When David Abeles ‘93 (BUS) became president and CEO of TaylorMade Golf 12 years ago, the company wasn’t the $2 billion equipment and apparel powerhouse that it is today.

Under Abeles’ leadership, TaylorMade has grown from a well-liked golf equipment brand to one of the most dominant and marketing-savvy companies in the world, led by its product innovation and the influence of prominent professional golfers, including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.

The company’s best-selling drivers, irons, and golf balls have garnered 25% of the global golf market. Two years ago, the company re-entered the apparel market, partnering with Tiger Woods to launch SUN DAY RED clothing.

“I’m competitive to my core,’’ Abeles says. “I think that’s the red thread that ties together our employees. We just won’t accept mediocrity.’’

Abeles studied marketing, with a finance concentration, as an undergrad. At UConn, he developed a business ideology that has helped guide his decisions. He hires the right people, focuses extensively on corporate culture, and champions constant innovation.

“The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was to restructure the company in order to turn it around,’’ Abeles says. “What was wrong? Just about everything! We had to revise our strategy, improve our equipment, and develop endorsements. Our P&L was…not good. We’d lost our company culture and had no true North Star.’’

When Abeles became CEO, TaylorMade was owned by Adidas. He pushed for the company to divest and in 2017, TaylorMade became a stand-alone brand. Today, TaylorMade has international visibility on the PGA Tour and beyond, with top sponsored athletes, including McIlroy, Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and Collin Morikawa, and women’s golf pros Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson, and Charley Hull.

The Carlsbad, California-based company has also doubled its employees, to 2,400, under Abeles’ guidance, and has been named by Newsweek among the Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces for the last four years.

Abeles Played Club Golf at UConn and Still Values Its Program

Abeles grew up in Glastonbury. His father Sigmund, now 97, is a physicist and avid learner. He frequently invited astronomers and oceanographers to dinner with the family.

Abeles’s late mother, Rochelle, was a clinical psychologist who was compassionate and keenly insightful about the human spirit.

“It was a wonderful blessing to have parents that loved each other very much, despite their deeply different views of the world,’’ Abeles says.

Neither, however, played golf.

Abeles’s neighbors – older, twin teenagers – did play golf, though, and were the first to introduce him to the sport. By age 12, Abeles was hooked and became a competitive state player in high school.

“For golfers like me, it is significantly more than recreation, more than sport. It is part of your DNA,’’ he says.

Long before he was old enough to drive a car, Abeles was caddying at Glastonbury Hills Country Club, learning the rules and etiquette of the game, picking up some business knowledge from the golfers, and occasionally hearing a few racy jokes.

Studying business at UConn proved to be an invaluable experience.

“At UConn I had wonderful, incredible classmates and professors. I remember some of my classes like they were yesterday,’’ he says. “My exposure in the business school helped me create an ideology of how a business should run.” Having a marketing major, with a finance concentration, helped him view business from multiple perspectives.

In 1989, Abeles tried out as a walk-on for the UConn basketball team, but didn’t make the cut. The decision to play club golf instead was an easy one, and that experience has led to a long-term devotion to the team. He is in regular contact with UConn Golf Coach David Pezzino, and Abeles invites the team to visit TaylorMade’s test facility, known as “The Kingdom.’’ Occasionally, Abeles plays golf with Geno Auriemma.

“Dave’s support of our program has been incredible, and his willingness to share ideas and talk through ways to build a team has meant so much to me and our young men,’’ says Pezzino, who has coached at UConn for 19 years. He describes Abeles as genuinely kind and thoughtful.

“David and his team at TaylorMade have taken outstanding care of our program. Because of his love of UConn, our team has access to the very best equipment and expertise in our game,’’ Pezzino says. “David and I talk often, and he always wants to know how the guys are doing, and what’s up with our team. He genuinely cares about our program and all our sports. He’s a massive fan.’’

Abeles and his wife, Melody, have three sons, and the family members are all avid and competitive golfers. While he’ll have his two oldest at Wake Forest next year, his sister, nieces, and nephews are all Husky alumni.

“UConn means the world to me. Husky Nation never left me,’’ Abeles says. “I always try to give back.’’

