PGA Tour Superstore said it reached its 50-store milestone in 2021 and plans to open at least eight new stores in 2022. The expansion plan comes as the retailer said it recorded record sales growth in fiscal 2021 while continuing to gain market share.
PGA Tour Superstore said it outpaced broader golf retail industry growth in 2021, pointing to the game’s sustained momentum. Golf Datatech, a market research consultancy, reported 7 percent year-over-year golf retail industry growth in October and 4 percent in November, while PGA Tour Superstore saw 21 percent and 19 percent sales increases in those same months, respectively.
“We did more business in the first half of 2021 than we did in the full-year of 2019 which was a record year for us at the time,” said Dick Sullivan, President and CEO, PGA Tour Superstore. “It has been incredible to see new people having fun and enjoying the game, and our business is uniquely equipped to meet the needs of that audience through our in-store and online experiences.”
“We’re excited to be part of PGA Tour Superstore’s record growth and success,” said Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner. “The golf industry continues to see unprecedented participation which filters into all areas of the business. PGA Tour Superstore provides a tremendous one-stop location for both experienced golfers and beginners to have all the latest equipment and apparel for the course.”
PGA Tour Superstore saw significant consumer interest in soft goods, notably on the women’s front. In 2021, women’s apparel sales increased by 59 percent and women’s footwear was up 67 percent from 2020, trends PGA Tour Superstore expects to continue in 2022. This indicates a more relaxed lifestyle preference with golf apparel becoming more athleisure and being worn both on and off the course.
“The game of golf industry has changed, and PGA Tour Superstore is committed to bolster the shifts toward a more social, approachable and inclusive game. Growing interest among women, junior and beginner golfers will continue and we’re aligning our strategy accordingly, while still focusing on our core avid golfers,” said Sullivan.
Golf’s changing landscape is being driven by new audiences picking up the sport such as women, millennials and generation Z, contributing to overall growth of the industry. According to the National Golf Foundation, 2021 total rounds exceeded those from 2020 by approximately 4 percent, amounting to approximately 529 million rounds played nationwide, the highest play total on record.
Golfer interest in PGA Tour Superstore’s experiential in-store offerings also grew substantially in 2021, which includes state-of-the-art interactive simulators, and massive putting greens to test the widest selection of putters. This interest contributed to 64 percent growth of in-store lessons in 2021 vs. 2019 and 1.2 million clubs regripped in 2021.
On February 5, PGA Tour Superstore will open its first store of 2022 in Tampa, FL and will open at least seven additional stores, expanding its retail footprint in states that do not currently have a physical store presence, including Charlotte, NC Philadelphia, PA and Rockville, MD.
As evidence of PGA Tour Superstore’s ongoing community impact, in 2021 the company – in partnership with the First Tee, a youth development organization helping kids and teens build their strength of character through golf – also hosted in its stores the inaugural Leadership Series. Nearly 300 First Tee teens across the country discovered personal values and leadership skills through interactive sessions facilitated by PGA Tour Superstore general managers.
Forty students were then selected to participate in the first PGA Tour Superstore / First Tee Leadership Summit. Set in the unforgettable backdrop of West Creek Ranch in Montana – which is owned by PGA Tour Superstore Chairman and First Tee Foundation Board Member, Arthur M. Blank – the Summit was designed to strengthen the participant leadership skills through dynamic outdoor and team-building activities with the intended purpose of personal growth, education and coming together to make a difference. Four of the Summit participants were awarded scholarships for their ongoing education.
The PGA Tour Superstore and First Tee Leadership Series, Leadership Summit and Scholarship program will all return in 2022.
