Titleist is taking its retail (and fitting) game to one of golf’s most hallowed grounds.
The company announced plans for the Titleist Shop at Pinehurst, an immersive fitting and retail experience that will be located on Pinehurst Resort’s main campus. Set to open at the current Don Padgett Learning Center—just steps from Pinehurst No. 2’s 18th green—the shop will offer both fitting services and a retail presence.
“The Titleist Shop at Pinehurst is the first U.S.-based Titleist retail experience of its kind, and we are thrilled to be working with a destination as historic as Pinehurst on this venture,” said Jeremy Stone, Titleist’s Senior Vice President of Golf Ball Marketing & U.S. Sales.
Smart positioning
For Titleist, the partnership gives the company a fitting and retail presence at one of golf’s most popular destination resorts. Pinehurst hosts more than 200,000 rounds annually across its ten courses, creating a built-in audience of golfers who are already committed enough to the game to plan a golf vacation.
“Pinehurst and Titleist have proven over time to be an ideal pairing, where a timeless setting for the game meets the finest tools needed to help players reach their greatest heights,” said Eric Kuester, Pinehurst Resort’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
The retail challenge
Golf brands have historically struggled with dedicated retail presences. Currently, PXG is the only major equipment company giving dedicated retail a full-throttle effort with its growing network of fitting and retail locations.
The challenges are real. Unlike other sporting goods, golf equipment requires significant expertise to sell properly, particularly when it comes to fitting. The seasonal nature of golf in many markets also creates revenue challenges, and rent at premium locations—especially golf destinations—doesn’t come cheap.
Like similar offerings (TaylorMade at Reynolds Lake Oconee, for example), Titleist’s approach at Pinehurst appears designed to mitigate some of these challenges. By partnering with an established resort rather than going it alone, the company can leverage Pinehurst’s existing infrastructure and customer flow while focusing on what it does best: providing premium golf equipment and fitting services.
Room to grow?
It will be interesting to see if this model expands to other golf destinations and whether competitors attempt similar partnerships. The golf destination market offers a unique opportunity—golfers are already in “spending mode” and often looking to commemorate their experience. Given the opportunity for a premium fitting experience (either scheduled or the impulsive result of poor play), I suspect many will be game to take advantage.
Pinehurst already houses Golf Pride’s operations, making it something of a mini-equipment hub in the Sandhills of North Carolina. The addition of Titleist’s retail presence could further cement the resort’s position as more than just a place to play golf.
Whether the Titleist Shop at Pinehurst becomes a proof of concept for a larger retail strategy or remains a unique partnership will likely depend on its success in serving both Titleist’s business objectives and Pinehurst’s commitment to enhancing the golfer experience.
More details about the shop’s specific offerings and timeline are expected later this summer.
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