For this group on the Top 32 list, the Pro Shops are profiled for Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio; Baltimore (Md.) Country Club; Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho; Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, N.J.; Lexington Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla.; Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; The Bridgewater Club in Carmel, Ind.; Lakewood Ranch (Fla.) Golf & Country Club; Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla.
Club + Resort Business has released its list of Top Ranked Pro Shops (including golf shops, tennis shops and other retail shops at club and golf course properties) for 2021.
The rankings reflect the judges’ scoring of data provided on shop square footage; annual sales revenues; number of stockkeeping units (SKUs); percent of revenues from hard-goods and soft-goods sales, and from online sales; whether clubfitting service is provided; the number of vendor demo days held; and shop ownership.
Entries also included descriptions submitted by the club and resort properties on why their pro shops should be top ranked, and a full complement of supporting photos. The judges weighted the data and material provided to score all entries.
In addition to the profiles of the properties below, details about all of the Top Ranked Pro Shops are available HERE and will be profiled across our social-media platforms.
#6 Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kenwood Country Club’s golf shop adapts to new trends by making sure that the golf team listens to members’ suggestions and feedback regarding what materials they enjoy, what they are currently looking for, their favorite brands, etc. The newest and trendiest items on the market are showcased to members through visual merchandising, e-mails, flyers, and social media.
In 2021, Kenwood hired a Golf Shop Sales Coordinator to work closely with members for personal shopping experiences, gift ideas, corporate events, etc. The coordinator helps to build relationships with members and ensure they have great experiences while in the golf shop. The coordinator also assists the Head Golf Professional and Merchandiser on all special orders for hard and soft goods.
Another major change in 2021 was elevating the golf shop by bringing in more “bespoke” lines for men and women, including KJUS, G/FORE, Bugatchi, and Holderness & Bourne. The Kenwood team also decided to increase the presence of Demo Days to introduce members to newer products and help guide newer golfers. Throughout the season, from April to late fall, the club conducted 15 total events that featured everything from a “Fit n’ Feed Multi-Vendor Demo Day Extravaganza” on the driving range to a Memorial Day poolside trunk show that featured numerous casual and swimwear options from vendors such as Peter Millar, Imperial, Maui-Jim, Two-Under, and custom-made Kenwood T-Shirts from A-head.
The club also advertised and developed an appointment-based clubfitting operation that has been extremely well-received. Each club fitting is conducted in Kenwood’s performance center, using FlightScope and other fitting technologies. Clubfitting components and vendor awareness were increased by adding new vendors such as XXIO and Srixon. The clubfitting aspect of the operation has shown tremendous growth throughout the year, with Kenwood now offering everything from vendor-specific (Callaway, PXG, Ping, TaylorMade, XXIO, Srixon, Cleveland, Mizuno, Titleist, Odyssey, Scotty Cameron) to topic-specific fittings and options, including wedge fittings, putter fittings, full bag, etc.
All of these new initiatives have led to increased sales from stock merchandise and more than $125,000 in special-order sales for hard goods. With a little over five months left in Kenwood’s fiscal year, the pro shop had already surpassed sales from the 2020 season and was on trend to have its best year to date, surpassing $900,000 in sales.
#7 Baltimore Country Club, Baltimore, Md.
Baltimore Country Club (BCC) was founded in 1898 at its location in the Roland Park section of the city, and the United States Golf Assocation lists it as one of the first 100 clubs established in the United States.
The club was a success from the start, with 600 members enjoying its 150-acre facility less than five miles from downtown Baltimore. Just one year after opening, BCC gained immediate recognition in the golf world by hosting the fifth United States Open Championship, won by Willie Smith of Scotland.
By the 1920s the decision was made to acquire land to the north of the city and expand the popular golfing amenities to a second location. The East Course at Five Farms, designed by A. W. Tillinghast, officially opened in September of 1926 and the par-70 course, with back-to-front pitched greens, limited water hazards, and 96 bunkers, was instantly recognized as a masterpiece of golf course architecture. It has received many honors, including making Golfweek’s list of “America’s Top 100 Classic Courses” (pre-1960) numerous times, most recently in 2020. It is also listed as the best Classic or Modern (post-1960 design) Course in the state of Maryland.
A restoration project of the East Course at Five Farms was completed in 2015 by Keith Foster, bringing the course back to Tillinghast’s original 1924 design.
BCC’s Roland Park Golf Course was officially closed in 1962 when all of the property on the west side of Falls Road was sold. That same year, the club’s second course at Five Farms, the West Course, opened. The par-72 course was redesigned in 1990 by Bob Cupp and Champions Tour member and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Tom Kite, and then renovated In 2012 under the direction of Keith Foster.
Today, BCC is nearly 3,000 members strong, and is one of only twelve clubs nationwide to operate on two campuses. It is one of only two clubs in the world to have hosted a Men’s U.S. Open, a PGA Championship, a Men’s U.S. Amateur, a U.S. Walker Cup, a U.S. Women’s Open, and a Champions Tour Major (the Senior Players Championship).
