Nation’s largest specialty golf retailer continues global growth with MoreGolf Group
AUSTIN, TX (October 4, 2011) — Golfsmith International Inc. (NASDAQ: GOLF),
the largest golf specialty retailer in the U.S., today announced an
exclusive partnership with The MoreGolf Group, the largest golf retailer in
South Africa. The agreement with MoreGolf signals a continuance of
Golfsmith’s global strategy aimed at forming strategic alliances to develop
and market Golfsmith’s brand assets. Golfsmith will reinvest the income
generated from this new partnership into its core U.S. business. In the past
year, Golfsmith has formed new partnerships for its proprietary brands in
Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and now South Africa.
MoreGolf is South Africa’s largest retail, practice and play group, offering
golfers’ unrivalled quality, the largest choice in golf and the best
facilities to help them maximize their enjoyment of the game. The group
includes The Pro Shop’s retail chain and World of Golf experiences, two of
the best known names in South African golf.
“Golf in South Africa has a long and illustrious history and because it is
one of the great golfing nations we are thrilled to align with MoreGolf,”
said Marty Hanaka, Golfsmith’s President and CEO. “As South Africa’s
largest golf retailer, MoreGolf shares many of Golfsmith’s ideals, offering
an unrivalled golf experience to its customers as well as a platform for our
continued global growth of our key proprietary brands outside the United
States.
Golfsmith’s relationship with MoreGolf is unique in that it allows the
largest golf retailers in their respective nation’s to share “Best
Practices” in merchandising, operations, club fitting, sourcing, sales and
marketing. Additionally MoreGolf will have an exclusive agreement to sell
MacGregor golf products as well as Golfsmith’s other proprietary brands
throughout the entire More Golf group that includes The Pro Shop’s 18
stores, its World of Golf facility and 3 World of Golf villages.
“The Pro Shop has retailed golf equipment for the last 35 years and strives
continuously to improve its retailing skills,” said Rhys Hughes, Executive
Director, MoreGolf. “For many years it has drawn inspiration from the
business practices of the best golf retailers in the USA, and an opportunity
to work with a leader in this field is a dream come true. There are strong
synergies between Golfsmith and The Pro Shop. Global thinking, along with
best international practice is becoming a pre-requisite in the continual
search for an enduring competitive advantage. We have engaged with the
Golfsmith team at various levels, and believe the chemistry is there to
deliver on these synergies.”
About Golfsmith International Inc.
Golfsmith has been in business for over 44 years and is a specialty retailer
of golf and tennis equipment, apparel and accessories. The company operates
as an integrated multi-channel retailer, offering its customers the
convenience of shopping in 78 stores across the United States, through its
Internet site and from its assortment of catalogs. Golfsmith offers an
extensive product selection that features premier branded merchandise, as
well as its proprietary products, clubmaking components and pre-owned clubs.
For more information about Golfsmith, please visit the company’s website at
www.golfsmith.com.
About MoreGolf Group
The Pro Shop’s first store opened in 1976 in Johannesburg, South Africa and
has since grown to a chain of 18 stores located across South Africa. The Pro
Shop offers a comprehensive assortment of golf and golf related products
including equipment, accessories, apparel and footwear across various
international brands. The MoreGolf Group (which now owns The Pro Shop) was
established to hold multiple golf interests including Practice facilities
(World of Golf and Golf Villages), Learning facilities (Gary Player Golf
Experience and Golf4All), and access to Playing facilities (through
PlayMoreGolf, TeeTimeSA and the recently launched LastMinuteGolf.co.za).
For more information about The Pro Shop visit the website at
www.TheProShop.co.za
Contact:
Bob Sameski, Golfsmith, 512-821-4990 robert.sameski@golfsmith.com
Matt Corey, Golfsmith, 512-821-4883
matt.corey@golfsmith.com
Lynn Luczkowski, L2 Communications (860) 313-1426 or
Trevor Rebello, The Pro Shop, +27 11 602 8888
