Kim Gramm, AGM, is the Merchandise Manager at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona and the Regional Merchandiser for Troon Golf.
Kim Gramm on the importance of implementing diverse shops within your golf shop:
The products we carry in our golf shops are about lifestyle, as well as golf, and a big part of today’s lifestyle is staying physically fit. Over the past few years, we started creating “Shops Within the Shop” for fitness brands such as Varley, Alo and Lululemon. It’s like going into a department store and seeing “boutiques” for different brands. Lifestyle is very big right now – with double zip athletic jackets, short- and long-sleeve fitness shirts, leggings and more. These items can be worn to play golf, but while you may not see many bra-tops out on the golf course, many women will throw on a pair of leggings under their skort to keep their legs warm during their round. At Troon North, which is a bucket list destination for many golfers, it is important to have the logo on most items. With these fitness pieces, people want the logo, but not on the left chest like a typical golf piece. They want it on the bottom left of the shirt, the back yoke or the left sleeve. If you’re going to buy a fitness lifestyle piece, you’re going to wear it in different settings, so you want the logo to be more subtle. In addition to the “Shops Within the Shop”, we also carry hoodies from Peter Millar, johnnie-O and various other brands to merchandise with different color stories within the shop. For example, we brought in a white retro hoodie from johnnie-O and sold it out within days. The bonus of a piece like this is not only can you wear it to the gym, but it protects you from the sun, so it’s also good to wear outside to play golf, or for other activities.
Kim Gramm on the business impact of implementing diverse shops within your golf shop:
To be successful as a golf retailer, you’ve got to find other categories to sell within your golf shop. This concept is becoming more prevalent in the industry, and several innovative examples have been shared in these GFAA best practices and Golf Fitness Monthly e-pub. After all, it’s important to expand your customer base, and adding diverse smaller “shops within your golf shop” that include these lifestyle and fitness apparel lines is an effective way to reach more people and bring in new streams of revenue. It’s all about the healthy and fit lifestyle many golfers aspire to maintain, and people want to buy apparel that will serve them in more than just one setting, which makes it a win for all involved. Find your niche and tap into that segment of your membership that will support this endeavor, and build upon your efforts from there.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email kgramm@troon.com.
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