Getting Sidetracked by Sponsor Thoughts
So, I started looking into who backs Bryson DeChambeau these days. You see him on TV, right? Big drives, unique style. Naturally, you notice the logos plastered all over him. Cobra, Puma, maybe some others I wasn’t catching immediately.
I first just tried watching closely during a tournament broadcast. Paused the TV a few times, squinted at the screen. Tried to make out the smaller logos on his sleeve or collar. It’s harder than you think with the camera angles always changing.
Then, I figured I’d just search it online. Typed in “dechambeau sponsors”. Got a bunch of articles, some lists. But you know how it is, some info felt kinda old. Like, is he still with that company? Players change deals all the time.
This whole process got me thinking, not really about Bryson specifically, but about brand deals in general. It took me back to this time years ago, totally unrelated, when I was trying to build a custom bookshelf for my kid. I needed specific wood screws, the really heavy-duty kind.
My Old Go-To Hardware Store Fiasco
I usually went to this local hardware store, “Old Man Hemlock’s”. Been going there since I was a kid myself. Always thought they had the best stuff, knew the owner, the whole deal. Felt loyal, you know? Like how maybe fans feel about players and their sponsors.
So, I went in for these screws. Grabbed a box that looked right. Got home, started the project. Halfway through, I realized the screws were stripping like crazy. Absolutely useless. The metal was soft as butter. Ruined a piece of good oak.
- Went back to the store, box in hand.
- Showed the owner, Hemlock himself.
- He basically shrugged. Said, “Bought ’em cheap from a new supplier. Tough luck.”
No refund, no exchange, just a shrug. After decades of loyalty! Felt like a real slap in the face. All that time thinking they were the best, reliable, like a good sponsor, and then poof. Switched supplier to save a buck and sold junk.
I walked out of there pretty steamed. Never went back. Found a different place across town, slightly bigger, maybe less ‘charming’, but their screws worked. Finished the bookshelf, solid as a rock.
It’s funny how thinking about DeChambeau and his big-money deals with Cobra Puma Golf made me dredge up that memory about cheap screws and a grumpy old store owner. Just goes to show, whether it’s multi-million dollar golf deals or a five-dollar box of screws, that feeling of trust and reliability matters. When it breaks, it breaks hard.