Golf is Having a (Big) Moment

Today there are some 80 million golfers worldwide, up 55% from a decade ago.

“Golf is hot,’’ Abeles says. “There is a great deal of demand. Multiple generations are participating, and golfers are more diverse than before. We’re drawing more women, youth, and diverse players to the sport.

“Our industry is in a very good place. A silver lining to COVID was that everyone enjoyed outdoor sports because it gave them a chance to play in a safe environment. Its popularity soared because it’s relatable, athletic, and fun. It is a hobby that embraces everyone. We believe the global influx to the sport is sustainable and will continue to grow over time.’’

Advice to UConn Students: Work Hard, Take Chances, Innovate

After graduating from UConn, Abeles was offered a job on Wall Street, but decided it wasn’t for him. His father advised him to make his passion his vocation, so he accepted his first job selling equipment at Golfers’ Warehouse in Hartford. Ironically, that company is now one of TaylorMade’s best customers.

Over the course of his career, Abeles has been commercially focused, starting in sales, developing his brand marketing and product skills, and ultimately moving into general management. He has worked primarily in the golf-equipment industry, but also in sports-event management.

Abeles says if he could offer advice to UConn students and recent alumni, based on his experience, it would be to pursue a passion, take chances, and always strive to innovate.

“It is important to clearly identify what your specific objectives are, establish a viable strategy, surround yourself with great people, prioritize your resources, and work your tail off,’’ he says.

“I would also encourage young professionals to master specific skills in their domain and leverage technology for their benefit. These areas of focus will be a differentiator,’’ he says. “It is also important for young people to recognize that the variable that each of us controls is our work ethic. No short cuts! Put in the effort and the results will follow.’’

Company Culture, Partnerships, Technology

Abeles is particularly proud of his company’s ranking among the most loved workplaces.

“Our culture is unique. The words above the door read: ‘We are golfers!’ It isn’t just our workplace. We live it,’’ he says. The typical employee stays with the company for 14 years.

Abeles credits that to the values of originality and innovation, a highly competitive team, and a corporate spirit they refer to as “golf-o-mistic.’’

“What I’m most proud of is our people, who tell the world that they love to work here, that they’re inspired to work here,’’ he says. “I think part of that is maintaining clear strategic plans and hiring people who are relentless in that pursuit.’’

“The most important thing is the environment and culture we have here. When people walk in here the energy you feel is unique; unlike any other golf company in the country,’’ he says. “Sure, I worry about tariffs and energy prices, but the thing that keeps me up is the question: Is the culture more advanced than it was yesterday? Are we humble, focused, and passionate about what we do?’’

To nurture that enthusiasm, TaylorMade surveys employees every four months to identify problems before they grow. They also offer development, training, and AI classes at prominent universities in the area. Several UConn alumni work at TaylorMade, either as interns or permanent employees.

Abeles holds himself to the same standard. As the company’s chief spokesman, he uses a coach to help him present his message in a clear and focused manner.

And while other companies talk about innovation, TaylorMade lives it. “Innovation is in our cultural DNA,’’ he says, adding that the company is already planning products that it will launch five years from now.

The TaylorMade Qi4D driver was one of the most anticipated and widely discussed releases of 2026, and received high ratings from early users. “Creating this driver is more complicated than building a ballistic missile,’’ Abeles says. “You’ve got 30,000gs of force, it has to deliver at least 4,000 times without compromise, and consistently hitting launch conditions of 180 miles per hour,’’ he says.

TaylorMade also invested in PopStroke, a reimagined mini golf course/entertainment experience where traditional windmills and waterfalls are replaced with next-gen technology. The establishments, now in more than a dozen cities, include lively bars and full-service restaurants.

“We’re relentless in our pursuit of making things better,’’ Abeles says. “We want to be the best performance golf brand in the world and the most inspired, forward-looking company in the industry.’’

Abeles, who recently attended the 2026 Master’s at Augusta National, says no matter how often he’s there, it is as thrilling as the first time. “It’s an incredible privilege to do what we do,’’ he says.

“I have no tattoos,’’ Abeles says, then chuckles. “But, if I had one, it would say ‘TaylorMade!’’’