Golfers come and go throughout the day, they pay a green fee or perhaps pop in for a chat with you the Pro before heading off for their round. They might grab a bag of tees or top-up their drinks bottle from the water cooler, or they might be looking for that one thing you’re not stocking yet…
As footfall slowly increases after the effects of the pandemic, here’s our top picks for the Pro Shop looking into next season – as well as a few of the items we’ve seen a huge boom for over the course of 2021.
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1. Club branded headwear – It’s an obvious one really, but caps and beanies will always be popular items off the shelf in any club shop. Branded in your colours and logo? Equally perfect as one-off souvenirs for visitors who don’t know when they’ll be back again as well as your loyal members who want to wear their colours on and off the course. |
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2. Ball markers – For most golfers, a coin out of their wallet might do. But maybe they haven’t been made aware that ball markers come in all different shapes and sizes. From bulk to bespoke, there are a huge amount of options you could be retailing. Branded in your colours and with your logo too, if you like. |
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3. Waterproof bag covers – Nine times out of ten, golfers will have turned up at the course without checking the forecast or they simply won’t be prepared for wet weather. Bag covers come in various styles from simple club protection to full blown trolley bag covers. You’ll be out of stock in no time with the amount of rain here in the UK… |
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4. Winter gloves – If we’re still on the topic of unprepared golfers then let’s take a look at the winter glove situation. Say someone turns up at the course with a moth-eaten glove that just won’t cut it in the wind or rain, a new pair gloves come to the rescue every time |
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5. A compact trolley – There’s probably good reason you might not be stocking a trolley in your shop. It’s a high value item and not necessarily an impulse buy for the majority of customers. Limitations on space also make it a tough one to retail. But a compact trolley is always a winner with most golfers, mainly because they can fit it easily in their car boot. Sell them the benefits of a great product but with half the space taken up. |
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6. Healthy hydration – While some golfers will just opt for a top-up of water from the cooler or fountain, there are plenty who want an alternative option that’s both healthy and hydrating which isn’t fizzy or sugary. Healthier choices that contain zero sugars, zero caffeine and all vitamins and electrolytes to stay focused on the course are as popular as they are tasty. |
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7. Junior – If you’re not stocking junior product yet then why not? Research conducted by our in-house marketing team showed that nearly 70% of parents who were golfers would trust buying a junior golf set at a Pro Shop over any other buying channel, including online. |
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8. Club branded umbrella – Here we go again… those pesky rain clouds just won’t leave us alone will they? But it’s not only in the wet that umbrellas can be useful. UV protection from an umbrella can minimise the risk of sun stroke and burning during the summer. Also, don’t branded umbrellas just look great? |
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9. Ball retrievers – Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. Trying to rescue that ball that’s just out of reach in a ditch or one that’s just out of reach under a bush. But struggling with a precarious lean while gripping your 8 iron as an anchor is probably not a great look. Let the golfers on your course make better decisions when it comes to ball rescue with a compact and lightweight retriever that easily transports round the course. They’ll thank you later for it. |
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10. The bucket hat – Yep, we were as surprised as you on this one. But there’s a real demand for these at the moment (90’s retro anyone?) They’re also even more desirable if they’re club logoed. Great all year round for sun blocking as well as wet weather shielding during the wetter months. |
