Head Pro and Retail Manager: Chad Townsend (does buying with Director of Golf Adam Chamberlain)
How has the pandemic affected the way you’ve done business in the pro shop?
Townsend: “We had it pretty good pre-pandemic when we could rely on that standard 7-10 day window for clients. Now, we’re definitely a bit more cautious in terms of promising and not being able to deliver. It’s been a change in that regard, but by the same token, it really hasn’t affected club sales. Since the pandemic began, we’ve had our busiest couple of years.”
Merchandising tips?
“I wouldn’t say we’re re-inventing the wheel here; we’re just making sure the displays stay fresh. We’re fortunate enough to be two hours from the nearest Golf Town so a lot of people see the products here as opposed to in a big box store. We try to have as much product on the floor at all times. It comes down to making sure it’s well maintained and visible.”
Drivers?
“We stock the new model of every brand out there. We probably sell 95-plus-per cent custom fit. The biggest runaways so far this year have been Stealth and Rogue.”
Irons?
“I’d say the biggest positive surprises would be the new Mizuno series. 223 and 225 have been going very well. Titleist, TaylorMade and Callaway are always selling well.”
Hybrids and fairway woods?
“We’ve seen a bigger growth in Cobra. Callaway, TaylorMade and Cobra have been our standouts, with a sprinkling of Titleist.”
Wedges?
“Pretty clear-cut Vokey. It’s tough to beat those guys.”
Putters?
“Scotty Cameron. More and more people justify the expense for spending a couple of extra bucks on a club you’re going to use for a lot of your shots. Odyssey also does very well.”
Balls?
Pro V1 and Pro V1X are the leaders; their three-for-one promo remains very popular among our membership. Also, good sales of Chrome Soft.”
Shoes
“We sell a lot of Ecco. We do FootJoy, Puma and adidas, too.”
Men’s clothing?
“FootJoy is probably most popular. Sunice still does well. We’re probably one of the shortest golf seasons in the country so people definitely need some layering.”
Women’s clothing?
“By leaps and bounds, it’s lululemon. We picked up that brand last winter and it’s taken over nicely. They’re doing more and more golf stuff. The ladies love it.”
Hats?
“We do every brand manufacturer hat and we generally sell a lot of our own (Ahead).”
Gloves?
“FootJoy and Callaway.”
Bags?
“We’re seeing a lot of Callaway and Titleist fly out the door.”
Impulse items?
“We sell a lot of Corkcicle stuff, whether it’s your standard tumblers or whiskey wedges or cigar glasses. Point-of-sale stuff people pick up for occasions and people tend to pick up as gifts. The Wingman is very popular. We started doing Theragun which has been very good.
