What the f*&k's going on? There must be something in the air over in the States as this is the third US rip-off of a UK product I've spotted in as many days. Those punks at Nike have ripped off our friends at Golf Refugees with their new range of "one black" golf balls ... and we've got an exclusive report on it. As members of the urban golfing elite and founding sponsors of the Shoreditch Golf Club, Protein° has naturally dug a little deeper into this story as it smells like 18 holes of shite, so I spoke to the head of Golf Refugees to get their side of story. This is what he said ... "Refugees has always produced unusual golf products and clothing. We, not Nike, thought of the concept of a black golf ball and followed the idea through to a manufactured product. Our packaging for this product states; REFUGEES mega-distance ball black heat-retentive cover two piece construction more visible in the air.
Obviously how the look to us is very important. We've always believed they looked great, and had the necessary visual impact that a small UK brand like Refugees needs. When you work within a limited marketing budget, your product has to do more of it's own marketing, by being distinctive. We looked into the technical idea that a black golf ball could fly further than a white golf ball, during the summer months, because it's black cover would absorb the heat from the sun's rays, and reduce the density of the surrounding air as it flies. Every one else was producing white golf balls and claiming that their white ball was better than the competition. Refugees black ball came along and stated that a black ball could be better in some circumstances than any white golf ball ie a very hot sunny day. This product was launched in 2002 with a small press campaign. Refugees black golf ball been sold through Selfridges and other style, fashion conscious retailers. Appeared in many magazines and newspapers including GQ USA. Nike have never done a radical golf product before. Their ' black ball ' is our idea. They originally told the press it was just a publicity stunt for their new white ball, which has black packaging. But, now they have gone into production with a black golf ball, available in the USA in selected stores." Yeah.
