Afterward, a round-table discussion among media and Maxfli executives ensued. Maxfli ranks third at just over 12 percent, with Wilson and Bridgestone together adding another 17 percent. The market got a lot more competitive this year when Taylor Made and Nike both introduced balls. Moreover, everyone in the industry is waiting for the birth of the 500-pound gorilla. Like poker, it is a zero-sum game.
Winners live, losers run out of money and leave.
Taylor Made's InerGel suffered because production levels have been skimpy. But in the last six months there have been some interesting drifts. Statistics from the market-tracking firm Golf Datatech show that Bridgestone has grown from around 7 to nearly 9 percent, while Wilson and Top Flite dropped about a 1.5 percent. Olson knows that it will be impossible to uproot Titleist. By virtue of its innovative nature, Maxfli feels it can survive and even prosper.