Ideas for shop success in 2025

It is interesting to step back and appreciate that in a world of unlimited internet and giant warehouse stores, the golf shop, with its undersized presentation, continues to churn on and thrive. With an amazing number of suppliers, continued healthy rounds, and fans of every age, the opportunity to build a successful retail program is available for most golf courses with enough play and a bit of space. Although this post is not a grand tutorial on creating great change for your shop, it will offer three ideas for growing sales while saving money.

The golf shop is usually the also-ran when it comes to final size and layout during any clubhouse design effort. Nevertheless, as the central hub for activity and conversation, golfers always find the golf shop. As someone who has been a buyer and seller over a long career, I believe the following three thoughts can make your 2025 golf shop business healthier. It is important to communicate any significant changes in the business plan to the entire operations team, both inside and out. If your outside team can excite golfers coming through the bag drop, they will be primed to stop and take a longer look. Here in this In My Opinion post are three ideas to alter your thinking about the golf shop.

You are in the sales business, not the display business. It is important to note that the presentation and positioning of the product are precursors to success. If you want to drive real numbers, it is critical to make sure the staff is trained on the brands and products you plan to stock. It is then crucial to develop a sales attitude. The team should understand selling basics, including upselling, and be given the time to talk with golfers walking through the shop. Finally, an incentive program to grow sales is an important part of a growth strategy. It is about being proactive every day. It is also important to note: what gets measured gets done!

Create a sense of urgency. It is never a good idea to put everything on the floor when it arrives. Present one of each color and size, not all three of a top or bottom in a color and size. By showing one, maybe two, you set the tone for the member to decide at that moment: buy this now or risk someone else owning it. Once you decide to position only a selection on the floor, you should then have a disciplined plan for the staff to check the floor and restock it often. Certainly, you want the golf shop to look full, especially at the start of your season, but showing everything will delay, possibly even prevent sales. Show less, sell more, and restock often.

Good, better, best is a long-time retail strategy. No matter who is playing your course, the member demographics, or their average worth, you should consider a variety of merchandise price points: good, better, best for quality and average price will enable you to widen your customer base. This approach provides every player the opportunity to shop with you. It is important to appreciate that people with less disposable income may just want the best of something, while those at the other end may be all about value and not simply default to the top brands and highest prices. If you decide to offer apparel and other products at a variety of price points, plan on creating separate display areas with very defined signage (in large font). It is always about educating and informing. You can adjust inventory selection and average price based on sales activity during the first several weeks of the season.

These are three simple ideas that can be fairly easy to delegate and execute. It is important to measure the changes that occur as golfers learn about this new golf shop story. There is the opportunity to tweak and then tweak again according to what your team learns right from the first weekend of the new season.

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Jack Dillon presents the In My Opinion posts. Jack is a long-time industry expert. As a consultant and strategist, Jack can help you and your team build a better story for 2025. He can help your team sell more, buy better, and create better hospitality. Go to www.youdontknowjackd.com to set up a Zoom with Jack to learn more. You can also reach Jack at 407-973-6136. Jack lives in Orlando and will be speaking at the 2025 PGA Show.