The golf staff at BCC strives to give “second to none” service to its members that is reflected not only in the welcoming atmosphere created in its pro shop for members and guests, but also for the variety of products provided in the shop.
#8 Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho
The golf staff at Circling Raven GC, led by Director of Golf David Christenson, PGA, is frequently told by guests that the club has “the best pro shop they have ever seen” and that it’s “the superstore of golf course pro shops.”
And that kind of feedback isn’t just anecdotal. Circling Raven has twice been named a PGA of America Merchandiser of the Year in the Resort Category. In addition to that national distinction, the shop has also won Merchandiser of the Year honors from its PGA Section and Chapter on multiple occasions.
Annual sales for the Circling Raven shop have doubled since 2018, from around $500,000 a year in annual sales to now over $1 million. The growth can be attributed to several factors, including the time that the staff’s buyers and merchandisers (including David Christenson’s wife, Jennifer) spends selecting the product mix, creating the purchase orders, receiving the product, displaying it, and then recovering the shop each day to keep it neat and well-organized.
The Circling Raven shop features a diverse yet complementary mix of merchandise that includes all of the core golf basics (clubs, balls, gloves, hats, etc.), as well as a wide array of apparel, many non-golf lifestyle and regionally inspired items, and many Native American themed pieces (the club is owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe).
Beyond the appealing product mix, the club’s staff strives to find ways to inspire more sales, through promotions such as the Advantage Card. Holders of the card get several perks for being a member, including some free play, entry into member events, and value-priced merchandise that is made available specifically for them.
#9 Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Bedminster, N.J.
The staff at Fiddler’s Elbow CC has strived over the years to set its golf shop apart from others by offering an appealing blend of a pro shop and a boutique store. In addition to their needs for golf, members can frequent the shop to meet their wardrobe needs for almost any occasion.
The club’s mission statement is “to enhance the lives of members and guests by providing them with ‘Wow’ moments they can’t live without.” This level of standard is enhanced daily by the entire golf staff and reflected in customer service that differentiates the Fiddler’s Elbow shop from other establishments.
Whether it’s by providing customers with assistance on the floor or over the phone, delivering purchases to their car, or assisting with a variety of corporate order needs, the staff strives to add personal touches that make all member and guest experiences unforgettable. Guests from around the world constantly complement all aspects of the golf shop, whether it be its creative merchandising, the wide variety of merchandise offerings, or the exceptional customer service.
Appropriate time is devoted to training all staff and seasonal interns on how to manage and refine the shop’s operation on a regular basis and to maintain an excellent appearance and variety of merchandise even with such a large volume of play (on most days, the shop operates while over 400 players check in for their rounds).
The staff is also incentivized with sales competitions and educated on why the golf shop is such an integral part of Fiddler’s Elbow’s overall golf operation. When the staff fully grasps the importance of the golf shop, it becomes completely engaged in helping to ensure its success, creating a win for the entire team as well as members and guests.
#10 Lexington Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla.
With a location that offers the advantage of being within minutes of Sanibel/Captiva and Fort Myers Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, the Southwest Florida International Airport, and the City of Fort Myers business and entertainment districts. Lexington Country Club, a community with just under 1,500 homes, consists of both a Golf Village and a Lake Village.
Outdoor activity includes a 18-hole championship golf course originally designed by Gordon Lewis and completely redesigned and renovated in 2017 by Kipp Schulties.
Other recreational amenities include 12 lighted hydro-grid tennis courts, six heated swimming pools (consisting of two large heated community pools and several neighborhood pools), a Fitness Center and three bocce courts.
The Lexington CC staff is dedicated to creating memorable member experiences through exceptional service, teamwork, integrity, respect, and inspiriting others to reach higher every day, inspired by the motto of: “Lexington Employees Go The Xtra Mile In Pursuit of Nothing Less Than Great Treatment of our Members Offering New and exciting concepts in hospitality!”
#11 Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Sawgrass Country Club experienced many great milestones in 2021, including updated golf practice facilities and the completion of a new clubhouse. A key component of the construction project was a fresh design of the golf shop and shopping experience.
The updated golf shop has provided an opportunity to establish a new culture within the club, presenting itself in an intimate and personalized shopping space that elevates the member experience. The golf shop, staffed by a dedicated group of professionals who are all keen on attention to detail and the merchandising flow of the shop, strives to anticipate members’ needs, from golf apparel, shoes, accessories, and equipment, while looking for ways to continue to improve every day by setting the bar higher and exceeding expectations.
In addition to what is stocked in the golf shop, the Sawgrass staff also offers trunk shows, event sales, and themed displays to accompany the holidays and golf events. The new construction and design of the shop has given it a more cohesive design with the rest of the club, with a matching color palette and design that provides a cleaner and more concise layout and makes it easier for members to find exactly what they are looking for.
#12 The Bridgewater Club, Carmel, Ind.
The Bridgewater Club underwent an extensive clubhouse renovation in 2020-2021 that transformed its golf shop’s retail experience, appearance and approach to merchandising. The shop now offers a refined, casual shopping experience that sets the tone for the quality of luxury brands and high ticket items on display.
