Pro Shops

[richy]

My father has been approached by a local golf club to take over the golf shop. With him having 20 years knowledge in the menswear retail industry it wouldn't be a problem for him.
What I was wondering was how easy would it be to get the clubs off the manufacturer.
Any advice off anyone that runs a shop or even better owns one would be great.
Thanks

 

[SammmeBee]

Does 20 years in the menswear retail industry give you all the knowledge you need for your golfing customers then?

Why don't the club have a pro?

In answer to you question - I would say if you ring the manufacturer and say you want to buy some clubs, they will send the salesman round to your shop...

 

[richy]

If you have good customer service skills in general you can offer alot to any type of customer, be it golf or not.
Just because you are a good golfer doesnt make you a good salesman. Ive been to many pro shops and the customer service was awful because most golf pros are full of themselves. Not the kind of service I would like when spending my hard earned cash.

Who would you rather be served by someone who is friendly, polite and has good product knowledge or someone who can drive a golfball 300 yards?

 

[JustOne]

Ive been to many pro shops and the customer service was awful because most golf pros are full of themselves.

OY! OY!... a man after my own heart..... be prepared for the backlash!

 

[drawboy]

If you have good customer service skills in general you can offer alot to any type of customer, be it golf or not.
Just because you are a good golfer doesnt make you a good salesman. Ive been to many pro shops and the customer service was awful because most golf pros are full of themselves. Not the kind of service I would like when spending my hard earned cash.

Who would you rather be served by someone who is friendly, polite and has good product knowledge or someone who can drive a golfball 300 yards?

I would like to associate myself with the above comment.

 

[bobmac]

Who would you rather be served by someone who is friendly, polite and has good product knowledge or someone who can drive a golfball 300 yards?

Is it not possible to do both?

 

[SammmeBee]

Who would you rather be served by someone who is friendly, polite and has good product knowledge or someone who can drive a golfball 300 yards?

Is it not possible to do both?

Or employ 2 people who cover both attributes?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can see how the experience can help on the retail side but I'd prefer my pro shop to be manned by a PGA pro so I can get a lesson, specific equipment advice (no offence to your dad but he just won't have the detailed knowledge on shaft specs etc). Otherwise it is only a scaled down version of going to AG etc (with added Mars bars).

 

[thecraw]

If its a club pro job many of them survive on Mars bar sales, jumpers and shirts. Plus a nice wee retainer.

"That colour fairly brings out the colour in your eyes madam"

I'm a born salesman.

You certainly dont need to be a pro to custom fit as you can be trained in that, you dont need to be a pro to have an understanding of technology or shafts or balls. The only area where he will lose out is lessons!

Reps will quickly learn that there is a new customer and soon start popping in with their wares.

Customer service is a big big thing for me. If someone says they will get you a price or get you a club to try and they dont bother their backside, sod em, if they do what they say they will do I will use them again. Simple things done properly mean alot to customers.

 

[viscount17]

I think it's more or less traditional that pro shops have been run by golf pros as it's hard to see how the shop would support two big salaries. For the life of me I can't see how our pro shop supports the number that it does, and 'customer service' is a bit 'if you see it you can buy it'. they do have some nice stuff - Sun Mountain 4-wheel push-cart for one, haven't seen it anywhere else (doing it again I'd get this in preference to the electric!)

Ours deals with Ping, Titleist (they are local) and PGA for clubs; anything needed for fittings, grips etc comes through Golfsmith (also local).

His best bet would be to stock at least one make the others in the area don't, and get a pro on staff (or tie in with a local clubmaker) to do the fitting.

 

[stevek1969]

We're lucky at our course as the pro is a decent guy(a bit tight),he uses the TGI group and always says if you see something thats not in the shop he'll get it for you and price match ,you cant ask for better.He has some Demo clubs to take out and will tape up a driver for you to try.

He can custom fit as well as he has a Vector Launch Monitor and does Ping,Wilson and Titliest,his only downfall at times is he doesn't take trade in's unless he does it thru Golfbidder who's prices are poor.

Lesson wise he has a good reputation locally for it and takes £18 for them, so not bad.He must be not bad as was hearing that one of the Juniors who he taught won a College Comp in America where he's on a schoolarship.

 

[Screwback]

Does your dad play golf?

If he does then i cannot see there being a problem as others have said you can get trained to C/T he is going to have great salemans patter and probably a friendly guy to speak to you before you play your round.

And unless you have had a lot of lessons from that pro they are not going to know your game anyway so they can only advise you on very little knowledge of your game.

 

[richy]

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments.

We're going ahead with it and should be open in the very near future. As for the pro, the club has one and he says he will be involved as much as we want. At the moment he is there for lessons. He will help us with club fitting and we will let him use our launch monitor.