Meanwhile, Nicklaus Design, the golf-course design wing of the private Golden Bear International, has designed 50 courses in Asia. Bellinger believes Nicklaus is so popular in Asia because the Columbus native has many characteristics that are admired on that continent. He's seen as a champion in golf, a family man and a successful businessman. Golden Bear Golf, a public company formed in 1996, has licensing agreements with various manufacturers and distributors in Asia to produce Nicklaus-brand apparel and to move it to store shelves. The nature of the Asian market provides a boost for sports figures and celebrities who gain favor there.
Advertising is more celebrity-driven, and brand apparel is more popular.
Of that, Golden Bear Golf receives a 30 percent cut to manage the relationships. Nicklaus and his associates have seen steady, consistent growth since they began cultivating the Asian market in the 1960s, Bellinger said. The continent also has proved a ripe market for Nicklaus' golf-course design and construction businesses. Recent problems with various Asian economies have slowed business in that part of the world, company officials said, but not significantly. The company's international efforts benefit from not being tied to any one region, they said.