The Legend, the Pioneer and the Vision
Great Names From Golf's Past and Present Look Toward the Future
A chorus of noises produced by the fusing, molding and shafting of metals spills from an inconspicuous industrial studio. The master craftsman is hard at work. He builds, he assesses, breaks down and begins to build again. His work appears to be tedious, but for him it’s a labor of love. When he’s right, he feels it in his core. He holds the result in his palms, lifts it above his head and ultimately swings it down towards a ball resting on a tee.
“You can talk all you want about launch trajectories and composite metals, and I do,” says Jesse Ortiz. “But in the end, a great golf club is all about how it feels.”
Although he left his post as the Chief Designer of Orlimar Golf in early 2003, Ortiz couldn’t stay away. He found himself spending more time in his studio, building and manipulating golf clubs, out of sheer obsession. Ortiz soon formed his own company, the Ortiz Design Studio™, where he produced a line of metal woods and hybrids that reflect his innovation and artistry.
Now the master craftsman is paired with the greatest name in the game. The Ortiz Design Studio™ has formed an alliance with The Bobby Jones Golf Company. With Ortiz as chief designer, The Bobby Jones Golf Company is unveiling a new line of metal woods, the “Bobby Jones Players Series by Jesse Ortiz.” And the timing of the 2005 launch couldn’t be more fortuitous; it coincides with the 75th anniversary of golfing legend Jones’ historic Grand Slam.
Great Names From Golf's Past and Present Look Toward the Future
A chorus of noises produced by the fusing, molding and shafting of metals spills from an inconspicuous industrial studio. The master craftsman is hard at work. He builds, he assesses, breaks down and begins to build again. His work appears to be tedious, but for him it’s a labor of love. When he’s right, he feels it in his core. He holds the result in his palms, lifts it above his head and ultimately swings it down towards a ball resting on a tee.
“You can talk all you want about launch trajectories and composite metals, and I do,” says Jesse Ortiz. “But in the end, a great golf club is all about how it feels.”
Although he left his post as the Chief Designer of Orlimar Golf in early 2003, Ortiz couldn’t stay away. He found himself spending more time in his studio, building and manipulating golf clubs, out of sheer obsession. Ortiz soon formed his own company, the Ortiz Design Studio™, where he produced a line of metal woods and hybrids that reflect his innovation and artistry.
Now the master craftsman is paired with the greatest name in the game. The Ortiz Design Studio™ has formed an alliance with The Bobby Jones Golf Company. With Ortiz as chief designer, The Bobby Jones Golf Company is unveiling a new line of metal woods, the “Bobby Jones Players Series by Jesse Ortiz.” And the timing of the 2005 launch couldn’t be more fortuitous; it coincides with the 75th anniversary of golfing legend Jones’ historic Grand Slam.
The Bobby Jones Golf Company is a story of passion equal to that of Ortiz. It was conceived of by the family of Bobby Jones (a group known as Jonesheirs) and Walter Rosenthal, a skilled entrepreneur who, with his passion for golf and his business acumen, seized upon the opportunity to combine two important golfing “brands,” if you will.
Is Rosenthal aware of the turbulence within today’s golf club industry? Its tendency toward gimmicky new products? Its floundering and oversaturated driver and putter markets? Yes, very much so. Yet Rosenthal remains unfazed.
“We have our eye on a growing yet neglected segment – fairway woods and hybrids,” he says. “If we provide the right quality product at the right price point, we will flourish. And in order to create this line of metal woods, we absolutely had to employ the master of fairway woods, the likes of a “Scotty Cameron” with Titleist. Fortunately there was a short list of one – Jesse Ortiz!”
Many industry experts concur. “Since Jesse left Orlimar, there has not been an identifiable leader in fairway woods,” stated Ken Morton Sr. of Haggin Oaks Golf, a leading California retailer based in Sacramento. “Since we’ve learned about The Bobby Jones Golf Company and the quality of work they will produce, it makes perfect sense for Jesse to partner with them. Quality is what Jesse is all about.”
