Five golf-ball companies named in Acushnet suit deny patent-infringement claims | Golf News and Tour Information [Video]

It’s been nearly two months since Acushnet, the leading golf-ball manufacturer in the U.S. and the parent company of the Titleist brand, filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts accusing 10 small companies of selling golf balls that infringe on several of the company’s patents.

And it’s just starting to get interesting.

While two of the companies recently announced their decisions to step away from the golf-ball business, five others have responded to the Acushnet complaint with a categorical denial of any patent infringement by their golf balls. All of the companies named in the lawsuit are small operations with limited sales that are often marketed only through direct-to-consumer campaigns on company websites. The vast majority of balls named in the lawsuit are three-piece, cast urethane golf balls offered at a much cheaper price than balls of a similar construction.

Within the last two weeks, both 3Up Golf and Lightning Golf have cleared out inventory of their golf balls …