American Golf reports best-ever year

American Golf has reported that the last year was the best financial year in its entire history.

The UK-based firm’s owner, International Leisure Group (ILG), says sales topped £166 million for the financial year ending January 30, 2022, up a staggering 43.8 percent compared to the previous 12 months.

The business bucked UK retail trends with sales in bricks and mortar stores outstripping ecommerce sales by more than 2-to-1. Over £108.5 million was generated via physical retail sales, compared to £44.1 million spent online.

This was its best performance in the company’s 52-year history.

‘Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA)’ before exceptional costs for the financial year was £12.8 million up from £1.6 million in 2021. The figures represent a remarkable turnaround for the business, which was losing £3.9 million when it was acquired by private equity investor Endless LLP in October 2018.

The remainder of sales were driven by ILG’s expansion into golf ranges, as well as the company’s International Leisure Brands division, which includes leading Germany-based golf fashion brand Golfino, which the business has recently bolstered by signing Germany’s Golfer of the Year and German National Team pro golfer, Esther Henseleit, who will be endorsing Golfino clothing and footwear.

American Golf now has 95 bricks and mortar stores in the UK and Ireland.

Gary Favell

A £6 million investment programme during the next 12 months will involve the procurement of Golf Kingdom located in Chadwell Heath, Essex, five new site acquisitions and the refurbishment of 17 existing stores. ILG is planning to add 30 new leisure sites to its portfolio by the end of 2027, consisting of stores, golf ranges, food and beverage and adventure golf offerings.

High Legh Golf Club

Last year saw ILG invest in technology-driven store refurbishments including Greater Manchester’s flagship American Golf store in Trafford. The company also made its first leisure acquisitions of entire golf courses, 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 family-friendly Il Corso Italian-American dining concept is being rolled out, to appeal to families.

Carly Booth

Gary Favell, CEO of ILG and American Golf, says: “We’ve taken what was an ordinary golf retailer and reimagined the user experience to create immersive, technologically-advanced environments that everyone can enjoy – men, women and children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities – we’ve made the sport accessible to all. Couple this with a lively acquisition strategy, of strong, multi-category golf brands and golf courses, and the result is year-on-year double-digit growth since 2019 and a leading market share.”

Golf content creator Mia Baker and Gary Favell

Gifting in stores and online was also a big revenue generator for the company, with over £8.8 million worth of gift vouchers and e-gift cards purchased during the last financial year.