The third “silent partner” in this team may be its most significant. Bobby Jones is one of the all-time greats. As the only player to win all four major tournaments in one year – The Grand Slam – his name still personifies superior achievement. “The Bobby Jones Players Series by Jesse Ortiz” honors the Jones tradition and are stamped with the Jesse Ortiz signature. It’s an “implement” (the expression Bobby used for his clubs) and an approach that Robert Tyre Jones would, no doubt, have endorsed.
"The easiest constant to fix is the club,” Jones once stated. “The right club takes one difficulty from those which are already too many."
Ortiz knows exactly what it takes to finesse a great golf club. He has employed the latest advancements in multi-material clubhead technology, featuring proprietary Fujikura and Graphite Design shafts.
“I assure you that my designs, complement the "Best of The Best" Bobby Jones apparel,” says Ortiz. “These woods provide strong, rewarding shots by optimizing distance, launch trajectories and accuracy for moderate swing speeds.”
Even Bob Jones IV is confident about this union of great golf names. “We have worked hard to ensure that Bobby Jones is associated with nothing less than first-class products. Jesse Ortiz is the only designer today we trust to create golf clubs that are ‘best in breed,’ like my great-grandfather.”
Is Rosenthal aware of the turbulence within today’s golf club industry? Its tendency toward gimmicky new products? Its floundering and oversaturated driver and putter markets? Yes, very much so. Yet Rosenthal remains unfazed.
“We have our eye on a growing yet neglected segment – fairway woods and hybrids,” he says. “If we provide the right quality product at the right price point, we will flourish. And in order to create this line of metal woods, we absolutely had to employ the master of fairway woods, the likes of a “Scotty Cameron” with Titleist. Fortunately there was a short list of one – Jesse Ortiz!”
Many industry experts concur. “Since Jesse left Orlimar, there has not been an identifiable leader in fairway woods,” stated Ken Morton Sr. of Haggin Oaks Golf, a leading California retailer based in Sacramento. “Since we’ve learned about The Bobby Jones Golf Company and the quality of work they will produce, it makes perfect sense for Jesse to partner with them. Quality is what Jesse is all about.”
The third “silent partner” in this team may be its most significant. Bobby Jones is one of the all-time greats. As the only player to win all four major tournaments in one year – The Grand Slam – his name still personifies superior achievement. “The Bobby Jones Players Series by Jesse Ortiz” honors the Jones tradition and are stamped with the Jesse Ortiz signature. It’s an “implement” (the expression Bobby used for his clubs) and an approach that Robert Tyre Jones would, no doubt, have endorsed.
"The easiest constant to fix is the club,” Jones once stated. “The right club takes one difficulty from those which are already too many."
Ortiz knows exactly what it takes to finesse a great golf club. He has employed the latest advancements in multi-material clubhead technology, featuring proprietary Fujikura and Graphite Design shafts.
“I assure you that my designs, complement the "Best of The Best" Bobby Jones apparel,” says Ortiz. “These woods provide strong, rewarding shots by optimizing distance, launch trajectories and accuracy for moderate swing speeds.”
Even Bob Jones IV is confident about this union of great golf names. “We have worked hard to ensure that Bobby Jones is associated with nothing less than first-class products. Jesse Ortiz is the only designer today we trust to create golf clubs that are ‘best in breed,’ like my great-grandfather.”
Golf held a singular fascination for the young Jones, born in Atlanta in 1902. He competed in his first tournament, the U.S. Amateur, at 14, finishing in the top 10. When Jones retired as a touring tournament player in 1930, he had won the British Open three times, the British Amateur once, the U.S. Open four times, and the U.S. Amateur five times… all without formal golf lessons. And he entered every tournament as an amateur in the truest sense – out of pure love for the game.
After his early retirement, Jones continued a legacy of achievement as a founder of the Masters Tournament and the designer with Alister Mackenzie of Augusta National Golf Club. He was a “renaissance man” who spoke six languages; held degrees in mechanical engineering (Georgia Tech) and literature (Harvard); and was a successful attorney who passed the bar after attending Emory’s law school for only one year.
In 1948, Jones faced the greatest challenge of his life. He suffered from bone growths on three vertebrae resulting in severe pain and paralysis. With characteristic forbearance and humility, Jones stated, “We all have to play the ball as it lies.” The legend passed away in 1971 at the age of 69.
