The improved climate is also beginning to resonate at the retail level.
While the past couple of years have been rough on golf equipment sales, the industry appears to be swinging back. The upswing is fueled, in part, by pent-up demand of the weekend golfers, reports the Quad City Business Journal.
Like other facets of the economy, the golf industry was impacted by a severe decline in discretionary spending. But new equipment, improved technology and a quest to play like the pros have led sales to begin a rebound, according to some of the golf manufacturers at the John Deere Classic.
The improved climate is also beginning to resonate at the retail level, including the pro shop at TPC Deere Run, Silivs, Ill., the host of the annual John Deere Classic.
Eric Drane, Deere Run’s Assistant Golf Professional, said the course held one of its biggest equipment demonstration days this year, with more than 100 customers turning out to try out the latest offerings. “We’re starting to see a rebound. A lot of companies are starting to produce new products that they know people will buy that use more of their technology.”
It has been those golf consumers who have been on the sidelines holding off on purchases. “It’s not been terrible,” Drane said. “But they’ve taken a couple years off, and now we’re starting to see people use some of their disposable income.”
For tournament week, the pro shop sets up a secondary merchandise tent chock-full of golf shirts, shorts, hats, balls and other accessories for golf fans. “We’ll sell this entire tent out by the end of the week,” he said, adding that the pro shop increased its merchandise budget this year in expectation of higher sales.
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