“Demand from new golfers” sees retail sales soar

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 25, 2022 11:49

Retailer American Golf has said that the surge in participation in the UK over the last two years resulted in a huge rise in sales over the Christmas period.

Overall sales performance for the Warrington-headquartered retailer for the 12 weeks ending December 31, 2021 was up 55 percent compared to the same period in 2019, with total revenue for the three months topping £40 million.

Growth was driven by demand from new golfers, said a spokesman, with sales of entry-level equipment sets increasing by 35 percent during that period compared with 2019, while the value of premium equipment purchases grew by over 300 percent.

Gary Favell, CEO, American Golf, said: “We’ve worked hard in the past two years to position golf as a game everyone can play, from our partnerships and the events we support, to revamping our stores and investing in accessible ranges and complexes where all, from beginners to pros, can improve their game.

“This has really resonated with golfers of all abilities. Lockdown and Covid restrictions helped to attract new people to golf and fuel the passion among existing players to rethink and improve their game. We’ve been able to meet this demand at both ends of the market with an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.”

American Golf, which has 95 stores across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, has also acquired entire golf complexes in the last two years, including Cheshire’s High Legh Golf Club, Cambridgeshire’s Hemingford Abbots Golf Club and Lancashire’s Rossendale Golf Centre, where adventure golf and the company’s new family-friendly Italian-American dining concept is being rolled out, in a bid to encourage whole families to play the game together.

The value of American Golf’s in-store sales for the 12 weeks ending December 31, 2021 was also more than double the e-commerce revenue for the period.

Gary Favell concluded: “Like many retailers, we’re seeing rapid growth in e-commerce. However, through offering a unique experiential retail experience, we’re also bucking wider retail trends and continuing to see exceptional growth coming from bricks and mortar. Around two thirds of our sales in the run up to Christmas were in store and at our ranges because we’re creating experiences and offering services that you can’t replicate online.

“Shoppers want to come and chat to pros and try equipment with them – this is why we’re investing in creating a whole golf experience through ranges and courses. It’s so much more than traditional retail and is winning with golfers at all levels of their game.”

American Golf’s figures come just days after data from Barclaycard revealed that spending on golf products grew at nearly 10 times the pace of spending growth in general in 2021.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 25, 2022 11:49
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