BBC journalist and friend Alistair Cooke wrote, “What we are left with in the end is a forever young, good-looking Southerner, who, to the great good fortune of people who saw him, happened to play the great game with more magic and more grace than anyone before or since.”
At the 75th anniversary of the Grand Slam in 2005, this accomplishment by Bobby Jones is the one that endures beyond the others. Up until that time, there was no descriptive term for a feat such as this. No one thought it possible. George Trevor of the New York Sun wrote that Jones had “stormed the impregnable quadrilateral of golf.” Yet it was O.B. Keeler of the Atlanta Journal who dubbed it the “Grand Slam,” borrowing a bridge term that is forever linked to golf’s greatest individual accomplishment.
After his early retirement, Jones continued a legacy of achievement as a founder of the Masters Tournament and the designer with Alister Mackenzie of Augusta National Golf Club. He was a “renaissance man” who spoke six languages; held degrees in mechanical engineering (Georgia Tech) and literature (Harvard); and was a successful attorney who passed the bar after attending Emory’s law school for only one year.
In 1948, Jones faced the greatest challenge of his life. He suffered from bone growths on three vertebrae resulting in severe pain and paralysis. With characteristic forbearance and humility, Jones stated, “We all have to play the ball as it lies.” The legend passed away in 1971 at the age of 69.
BBC journalist and friend Alistair Cooke wrote, “What we are left with in the end is a forever young, good-looking Southerner, who, to the great good fortune of people who saw him, happened to play the great game with more magic and more grace than anyone before or since.”
At the 75th anniversary of the Grand Slam in 2005, this accomplishment by Bobby Jones is the one that endures beyond the others. Up until that time, there was no descriptive term for a feat such as this. No one thought it possible. George Trevor of the New York Sun wrote that Jones had “stormed the impregnable quadrilateral of golf.” Yet it was O.B. Keeler of the Atlanta Journal who dubbed it the “Grand Slam,” borrowing a bridge term that is forever linked to golf’s greatest individual accomplishment.
“Creating and designing golf clubs isn’t my job, it’s my life,” says Ortiz. “It’s all I’ve done since I was 10 years old.”
Born of Basque descent, Ortiz was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lou Ortiz, his father, founded Orlimar Golf Company in 1960. Despite his limited English, Lou would play golf at the Olympic Club with doctors and lawyers. He socialized with golf greats who stopped by his factory to chat with him about what worked for them in club design. “I watched my father melt all kinds of social barriers,” remembers Ortiz.
He earned his marketing degree at the University of San Francisco and his “doctorate” in club design at his father’s factory, pouring inserts into fairway woods and marking scoring lines or lettering on irons.
Ortiz was also interested in real estate, and upon graduating college was the youngest landlord in the area, if not the state. He already owned a building with his earnings from waiting tables and working at his father’s factory. Yet rental properties were just numbers to Jesse. He decided to follow his passion: crafting golf clubs.
At Orlimar Golf Company, Ortiz was its chief designer from 1997 to 2003. Because of Ortiz’ woods and fairway metals, specifically the TriMetal line of fairway metals, the company became a phenomenon. The TriMetal consistently ranked in the top three.
Since 1998, over 700 PGA professional players have used Ortiz clubs in tournament play. Worldwide sales exceeded 2 million units and peak annual sales were approximately $100 million. As persimmon woods grew obsolete, including those made by Orlimar, Jesse’s metal wood innovations propelled sales from $1.5 million to $100 million in the late 1990s.
In 2003, Ortiz decided to leave Orlimar, the company his family founded almost 50 years ago. The company had lost both its focus and its heritage. A few short months later, Orlimar was sold to King Par Golf.
“I took a little break, but then found myself spending more and more time in my workshop doing what I love most – creating golf clubs,” says Ortiz. “I soon became very excited about a new line of woods. I wanted an association with a quality brand and a company that would not compromise on design. That’s why I’m so pleased to announce my association with The Bobby Jones Golf Company.”
Born of Basque descent, Ortiz was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lou Ortiz, his father, founded Orlimar Golf Company in 1960. Despite his limited English, Lou would play golf at the Olympic Club with doctors and lawyers. He socialized with golf greats who stopped by his factory to chat with him about what worked for them in club design. “I watched my father melt all kinds of social barriers,” remembers Ortiz.
