Over the course of nearly 28 years with Titleist, Bobby Acciardo has risen from a role in customer service to become the brand’s Director of U.S. Staff Partnerships, overseeing relationships with PGA of America Golf Professionals. Acciardo calls his journey “truly a childhood dream realized,” having learned the business from mentors such as Peter Broome, John Screen and Mike McCampbell. In the midst of a flurry of Titleist product launches, Acciardo took a quick break to talk with PGA Magazine about how important PGA of America Professionals are to Titleist’s focus on product, process and people.
How does the relationship between PGA of America Golf Professionals and Titleist benefit both sides?
Bobby Acciardo: They have been a cornerstone of our business since the earliest days of Titleist and play an essential role in helping us connect with the dedicated golfer. The PGA of America Golf Professional brings our brand to life, unlocking a golfer’s full potential by connecting them with the right equipment. They educate, fit and thoughtfully recommend what’s best for their golfers. That level of trust and expertise is invaluable. Our commitment extends beyond product to educational resources that help elevate the status of the PGA Professional as the trusted expert. And fitting resources, like our launch monitor-based golf ball and wedge fitting applications, which expand the value they can offer to their students and members. We view these professionals not just as partners, but as trusted ambassadors and friends of the brand. It’s a relationship built on mutual respect and shared purpose, and we are incredibly fortunate to work alongside them every day.
The sport and business of golf continue to ride a surge of demand. How is Titleist helping PGA of America Professionals keep the momentum going?
The leaders who built this brand emphasized three enduring pillars: product, process and people. That philosophy continues to guide us today as we partner with PGA of America Golf Professionals to continue to grow the game and help golfers play their best golf.
It begins with performance: designing and delivering the best possible products. From there, we focus on process: equipping PGA Professionals with the tools, insights and resources that they need to excel as experts in fitting, merchandising, instruction and play. Just as important, we prioritize people. We believe deeply in the power of personal connection – what I often refer to as “personal is powerful.”
What’s on the horizon for the Titleist brand in 2026?
Our R&D teams continue to deliver performance-driven innovation that is validated at the highest levels of the game. Coming out of the PGA Show in Orlando, we introduced the new Pro V1x Left Dash golf ball, a ball that started as a CPO (Custom Performance Option) on tour but now plays an important role in our lineup. With three distinct Pro V1 models, PGA Professionals now have more tools than ever to fit golfers with precision, delivering optimized flight and performance characteristics tailored to each player. By using the Titleist Golf Ball Fitting App, they can confidently guide golfers toward solutions that help them perform at their best. We’ve also just introduced our new GTS drivers and fairways on professional tours around the world. More than 50 players across the PGA TOUR LPGA and Korn Ferry Tours made the switch to GTS drivers the first week they were available, and you can really feel the momentum building toward our consumer launch. The response to our next generation Vokey Design SM11 wedges and Scotty Cameron putters, including our new family of Phantom mallets, has been just as strong and we can't wait for golf season to kick into full gear.
How’s your golf game, and what are you personally excited about for this year?
My game is in a good place. After a car accident early in 2025 that sidelined me for much of the summer, I was encouraged by the progress I saw in the fall – it is always fun closing out a season with a round of 69. I’m really looking forward to building on that this year.
What excites me most, though, is the growing interest my two boys, Hunter and Dylan, are showing in the game. Spending time with them on the range and on the course has been incredibly rewarding. They both play a lot of baseball and it’s amazing to see how that translates into golf, from contact to clubhead speed.