Nation’s largest retailer opens bigger, better experiential store
(Atlanta, GA) – A new, extreme golf retail experience has arrived in Atlanta. The 39,000 square foot Golfsmith Xtreme store, located at 2997 Cobb Parkway in Atlanta, is a much more expansive, experiential layout and changes the paradigm for golf retail in the Atlanta market. Golfsmith’s newest store, its third in Atlanta, features the deepest selection of the industry’s best golf gear, and more interactive opportunities for golfers to try out the latest clubs for free including four indoor, high-tech fitting studios with golf simulators, five driving range bays and a huge indoor putting green.
In the last decade, almost half of all golf retail stores in America closed. Golfsmith is bucking this trend because of its unique experiential retail model and as a result has implemented an aggressive growth strategy that includes 10 new stores and four relocations this year. At the end of 2012, Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOLF), will serve customers in 89 locations from coast to coast.
“Our Cumberland store is our largest Atlanta area store and has a brand new look and feel from our other area stores. It will make golfers’ jaws drop when they walk through our doors. We are not just another warehouse golf store. We are bringing the ultimate golf retail playground to Atlanta area golfers,” said Golfsmith CEO Marty Hanaka. “This new format and larger layout delivers more of everything – more clubs, more ways to demo product, more apparel, more expertise – simply put, more solutions to help golfers of all levels play better. We carry the best equipment from brands like Titleist, PING, Callaway, TaylorMade and MacGregor and we encourage customers to ‘try before they buy’ in our hitting bays and studios. It’s always free to hit balls at Golfsmith. We back up our selection with a 115% low price guarantee on everything we sell and have a commitment to exceptional customer service by the best retail professionals in the business, all of whom have a passion for golf.”
Golfsmith, Atlanta’s original golf superstore, has served the area for the past 15 years and has been in business for 45 years. The new Cumberland store, located at Akers Mill and Cobb Parkway, is Golfsmith’s 84th store. More than 20 associates will be hired at the new Atlanta store. Other Atlanta area store locations include Duluth at 3960 Venture Dr. and Kennesaw at 2500 Cobb Place NW.
In addition to the largest selection of equipment, the new store will feature the latest custom-fitting technology that will help Golfsmith certified fitting specialists identify the right clubs for a golfer’s individual abilities. They back up their fitting process with a Custom Fit Play Better Guarantee – if customers do not see immediate improvement in their game they can bring back their clubs within 30 days for an in-store credit.
Golfsmith traces its roots to making custom-fit clubs beginning in 1967 and offers free custom fitting services. Custom fitting is the process where a Golfsmith club-fitting specialist uses computerized swing and ball analysis to study every aspect of a player’s swing and then recommends the best types of clubs and the set-up of those clubs, including shaft flex, loft, lie and more. Golfsmith has custom fit more than one million golfers since it began 45 years ago, and is the only nationwide retailer to offer an online appointment scheduling system for custom fitting. Customers simply visit www.golfsmith.com/customfit and can then find the store nearest them to book an Advanced Custom Fitting appointment with a certified Master Club Fitter.
A recently released study of several thousand golfers found a majority of golfers in America play with clubs that do not fit them properly (www.customfityourgame.com) and benefit from getting custom fit.
At Golfsmith, golfers of all levels can work on their swings and enhance their game inside Golfsmith’s new retail location which will house three GolfTEC teaching facility bays. GolfTEC Certified Personal coaches use video combined with motion measurement technology to help golfers to learn how to improve their game and develop a better swing. GolfTEC is the undisputed leader in game improvement, having given more than 3.5 million lessons with a 95% client success rate.
Golfsmith offers a comprehensive online store at www.golfsmith.com where Atlanta area residents can register for special offers and updates on grand opening details by signing up for “E-mail Offers” on the company’s web site.
According to the National Golf Foundation, almost half of all golf retail stores in America closed by the end of 2012. To read the NGF report ‘The State of the Industry’, please click here: https://www.box.com/s/yc495selsybg0hbvlmq4
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About Golfsmith: – Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GOLF), is a 45-year-old 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 its 80 stores across the United States, through its web site at golfsmith.com 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. Visit www.Golfsmith.com.
Cautionary Language – Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. Important factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Golfsmith ® is a registered trademark of Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc.
Contact:
Lynn Luczkowski, L2 Communications 860-313-1426 or Lynn@L2comm.biz
Aubrey Haznar, L2 Communications, 617-549-8792 or Aubrey@L2comm.biz
Chris Miller, Golfsmith, 512-821-4131 or chris.miller@golfsmith.com
