Field Notes

BOURBON, MO – Imperial, voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for seven consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels” by Golf Datatech, is proud to announce that a partnership with Honcho Pickleball.  This partnership will name Imperial as the “Official Headwear Sponsor of Honcho Pickleball” for the 2025 season.  Honcho Pickleball is a premier pickleball amateur league organization operating in over 40 markets across the United States.   Each eight-week session allows players of all levels to participate in one of the fastest growing sports.   “Imperial is thrilled to engage with and support amateur pickleball players. This collaboration strengthens our grassroots initiatives and deepens our commitment to the growing pickleball community. ” said Jerry Biag, Director of Marketing.  About Imperial Imperial is a consumer apparel brand founded in 1916 with design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities. Imperial sells its products into several markets, including the direct-to-consumer (DTC), golf, corporate, and supply chain channels. Customers include the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup. Imperial also has manufacturing and licensing relationships with Nike, Peter Millar, Tommy Hilfiger, Vans, adidas and many other global brands. Imperial products can be found at all Top 100 and over 75% of the Top 400 golf courses in the United States and has been voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for six consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels” by Golf Datatech. Imperial is also proud to fund the Imperial Foundation, a separate philanthropic organization committed to the growth and vitality of sports—especially the game of golf and those who support it—as well as the overall health and well-being of the people in the communities Imperial serves. For further information please visit Imperial1916.com. Follow Imperial on Instagram at @ImperialHats.  About Honcho Pickleball Honcho Pickleball is the premier amateur pickleball experience & community in the country, currently hosting multi-skillset weekly leagues across 40+ markets across 20 states! Poised to have a presence in over 100 markets by the end of this upcoming year, 2025 will have Honcho positioned to, leveraging their expansive venue-partner-relationships across the nation and their strong player database of thousands of active players in 2024, open up their breadth of services into a new service offerings, such as their Multi-Stop Amateur Tour, National Tournaments, Local Corporate/Culture Events, Clinics/Trainings, E-Comm/Merch, etc.. as they continue to grow the largest amateur pickleball community across the nation!

Imperial will be the Official Hat Supplier of the U.S. Solheim Cup Team. For the second consecutive year, Imperial and its team of designers worked with U.S. Team Captain Stacy Lewis to create custom headwear inspired by the patriotism of the Solheim Cup.   “We worked with the team at Imperial for the last two years on the design of custom hats that fit the look we wanted for the U.S. Team,” said U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain Stacy Lewis. “We appreciate their support to help the U.S. Team look and feel great.” “Imperial is honored to be the Official Hat Supplier for this renowned event,” says David Shaffer, President of Imperial. “We’re proud to support women’s golf and we’re looking forward to outfitting Team USA for this competition.” In June, Imperial introduced the 2025 collection, featuring new headwear, apparel and embellishment techniques. This collection marks a bold new direction in the brand’s product development featuring original styling and fabrics.  Imperial’s unique fabric techniques and embellishments partnered with a robust collection of colorways and patterns drives this year’s stunning collection. Fans can purchase limited-edition Solheim Cup hats here. About the Solheim Cup The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of the game of golf with passion for one’s country and continent. This biennial international match-play competition features the best U.S. players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the best European players from the Ladies European Tour (LET). The Solheim Cup is named in honor of Karsten and Louise Solheim and family, the founders of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING golf equipment. In 1990, the Solheim family, in conjunction with the LPGA and the LET, developed the concept and became the title sponsor for the Solheim Cup. Today, the Global Partners of the Solheim Cup are PING, Hilton, Skyscanner, Virginia Tourism Corporation and Rolex. Held every two years, the event has grown into the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team event. The 2024 Solheim Cup will be held Sept. 13-15 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. The U.S. Team leads Team Europe, 10-7-1, all-time in Solheim Cup competition. For more information, visit www.solheimcup.com.

Imperial announced today golf industry veteran David Shaffer as its new President. In his new role, Shaffer will manage Imperial’s Golf, Corporate, Destination & Leisure, Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) and Licensing businesses. “I am excited for my new position and the future of Imperial,” said Shaffer. “Leading the Imperial brand and our team is an honor. I’m looking forward to developing our business, great products and strong partnerships for years to come.” Shaffer has been with Imperial for more than 13 years. He has held various positions at the Company, including Director of Marketing, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, and most recently Senior Vice President of Sales. Shaffer also played a major role in the sale of Imperial to CPC in 2021, the acquisition of JT Spencer in 2022, establishing the Imperial Foundation in 2023, and the acquisition of Pukka in 2024. “David is a dynamic executive with a strong track record of building the Imperial brand,” said Todd Johnson, CEO of Imperial. “He embodies all the qualities and characteristics we look for in a leader, as well as the Imperial brand. I have no doubt David will continue to grow our brand, while delivering value to our customers and positively impact the communities we serve.” David Shaffer is a graduate of Northwestern University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Master of Science in Marketing. He was also a NCAA Division I Scholarship Athlete on the Men’s Varsity Golf Team at Northwestern. Shaffer resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife Amy and three daughters: Addison, Hadley and Reid.

Imperial is excited to welcome Andrew to the team. His extensive experience in growing revenue and strategic planning in the green grass sector will be invaluable as he leads the Peter Millar business. David Shaffer, President of Imperial. Andrew comes to Imperial from Oak Hill Country Club, where he served as the PGA Director of Retail Operations. His previous experience also includes roles at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club and Wannamoisett Country Club. Andrew holds dual Bachelors degrees in Hospitality/PGA Golf Management and Finance from Florida State University and is a member of the Professional Golf Association of America and the Association of Golf Merchandisers. Andrew is relocating to Scottsdale, AZ where he can enjoy his hobbies including golf, hiking, fitness and travel.