Dick's Sporting Goods has laid off 478 Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) teaching pros, according to a statement from the PGA. PGA pros are still being employed at Golf Galaxy, also owned by Dick’s SG.
“The PGA of America is aware of the decision made by Dick’s Sporting Goods that affects the livelihoods of many PGA professionals who have been employed at Dick’s,” the PGA said in a statement. “We are extremely disappointed by the news as any time even one PGA member loses a job we are extremely sensitive to such matters.”
Dick’s SG was the largest sole employer of PGA professionals in the country. The PGA, which has employment consultants to help the unemployed pros, is refunding this year's dues to PGA members who were let go.
Dick’s SG didn’t respond to media requests but has indicated that its golf business, which reportedly represents about 15 percent of its business, has been struggling for a while.
In the first quarter, the golf category missed its sales plan by approximately $34 million. On its Q1 conference call with analysts, Ed Stack, Dick's SG’s chairman and CEO, attributed the weakness in golf to a glut of inventory in the marketplace as a result of the lackluster sales over the prior 15 months that was leading to steep markdowns on dated product. Also blamed was consumer confusion about some new vendor technologies and the ongoing decline in rounds played. Said Stack at the time, “We don't feel we've found the bottom yet in the golf sales number. We now expect this trend could continue for the balance of the year and will impact our prior guidance which assumed a slight improvement in the golf business for the balance of the year.”