Since the renovation, the shop has adopted a new merchandising approach and upgraded its displays, expanding to include lines such as Peter Millar, Johnnie-O, Turtelson, Amy Sport and LOHLA SPORT as part of increasing brand offerings two-fold for both men and women. Custom-made displays present the hard goods department, and four-way garment displays with matte black finish elevate the shop’s visual appeal.
Additionally, the club has leaned into the “athleisure” trend, and the shop now offers high-performance clothing with UV protection and cooling technology, swimwear, leisure footwear and after-hours T-shirts.
To expand upon traditional pro shop offerings, the shop also features a vast collection of unique gift items, ranging from formal glassware to seasonal scents and rejuvenating body products from the Bridgewater Candle Company, as well as other giftware lines that can be logoed for golfers and non-golfers alike. Special care is given to packaging the gifts with enhanced gift wrapping, to create a one-stop shop experience for members and yet another reason for them to visit.
The Bridgewater golf shop team prides itself on a reputation rooted in exemplary customer service and hospitality, and strengthens its ability to provide that service by locating certain product areas closest to the service counter. Those departments include footwear and hard goods, both of which require expertise and service from the team.
#13 Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Faced with stagnant shop sales in 2015, the golf staff at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club decided to introduce a “percentage over cost” program to its membership, as an incentive to increase members’ purchasing power and to give the club’s membership department another value-added tool for selling memberships.
The program worked, helping to boost sales in the Lakewood shop from $354,000 in 2014 to $985,000 in 2018. The shop saw a slight dropoff in 2020 that was directly COVID-related, between mandatory shop closures and ongoing supply chain issues.
But Lakewood members have embraced the pricing strategy and have clearly been converted to loyal customers of the golf shop. When the club opened its golf academy in 2018, that loyalty was further solidified through sales of custom-fit golf clubs that reached $419,000 in 2020.
#14 Sycamore Hills Golf Club, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Sycamore Hills Golf Club has been recognized for many leading-edge and exemplary amenities, and its golf shop stands out as one of them. The club’s merchandising operation has been identified nine times as one of America’s Top 20 Private Golf Shops.
The Sycamore Hills shop is known for its high level of customer service, attention to detail and first-class merchandising offerings. A complete renovation in the winter of 2014 enhanced these qualities by creating a brighter and more open display opportunity for showcasing the products of its vendor partners.
Simply having a more pleasant shopping environment filled with appealing and in-demand products isn’t enough, however. In addition to offering demographically appealing products at competitive pricing, and creating stimulating and appealing merchandise displays, the Sycamore Hills staff always strives to deliver genuine personalized service that exceeds expectations. As a result, when members and visitors think of Sycamore Hills Golf Club, the golf shop experience is at the forefront.
#15 Mizner Country Club, Delray Beach, Fla.
Precision and style were the two overriding factors that drove the creation of Mizner Country Club’s new 1,100-sq. ft. tennis pro shop. As part of the club’s recently completed Central Lifestyle Center, the Mizner tennis pro shop offers members complete athletic services— from simple stringing to today’s most advanced equipment—for beginners to pro-level players. And it is all handled by a professional team whose years of experience match the right equipment to the member’s level of play.
Arriving at the pro shop, members are greeted by handcrafted tennis-themed artwork by local urban-pop artist Ruben Ubiera, who has created a fresh take on tradition. A massive tennis-ball wall provides the perfect place to stop for a selfie, even before entering the main shop.
Upon entering, visitors are struck by the eye-catching vintage tennis racket chandelier that hangs proudly at center court in the pro shop; the large windows that offer court views for tennis shoppers and members alike; and two 50-inch monitors that display current and upcoming events and welcome guests for league play.
In addition to helping members settle on the right racket for their play, the Mizner tennis-shop team helps them get outfitted with the right look from a wide variety of styles, including names like Lacoste, Nike Adidas, Fila, Wilson, Lucky In Love, Denise, Cronwall, Lacoa, Oakley, Donna Jo, Sofibella and Bloq Uv, among others that are offered throughout the shop.
Future starts aren’t forgotten, either. The Mizner pro shop has a fully stocked kids’ corner that carries the latest in kids’ tennis brands. And to make sure everyone can be fitted with the perfect shoe, brands including Asics, New Balance, K-Swiss, or Nike are features. The shop also carries an exclusive line of tennis bags, including Oliver Thomas, Double Take, Maggie Mathers and Henry Brown.
Laura Ferrara, Mizner CC’s 2019 Employee of the Year, sets the stage for Mizner’s tennis shop experience and serves as a role model for all Mizner employees. Incredibly outgoing, friendly, and compassionate, Laura is also creative and incredibly knowledgeable about the Mizner tennis experience, setting the standard for excellence on which the club has built its reputation.
“In designing the pro shop, we’ve reimagined the tennis experience at Mizner,” says Vernon Gettone, Jr., the club’s Director of Tennis. “We envisioned a lifestyle with tennis amenities built to fit the way our members want to live in today’s technological and environmental universe, [and a shop and program] that flexes and adapts to fit their wants and needs. We wanted to make [the tennis experience] a true testament to Mizner’s prominence as a leading country club community.”
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