He earned his marketing degree at the University of San Francisco and his “doctorate” in club design at his father’s factory, pouring inserts into fairway woods and marking scoring lines or lettering on irons.
Ortiz was also interested in real estate, and upon graduating college was the youngest landlord in the area, if not the state. He already owned a building with his earnings from waiting tables and working at his father’s factory. Yet rental properties were just numbers to Jesse. He decided to follow his passion: crafting golf clubs.
At Orlimar Golf Company, Ortiz was its chief designer from 1997 to 2003. Because of Ortiz’ woods and fairway metals, specifically the TriMetal line of fairway metals, the company became a phenomenon. The TriMetal consistently ranked in the top three.
Since 1998, over 700 PGA professional players have used Ortiz clubs in tournament play. Worldwide sales exceeded 2 million units and peak annual sales were approximately $100 million. As persimmon woods grew obsolete, including those made by Orlimar, Jesse’s metal wood innovations propelled sales from $1.5 million to $100 million in the late 1990s.
In 2003, Ortiz decided to leave Orlimar, the company his family founded almost 50 years ago. The company had lost both its focus and its heritage. A few short months later, Orlimar was sold to King Par Golf.
“I took a little break, but then found myself spending more and more time in my workshop doing what I love most – creating golf clubs,” says Ortiz. “I soon became very excited about a new line of woods. I wanted an association with a quality brand and a company that would not compromise on design. That’s why I’m so pleased to announce my association with The Bobby Jones Golf Company.”
The formation of The Bobby Jones Golf Company would not have happened without the vision of Walter Rosenthal, chairman and CEO. Prior to forming The Bobby Jones Golf Company, Rosenthal, a cancer survivor, had retired and was enjoying spending afternoons at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades and coaching his sons’ Little League teams. When he learned the Jonesheirs had agreeably terminated their 15-year licensing deal with Callaway, the wheels began to turn. “What would be the most appropriate vehicle for bringing the Bobby Jones name into the 21st century?”
“In business, I’ve always asked myself this question,” says Rosenthal. “Does this new or existing business have an unequivocal reason to exist and to prosper? If so, then how is this best accomplished? There are obvious needs in narrow segments of the golf industry and I had to find the talent to answer one or more of these needs.” And that is the abridged version of how it came to pass when Rosenthal approached Ortiz to develop a full line of fairway woods and to join him in the formation of The Bobby Jones Golf Company.
Under Rosenthal’s guidance, The Bobby Jones Golf Company secured an exclusive, worldwide license from Jonesheirs. He would have products that reminded golfers of the legend of Bobby Jones, the contemporary craftsmanship of Jesse Ortiz, and the commitment to quality of Hartmarx Corporation (NYSE: HMX), the parent company that produces the Bobby Jones apparel line.
Hartmarx produces and markets business, casual and golf apparel for both men and women through a broad range of retail channels. The company also produces apparel for Jack Nicklaus, as well as clothing under license from Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Burberry and other well-known brands. The Bobby Jones Golf Company is devoted to creating products that mirror the quality, image and leadership position of this highly successful apparel company.
“The strategic alliance with Hartmarx to manufacture golf equipment and accessories of unprecedented craftsmanship will fill a void in better golf shops in the U.S. and worldwide,” Rosenthal says. “Our products will be marketed through fine resorts, golf shops, and better off-course golf stores.”
The Bobby Jones Golf Company is supported by the Hartmarx senior management team, including its sophisticated international licensing group.
“The Bobby Jones apparel division of Hickey-Freeman is at the leading edge of our company's luxury strategy,” says Elbert O. Hand, Chairman Emeritus of Hartmarx Corporation. “Our business partnership with the Jones family to license and develop worldwide relationships to manufacture and market luxury products in all appropriate categories now takes an important step forward with this golf equipment initiative.”
“In business, I’ve always asked myself this question,” says Rosenthal. “Does this new or existing business have an unequivocal reason to exist and to prosper? If so, then how is this best accomplished? There are obvious needs in narrow segments of the golf industry and I had to find the talent to answer one or more of these needs.” And that is the abridged version of how it came to pass when Rosenthal approached Ortiz to develop a full line of fairway woods and to join him in the formation of The Bobby Jones Golf Company.
