Acushnet & Henry-Griffitts Settle Patent Infringement Suit

Jim Hofmeister, president and CEO of Henry-Griffitts, Inc., has announced the settlement of its lawsuit against the Acushnet Company, Inc., for infringement of its Golf Club Lie Angle Evaluation Device patent (U.S. Patent No. 4,932,662). Terms of the settlement are confidential.

Henry-Griffitts pioneered the dynamic club-fitting method and the patented fitting device in question (known as the lie board). U.S. Patent 4,932,662 was issued to Henry-Griffitts, Inc. on June 12, 1990.

The Henry-Griffitts club-fitting method uses experienced swing teachers and proprietary technologies, including the lie board, to evaluate the effect of a golfer's equipment on a player’s swing motion. Once the swing motion has been evaluated, Henry-Griffitts custom-manufactures its clubs according to these individual specifications. The Hayden, Idaho-based firm continues to lead the industry in the art and science of personalized club-fitting at green-grass facilities with its innovative and proprietary techniques.

"The Patented Henry-Griffitts fitting device is integral in our fitting process to determine the correct lie angle for each individual golfer," Hofmeister said. "You can understand why enforcing our patents is so important.

"Henry-Griffitts pioneered custom club-fitting more than 20 years ago, and since that time the lie board has been central to the custom-fitting, manufacture and sale of Henry-Griffitts equipment," Hofmeister continued. "Like any other firm, we depend on technical innovation and the protections of patent law to compete in the marketplace. When those protections have been abrogated, in a sustained and willful way, over such a long period of time, we feel legal action must be taken."

The complaint, filed on Oct. 29, 2004, in the Southern District of California, alleges that The Acushnet Company (parent company of Titleist), The Roger Cleveland Golf Company, and Taylormade Golf Company have willfully violated and continue to violate U.S. Patent 4,932,662. Legal actions against The Roger Cleveland Golf Company and Taylormade Golf Company remain ongoing.