Nike In Legal Hot Water?

Filed in archive Golf Equipment on April 21, 2007

Nike World HQ, Beaverton, Oregon

I received an email on Thursday from David Dawsey, patent lawyer and creator of Golf-Patents.com golf blog.

I interviewed David recently on patent filings in the golf industry; he offered some interesting glimpses into future products.

I also asked David a couple of questions relating to industrial espionage and legal fallout from Nike's Sumo2 square head driver problems.

He offered the opinion that Nike and Callaway had possibly had secret talks relating to the square head technology.

Callaway was first to market with the square head, Dawsey says, and has since filed a series of continuation patents to protect its square head design.

He then speculated that Callaway may be prepared to license its technology to Nike.

I don't know if that's the reality or not and Dawsey was clear that he was merely speculating.

But on April 19, he filed a very interesting post at Golf-Patents.com involving Nike's alleged misappropriation of trade secret club head designs from Triple Tee Golf.

Tom Stites, now Nike's club designer, had been approached by Triple Tee to manufacture its patented club head design when Stites was with Impact Golf Technologies.

Stites left IGT before the club heads were made and joined Nike. Nike soon came out with its Slingshot irons and CPR woods and the legal troubles began.

Triple Tee Golf alleges that Nike (specifically Tom Stites) copied Triple Tee's club head designs when Stites joined Nike and that the Slingshot irons and CPR woods both infringe on Triple Tee's designs

An initial judgment went against Triple Tee but new evidence has come to light and the issue is back in court.

I'm certain David Dawsey will keep us informed of developments in this case.