Under Rosenthal’s guidance, The Bobby Jones Golf Company secured an exclusive, worldwide license from Jonesheirs. He would have products that reminded golfers of the legend of Bobby Jones, the contemporary craftsmanship of Jesse Ortiz, and the commitment to quality of Hartmarx Corporation (NYSE: HMX), the parent company that produces the Bobby Jones apparel line.
Hartmarx produces and markets business, casual and golf apparel for both men and women through a broad range of retail channels. The company also produces apparel for Jack Nicklaus, as well as clothing under license from Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Burberry and other well-known brands. The Bobby Jones Golf Company is devoted to creating products that mirror the quality, image and leadership position of this highly successful apparel company.
“The strategic alliance with Hartmarx to manufacture golf equipment and accessories of unprecedented craftsmanship will fill a void in better golf shops in the U.S. and worldwide,” Rosenthal says. “Our products will be marketed through fine resorts, golf shops, and better off-course golf stores.”
The Bobby Jones Golf Company is supported by the Hartmarx senior management team, including its sophisticated international licensing group.
“The Bobby Jones apparel division of Hickey-Freeman is at the leading edge of our company's luxury strategy,” says Elbert O. Hand, Chairman Emeritus of Hartmarx Corporation. “Our business partnership with the Jones family to license and develop worldwide relationships to manufacture and market luxury products in all appropriate categories now takes an important step forward with this golf equipment initiative.”
The Bobby Jones Players Series by Jesse Ortiz consists of the classically shaped, shallow, fairway woods that feature the same construction as the limited edition, Collection Series, but smaller in profile and appealing to better players. All woods feature Carpenter’s 465 steel alloy faces, milled to 1.6 mm thickness for unparalleled performance and feel. Lofts available: 13, 15, 17, 19 degrees; and in hybrid design: 19, 21, 25 and 30 degrees.
The series will also include two 440 cc drivers of 9.5- and 10.75-degree lofts, featuring graphite composite crowns for maximum rear weighting. Two weighted screws provide neutral or draw bias options for golfers. Russian BT-23 beta titanium faces are milled, heat treated and formed to maximize ball compression and minimize spin.
Beyond Ortiz’ technical innovations is his superior sense of aesthetics. The club heads possess a deep forest-green finish. They are handsome clubs that look good, both in the bag and at address.
Now, with the release of the Bobby Jones lines of clubs, the vision of both the master craftsman and the golf legend is attainable by all who love the game.
The series will also include two 440 cc drivers of 9.5- and 10.75-degree lofts, featuring graphite composite crowns for maximum rear weighting. Two weighted screws provide neutral or draw bias options for golfers. Russian BT-23 beta titanium faces are milled, heat treated and formed to maximize ball compression and minimize spin.
Beyond Ortiz’ technical innovations is his superior sense of aesthetics. The club heads possess a deep forest-green finish. They are handsome clubs that look good, both in the bag and at address.
Now, with the release of the Bobby Jones lines of clubs, the vision of both the master craftsman and the golf legend is attainable by all who love the game.
The Bobby Jones Golf Company’s women’s line is designed for mid- to high-handicap women to maximize playability and, therefore, increase enjoyment.
Crafted to create a 15-yard gap between clubs, this set has the same technology as the men’s Players line, but in a sleeker, lower CG package, featuring a unique, patent-pending, sole-plate design. The 400 cc composite crowned driver has a generous 14 degrees of loft to maximize launch angle. Beginning with the 18-degree 3 wood, each
club is gapped 5 degrees in loft and 1.0 inches in length. The 3 and 5 woods are traditional fairway woods, while the 7, 9 and 11 are hybrids. Each club may be purchased separately.
Crafted to create a 15-yard gap between clubs, this set has the same technology as the men’s Players line, but in a sleeker, lower CG package, featuring a unique, patent-pending, sole-plate design. The 400 cc composite crowned driver has a generous 14 degrees of loft to maximize launch angle. Beginning with the 18-degree 3 wood, each
club is gapped 5 degrees in loft and 1.0 inches in length. The 3 and 5 woods are traditional fairway woods, while the 7, 9 and 11 are hybrids. Each club may be purchased separately.
