Rory McIlroy's Miracle Mile - Play Best Golf Courses in Charlotte, NC

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Golf Equipment BusinessSURVIVING - Make that THRIVINGDuring Tough Golf Business TimesHow Do You Eat a Golf Ball ?? - - - One Bite at a Time!!Iguess as I look back over the last17 years I would be lying if I saidthis is exactly how I envisionedthat my business model would look in2010. This has been a work in progress- and still is!Greater Golf Express owner Fred Porter and son, Tripp.I started out by selling componentclubs (knock offs), shafts and grips outof my garage. I later began buildingcustom golf clubs in a storage shed outback. To this day, I could still build amean golf club if forced to do so, but Imainly do a little re-gripping and minorrepair. The wholesale side of the businessremained strong through out thelate '90s. With the coming of the Internet,many of my master wholesale distributorsbegan opening their businessup to everyone, resulting in a decline inmy wholesale business.In the late '90s, I began to participatein retail consumer golf shows. Theseshows occur during the January throughmid-March time period when typical retailbusiness is slower. This was a greatway to expose my product to severalthousand golfers over a long weekend.While at the shows, I would look aroundat other vendors and get ideas for differentproducts to add to my mix. First Iadded sunglasses, a few golf accessoriesand then men's shirts. Initially I participatein about three or four shows a year,mostly in the South.Over the next couple of years, Ibegan adding golf shows to my schedule.I also saw the need to add somename-brand clubs to my mix. at first itwas a small bag of titanium drivers, thena few fairway metal woods, then somewedges and putters. It got tobe like a snow ball rollingdownhill!In December 2001,my oldest son, Tripp, graduatedfrom UNC Wilmington. Ibelieve he came to work forme in an effort to avoid gettinga "real job". Not being amorning person, the fact thathe didn't have to start work at9 AM was appealing. But youbetter be careful because youmight receive an email fromhim at 3 AM!!In May of 2002 weentered the Internet world.Tripp brought to us the time and thecomputer expertise to make this moveinto the cyber world. Initially we werejust selling used wedges and putteralong with some of the componentclubs. As time went on we began addingmore items to our product line. Initiallyour eBay store consisted of between 150and 300 different items ranging from asingle headcover to a titanium driver.About that same time we decided toenter into the retail world in a non-traditionalmanner - the Pineville Flea Marketnear the site of the former Crystal Springs/ Crystal Creek golf club. Initially westarted with a single warehouse locationof approximately 200 sq. ft. Over an 8year period we grew to 1,200 sq. ft withthe help of Coy Brown a retired PGA golfpro from the Outer Banks. To our customersCoy was the "golf man" and inmany cases they didn't realize Tripp andI owned the shop.By: Fred Porter -Greater Golf ExpressWe had built up a nice clientele andfollowing at the flea market but realizedthere were still "acres of diamond" (customerswho did not know about us) outthere. The fact that we were only openedon the weekends, and the "flea marketstigma" limited our ability to grow there.In May 2008 we moved our retail operationto the former Second Swing Golflocation at the Centrum Plaza next toHome Depot in Pineville. Although thatwas not the best time to start a new business,it allowed us to get our feet wet with"traditional retail" (7 days a week - beingopened over 60 hours, etc.)At the end of 2008 we had the opportunityto back out of our lease but choseto "hang tough" and see what was aheadfor us in the future. I really felt like that"light at the end of the tunnel" was NOTa freight train coming to run us over! Fortunatelyit was not! We feel very fortunateand blessed that after just having completedour second year in business inPineville our sales have grown over 30 %.We feel like our business model is"right on" for tough times. Our productmix is 65 % used and 35 % new clubs.We pride ourselves on customer service.You are greeted by an experienced salesassociate who will give you a businesscard and tell you the Greater Golf Expressstory. With the purchase of aThe Porters started business in club repairand golf club assembling.16 - CAROLINA GOLF JOURNAL - SUMMER 2010 ________________________________________________________________________
Greater Golf Express business has growngreatly through eBay marketing.club(s) valued at $150 or more, you get aFree Video Analysis of your golf swing.Not only do we want you to buy newclubs, we also want you to be able to usethem better.You will be informed that in additionto new golf balls we sell good qualityused balls starting at $3 per dozen. Wewill also mention that we re-grip clubs,many times on the spot while you shop.If your clubs require more extensive repairwe can handle that as well. ErickCentrum Plaza10400-C Centrum ParkwayPineville, NC 28134(Off Hwy 51 Next to Home Depot)(704) 544-5018www.greatergolfexpress.comCrawford and Joshua Sherrillcan assist you with club fitting,aided by our Vector BallLaunch monitor.For the lefty golfers we havethe largest selection of lefthanded clubs in the area. Infact, they have their own section- well marked in the left handcorner of the store. And if forsome reason we do not havewhat you are looking for in thestore, we will direct you to oureBay store and Internet website,where there are approximately2,000 items to choose from.Lastly, if it's not available therewe will order it for you.Another service that many of ourcustomers like is that we encourage golfclub trades. On some occasions we willoutright buy the clubs from a customerfor either cash or store credit. We tendto be aggressive with our buying in thatwe know if we don't sell it in the storequickly, Tripp will come along andtake it away for the eBay website.Additionally, the website allows usto be more aggressive with buying newHours: Monday - Friday 10:00 - 8:00 pmSaturday 9:00 am - 7:00 pm • Sunday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm(704) 544-5018www.greatergolfexpress.comFor a Virtual Tour go to www.shoppecharlotte.comeBay Id: promgolf - http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Pro-Master-Golfclubs from manufacturers. Instead ofbuying a few items for our store inPineville, NC we might buy 100 or morein that we are literally buying for theworld (eBay)!We also work closely with the localmanufacturers' reps and golf pros bytaking older or slow moving inventoryoff their hands. We have worked hard toFred and Tripp select clubs from theirGreater Golf Express showroomfor their yearly golf shows.build up their trust that we will treatthem fairly. At the end of the day wewill write them a check for the productwe pick up and take off their hands.This provides them the dollars to investin the new current models.The last phase of our business thathelps us to "thrive" during these toughtimes is our consumer golf shows. Startingthe first week in January we pillage/rob thestore and warehouse of product and fill upour truck and 24 foot trailer and set out onthe road for these shows.For ten weeks we go to all thoseplaces sane people would not go duringJanuary through March - Pittsburgh,Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, N.J., etc!It provides us with the opportunity tosell product to "golf hungry" customers,who have been cooped up over the winter,buyout golf shops, and develop neweBay / Internet customers. Currentlythis represents 15 - 20 % of our over allbusiness.As I walk through the store andwarehouse filled with product, it is hardto think back 17 years ago that thiswhole thing started from an investmentof $1000 in a box of grips, club headsand shafts. Wow! We have come a longway, but we still have a long way to go- "acres of diamonds" await us, both atthe retail store and internet world!____________________________________________________________________________ CAROLINA GOLF JOURNAL - SUMMER 2010 – 17
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Rory McIlroy's Miracle Mile - Play Best Golf Courses in Charlotte, NC

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