Our founder Ely Callaway built his life around hard work, creating products that customers would enjoy and developing lasting friendships with the people around him. Mr. Callaway left a remarkable legacy as a man and as a business visionary, and our timeline pinpoints some of the most memorable moments in his incredible life.
June 3, Born in La Grange, Georgia The only son of Loula Walker and Ely Reeves, Sr.
Uses $150 earned from selling Literary Digest to buy peach trees that yield $750 crop.
Wins the first of four consecutive club championships at Highland Country Club in LaGrange, Georgia.
Graduated from Emory University with a history degree.
Joins the Army as a reserve officer and is assigned to the Centralized Procurement Agency in Philadelphia.
Marries Jeanne Wiler on October 7, 1942. Becomes the Army's sole procurement officer for cotton clothing.
Works at Deering-Milliken and Co. in Atlanta. Jeanne and Ely have three children: Reeves, Lisa and Nicholas.
Named President and Director of Burlington Industries. Purchases first 150 acres of land for vineyard in Temecula, California.
Establishes Callaway Vineyard and Winery in Temecula, California.
Callaway 1974 White Riesling wine selected for Queen Elizabeth II's bicentennial luncheon in New York at the Waldorf Astoria. The Queen asks for two glasses and a meeting with the vintner.
Sells Callaway Vineyard and Winery to Hiram Walker and Sons for more than $14 million — a $9 million profit.
Buys Hickory Stick USA for $400,000, half owners with Dick De La Cruz and Richard Parente. Renames the company Callaway Hickory Stick USA, becomes president and CEO, and moves the company to Cathedral City.
Hires Richard C. Helmstetter as chief club designer.
December 1987 Callaway Golf moves to Carlsbad, CA.
Callaway Hickory Stick USA changes name to Callaway Golf Company. S2H2 Irons introduced. Sales = $.8 million.
Writes personal check for $25,000 to American Red Cross for relief when famine struck Rwanda.
The oversize Big Bertha Driver was launched, named for the WWI German cannon. Sales reach $54.7 million
Callaway Golf Company goes public, begins trading on the NYSE under the symbol ELY.
Establishes Callaway Golf Foundation with a $1 million donation.
Callaway Golf becomes the worlds largest manufacturer of golf clubs. Callaway Golf Ball Company formed. Receives honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Emory University.
Callaway's first golf ball, the 'Rule 35' was introduced.
May: Retires as President and CEO of Callaway Golf after selling more than $5 billion in golf clubs. June: Passes away at home in Rancho Santa Fe, California.