Eaton announced that its Golf Pride Grips Division plans to develop an new purpose-built facility in Pinehurst, NC.
The new facility will create a space to accelerate new product development and manage the global fulfillment of product around the world. In addition to its global management and professional teams, the site will include an R&D lab with rapid prototyping capabilities, as well as a new consumer grip fitting studio.
As a business partner of North Carolina since 1969, Golf Pride’s new home will be located within the Pinehurst Resort, next to the Tom Fazio-designed Pinehurst No. 8 course. Golf Pride looked at several sites, but chose Pinehurst Resort because of the location and nearby brand partnership as well.
The new facility will give Golf Pride a platform to test new product ideas with a steady stream of golfers visiting Pinehurst Resort from around the world. The grip fitting studio will replicate the services available to professional golfers on Tour. It will be an appointment-only experience that offers an “inside the ropes” personalized concierge-quality service. Golf Pride also plans to use the fitting studio to test new product concepts and expedite the process of translating consumer insight into new product.
“Golf Pride is committed to delivering a steady stream of exciting new grip technologies to the market,” said James Ledford, president of Golf Pride. “Externally, the market reaction to our new products has been great. Internally, our employees are incredibly excited about the new products as well. That said, we have also seen the need for a new purpose-built facility that helps us streamline and accelerate our innovation efforts even more. We want to make innovation easier and faster. We are thrilled about this opportunity to create an ideal site right next to Pinehurst No. 8. As golfers, we genuinely appreciate the Pinehurst Resort experience and we respect the work they have done recently to innovate their own world-class facilities. We have big expectations for our new home and we see it as a once in a generation move to set us up for future success.”
“Golf Pride is a brand with a rich place in the history of golf, one that has continuously demonstrated an appreciation for the game, so we are excited to align ourselves with them as they continue to grow,” said Tom Pashley, president of Pinehurst Resort. “We are confident that Golf Pride will bring new and exciting experiences to our members and resort guests as well, while helping us preserve the tradition and heritage for which Pinehurst Resort and the Village are known.”
The development process will start with Pinehurst Resort making a proposal to the Village of Pinehurst to rezone the land. If that proposal is approved, The Kuester Companies, who is signing a build-to-suit lease with Golf Pride, will submit a permit application with the goal of breaking ground as early as December 2017. Golf Pride plans to move into the new facility in early 2019.
Eaton’s Golf Pride Grips Division is the world’s largest manufacturer of golf grips, with manufacturing, sales and distribution facilities on six continents.
