SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549 
                                  SCHEDULE 13G 
                   UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
                              AMENDMENT NO.   )* 
 
 
NAME OF ISSUER:  Ashworth Inc. 
 
TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:  Ashworth Inc. 
   UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED IS A 
   COMMON STOCK 
 
CUSIP NO: 04516H101 
 
FEE BEING PAID:   No 
 
 (1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS:   J. P. MORGAN & CO., INCORPORATED 
     S.S.  OR  I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS:    13-2625764 
 
 (2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP:    (A) 
                                                          (B) 
 
 (3) SEC USE ONLY 
 
 (4) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION:  UNITED STATES 
 
     NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:   
          (5) SOLE POWER TO VOTE:	1,077,300	SHARES 
          (6) SHARED POWER TO VOTE:	0	SHARES 
          (7) SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE:	1,277,500	SHARES 
          (8) SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE:	0	SHARES 
 
 (9) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON: 
                                          12,637,000 
 SHARES 
 
(10) CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES: 
 
(11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9):  10.109 % 
 
(12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON:  HC 
 
 
 
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549 
                                  SCHEDULE 13G 
                   UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
 
AMENDMENT NO:                                 		DATE: October 31, 1997 
 
FEE BEING PAID:       No 
 
ITEM 1  (a)  NAME OF ISSUER:  Ashworth Inc. 
 
ITEM 1  (b)  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES: 
                                     2791 Loker Avenue West 
                                     Carlsbad, CA 92008 
 
ITEM 2  (a)  NAME OF PERSON FILING: J. P. MORGAN & CO., INCORPORATED 
 
ITEM 2  (b)  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE: 
                                     60 WALL STREET 
                                     NEW YORK, N. Y. 10260 
 
ITEM 2  (c)  CITIZENSHIP UNITED STATES 
 
ITEM 2  (d)  TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:  
                                Ashworth Inc. 
 
                UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED IS A 
                COMMON STOCK 
 
ITEM 2  (e)  CUSIP NO: 04516H101 
 
ITEM 3  TYPE OF PERSON:  (g) PARENT HOLDING COMPANY 
 
ITEM 4  (a)  AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED:    12,637,000 
 SHARES, 
             INCLUDING 0 SHARES WHERE THERE IS A RIGHT TO ACQUIRE. 
 
ITEM 4  (b)  PERCENT OF CLASS:  10.109 % 
 
ITEM 4  (c)     (i) SOLE POWER TO VOTE:	1,077,300	SHARES 
               (ii) SHARED POWER TO VOTE:	0	SHARES 
              (iii) SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE:	1,277,500	SHARES 
               (iv) SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE:	0	SHARES 
 
ITEM 5  OWNERSHIP OF 5 PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:    Not Applicable 
 
ITEM 6  OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN 5 PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON: 
 
     VIRTUALLY ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTS INVOLVE OUTSIDE PERSONS WHO HAVE THE 
RIGHT TO RECEIVE OR DIRECT THE RECEIPT OF DIVIDENDS FROM, OR THE PROCEEDS 
FROM THE SALE OF, SECURITIES IN SUCH ACCOUNTS WITH RESPECT TO THE CLASS 
OF SECURITIES WHICH ARE THE SUBJECT OF THIS REPORT. HOWEVER, NO SUCH 
PERSON'S RIGHTS RELATE TO MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF THE CLASS, UNLESS 
SUCH PERSON IS IDENTIFIED BELOW. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SUBSIDIARIES: 
          MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK - 3(b) BANK 
          J.P. MORGAN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC. - 3(e) INVESTMENT ADVISOR 
          J.P. MORGAN FLORIDA FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK - 3(e) INVESTMENT ADVISOR 
 
  CERTAIN OF THE SECURITIES COVERED BY THIS REPORT MAY BE OWNED BY NON- 
QUALIFYING SUBSIDIARIES OF J.P. MORGAN & CO. INCORPORATED, BUT THE 
AMOUNT SO OWNED DOES NOT EXCEED ONE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OUTSTANDING 
SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY AND IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL  
INFORMATION CONCERNING SUCH SECURITIES. 
 
ITEM 8  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP:  
           NOT APPLICABLE 
 
ITEM 9  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF THE GROUP: NOT APPLICABLE 
 
ITEM 10 CERTIFICATION: 
 
  BY SIGNING BELOW I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND 
BELIEF, THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO ABOVE WERE ACQUIRED IN THE ORDINARY 
COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF AND DO NOT 
HAVE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING OR INFLUENCING THE CONTROL OF THE ISSUER OF 
SUCH SECURITIES AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH OR AS A 
PARTICIPANT IN ANY TRANSACTION HAVING SUCH PURPOSE OR EFFECT. 
 
  AFTER REASONABLE INQUIRY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, I 
CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE, 
COMPLETE AND CORRECT. 
 
 
								KATHLEEN H. TRIPP 
								VICE PRESIDENT