Your question will have many long and complex answers so I won't try here. First, I would suggest you join the PCS. I chaired the committee that established an entry level that you can try the PCS out, for about 2 years. Second, I would be a bit more positive on the GC location. You also have something to give a golf course. On course repairs. Of course your benefits are the fitting and sales of new custom clubs. You may be able to work a deal such as very low or no rent in exchange for doing the repairs they drum up at a discount. etc etc. (read, they make a profit on your repairs) Of course your particular skills will come in to play also, but heck, talk is cheap and fun. ;-)) Good luck.
Al
At 11:19 AM 9/13/2003, you wrote:
Hello all,
I am a hobbyist clubmaker with about 5 years experience. I am considering opening a retail shop. My question is, what would any of you say is a rule of thumb for the size of a town/city/area needed to support one storefront clubmaking operation?
I have a lot of retail business experience. I sold my retail non-golf business and am now in semi-retirement, but I am wishing for more contact with customers again. I could probably start another non-golf business and just keep my clubmaking as a hobby. But talk is cheap and fun, so ....
I am talking about a retail storefront, not my garage. My midwestern USA county is rural but on the expanding fringe of a large metro area. We are talking basic midwest, not Myrtle Beach or some other golf mecca.
The total county population is probably, oh, 40,000. There are no clubmaking retail shops in the county. If there are any professional basement/garage shops, they are unknown to me. My particular town is ~6,000, and has about 20,000 (including the 6,000) within 15 minutes drive. The biggest town in the county has 2 country clubs, about 20 minutes from here, and each of those has an in-house club repair guy. I don't gather that they get a lot of business from outside their members/golfers. There are a few other courses in the area and out to a half-hour away, such as munis, daily fee 18's, 9-holers, etc. I don't see any of them doing anything significant in clubmaking and repairs.
It is possible, but I don't know how likely, that I could rent a basically vacant building of approx. 500 sq feet that is on the grounds of a nice 18 hole daily fee course. They don't do much of anything, pro-shop wise. There is no club pro to speak of, although one does have an arrangement to leave business cards and travels 45 minutes to the course to give lessons by appointment. I mean, in the clubhouse, they sell golf balls and caps and such, no clubs!
The building I could MAYBE rent, if the owner goes along with it, is right by the first tee, practice green, and driving range. I think it served as a temporary proshop while the main building was under construction. It's a nice little building that looks to be a junk bin right now. :)
If there appears to be any merit to it, I'll have to get more training and certification, plus more research on the business end of things. But for now: What is your seat-of-the-pants opinion on whether or not this is a big enough market to support a one-man retail storefront? Or, does being on the 18 hole course trump all the other considerations?
Thank you very much,
Doug Clark
