticking to their roots in tennis and fashion.
The paddle market is already crowded, so new entries may face tough competition.
Looking Ahead
Some online discussions suggest professional pickleball might benefit from golf’s ideas for fan engagement. Though there is not much hard data, there are signs that golfers enjoy pickleball too.
As interest grows, the connection between golf and pickleball could shape the future of both sports. More brands might get involved if the demand keeps rising.
News in Brief: Golf Pickleball Crossover
Golf companies like PXG and Invited are moving into pickleball by launching paddles and building new courts. Selkirk Sport is helping drive this crossover. With shared values like fun and precision, golf and pickleball are finding common ground. Other major brands may soon follow their lead.
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