Golfsmith sold to Dick's Sporting Goods

Buying golf clubs in the the US, may have just got a bit tougher as Dick’s Sporting Goods have bought Golfsmith in a receivership auction. 

Their winning bids is rumoured to be around the $70 million mark, and for their money they’ve bought the 109 Golfsmith stores, the intellectual property and inventory. In 2012 the business was sold for $96 million to the Canadian Golf Town group! Dick’s already own the 82 store Golf Galaxy chain and are rumoured to only be keeping 30 of the Golfsmith stores open going forward. It is unsure whether they will remain as Golfsmith stores or be rebranded. 

Dick’s are unpopular amongst some areas of the US golfing fraternity after letting go 500 PGA professionals just over two years ago. Despite this they will now be the biggest golf retail in the US, with 102 stores. The biggest competition and other main bidder in the auction were Worldwide Golf Stores, and they currently operate 72 stores. 

Golf retailing seems to be evolving. Smaller custom fit centres that carry less stock, plus strong internet clothing retailers mean these giant golf stores may be a thing of the past. But a golf retail future that is more Savile Row tailoring than Primark pile it high and stack it cheap has got to be better for everyone in the long run.