Born on June 3, 1919, in LaGrange, Georgia, to a textile family, Ely epitomized the American spirit of innovation, determination, and self-reinvention. His entrepreneurial spirit was evident from a young age when he became the chief procurement officer for all uniforms for the U.S. Army during World War II. 

In the 1950s and ’60s, Ely’s driving ambition fueled his steady rise through the ruthlessly competitive American textile industry. As president of Burlington Industries, the world‘s largest textile corporation, he made product, marketing, and advertising breakthroughs that transformed Burlington into a globally-recognized consumer brand. But his 30-year career in textiles came to a surprising end when he uncovered a corporate scandal at Burlington. This conspiracy and cover-up – a story never told until now –  posed a moral dilemma for Ely that forced him to leave New York and start over in the desert in Southern California at the age of 53.

Ely’s leap into winemaking with the establishment of Callaway Vineyard & Winery in Temecula, California, in 1973 earned him further acclaim. As one of the foremost premium varietal California vintners, Ely spearheaded the ascendancy of American wineries, placing their products on par with the finest European vintages. 

In 1981, Ely sold his winery to the liquor giant Hiram Walker and returned to his first and lifelong passion: golf. He invested in a fledgling startup called Hickory Stick USA and within ten years built it into Callaway Golf Company, the world’s largest golf equipment manufacturer and the first to ever go public on the New York Stock Exchange.  

At the heart of Ely’s success was the iconic Big Bertha driver, introduced in 1991. Big Bertha revolutionized the sport, making it more accessible and pleasing to players of all skill levels. Under Ely’s direction, Callaway Golf’s accelerated pace of technological innovation, combined with relentless new product creation and brilliant marketing, disrupted the industry and helped grow the game into a mass global sport.

Ely was one of the first corporate titans to warn about the decline of American industry as far back as the 1950s. He championed civil rights and equal opportunity for higher education beginning in the 1960s and 1970s with the UNCF. He put into practice his belief that good ethics is good business, and he was the antithesis of the “greed is good” corporate ethos of his time. 

At first glance, Ely’s life would appear to be a string of unbridled successes. But as he might say, that perception is something less than the truth. He was fired twice, married four times, and faced financial ruin on multiple occasions. Time and again, what saved him was his fearless risk taking, uncanny ability to anticipate future trends, eye for talent, unwavering moral integrity, and good luck. 

Though the Callaway name is still synonymous with golf, the man himself has largely been forgotten. This memoir, begun in the 1990s and now completed by his son, Nicholas, and co-editor Andrew Moorhead, preserves Ely’s legacy for this and future generations, capturing his unique voice, values, and spirit, while offering invaluable, timeless wisdom on the unconquerable games of golf, business, and life.