WILLOWBROOK, Ill., March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A feature on NBC Nightly News (10/26/17) reported that more than 6,700 retail brick-and-mortar locations had closed in 2017. That's already a record for one year. According to Fox News, in 2017 Sears closed more than 300 stores, JCPenney 138 stores, Macy's 68 and Payless shoe stores closed about 800 locations after filing for bankruptcy. It's no secret, the business of golf has been stagnant for years as well. Signs of the times include Adidas selling TaylorMade (May 2017), Nike exiting the golf club business (August 2016), and major retailer Golfsmith shuttering its doors (September 2016).
Despite this sea of red ink, a dynamic company with a creative vision is bucking the trend with a story of success and growth. Club Champion Golf has risen to become the #1 premium club fitter, builder and retailer of the best brands in golf including Callaway, TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, PXG, Fujikura, Golf Pride and many more. Offering premium service and unrivaled product selection, the company has driven average annual same store sales growth in excess of 50%. They will soon have 38 locations and plan to open a minimum of 30 stores over the next two years.
The company delivers a Tour-quality fitting experience with over 35,000 hittable head and shaft combinations. Unlike traditional retailers that carry inventory and face significant price pressure, clubs Club Champion fits and builds are unique. Because their product is fitted and can't be replicated on the internet, they don't compete against web-based retailers on price. The company is one of the fastest growing retailers in golf with 2017 overall revenue growth near 100%. Since 2014 revenues have grown more than 330%.
Innovations in club-fitting technology and launch monitors created a desire in founder Nick Sherburne to combine the latest advances in a way that would dramatically improve a golfer's game. Sherburne joined forces with Joe Lee and Keith Bank of KB Partners, a venture capital firm. A marketing and sales leader, Lee had a successful career in the technology arena and took the helm as Club Champion's CEO.
The company targets locations with a heavy saturation of golfers. The typical store footprint is approximately 3,000 square feet and includes fitting bays equipped with TrackMan launch monitors, SAM PuttLab, build shop and an extensive equipment wall with more choices than any other retailer. Sherburne says, "The shaft wall, coupled with our master fitters' knowledge, is where a lot of the magic happens."
Club Champion was chosen by GOLF Magazine to conduct a study on custom fitting, the results of which were published in the August 2017 issue. The question to be answered: does custom fitting really matter? According to GOLF Magazine, it does. "Based on data from the TrackMan, SAM PuttLab and SkyCaddies along with tester interviews, it's clear that correctly matched clubs can help golfers of all skills. And remember – you actually can buy a better game with properly fit clubs."
Equipment manufacturers hold back nothing with their praise for Club Champion. TaylorMade CEO David Abeles commented, "Club Champion truly is one of the most innovative club fitters in the business. They provide a consumer experience that is undeniably helpful for all golfers to play better. We couldn't be more thrilled with our partnership with Club Champion."
Lee reveals, "Other people sell golf clubs, we sell improvement. We not only solve golfers' equipment problems but show and explain why each particular piece of equipment (shaft, head and grip) works for their unique swing."
Contact: Leonard Finkel glfgd@aol.com 760.822.3465
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SOURCE Club Champion Golf
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