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Titleist Doesn’t Find This Lewd Golf Parody Funny

The famous maker of golfing gear wasn’t amused when an upstart riffed on its name to sell some hats. But suing is often a loser for big brands.
Golf balls

Photographer: Getty Images

A golf-centric social media page had a hit on its hands when it started peddling hats mimicking the logo of Titleist, the golf equipment and apparel company. Only their stuff didn’t say Titleist—the merchandise replaced the brand name with a lewd anatomical reference that also starts with a T. Followers cackled at the joke and bought up the snapbacks, beanies, and beer koozies. 

Titleist wasn’t laughing. Its parent company sued the seller, I Made Bogey, for unfair competition, trademark infringement and dilution.