As the grand opening draws closer for a new pro shop in the Country Club building, Leslie Terry feels the responsibility along with a sense of excitement. The new pro shop will be about four times the size of the old one with a new, modern feel and expanded inventory.

Planning a space that will probably be in use for more than 20 years is a responsibility, she said. The fixtures are modular so they can be moved around, and the look is very clean, she said.

With the new fabrics come new ways to display them, Terry explained. There will be a lot less folding in the new store and more merchandise displayed at eye level, she said. The new high tech fabrics work better on hangers and that makes shopping easier too.

"People want to shop without bumping into things," she said.

She recently attended a PGA conference where she met the vendors who are outfitting the store. It gave her the chance to hear feedback about her choices even before they are delivered.

The other pro shops at Kingsdale, Metfield, Scotsdale and the Highlands will gradually add the new style of fixtures, she said. Each course already has its own logo, she said. The POA's marketing department developed logos based on the theme of each course. Merchandise with the course logos has been available for a while, she said.

She orders merchandise for all the pro shops and it's not always the same, she said. She works closely with the pros at each shop to customize the orders. Golfers at the Highlands may have slightly different taste than the those at Kingsdale. For example, something like the length of shorts may change between shops.

At the Country Club, merchandise from each of the courses will be available, along with some items that use the POA's logo. Each course will have a kiosk in the store. Along with the logo merchandise, a monitor will show scenes from the course.

Besides golf attire, there are also mugs and glasses with the logos, she said. Everyone, even non-golfers, will have a chance to support their local course.

"You need to know the market," Terry said, "You need to go by the unwritten rule: 'Would you buy it? Would your friend by it?'"

Terry is a golfer herself and once considered a career as a golf pro. Her golf experience makes it easier for her to choose some of the merchandise. For example, she knows to avoid reusable water bottles that won't fit into a golf cart cup holder. Also when she looks at a yardage device, she knows if it's going to be easy for the golfer to use.

Terry actually has a degree in psychology, but she learned quickly that the social service career she planned was not going to make her happy, so she changed direction to work at a golf club. She migrated towards the retail side and has been in the field -- working mostly in Texas -- for almost 20 years.

Over that time, she's learned that retail is always changing, but she has to order merchandise six months ahead. She has to know at New Years, what color will be popular in the summer. This year's color, she said, is ultra-violet -- a bright purple. It will probably be more popular as an accent color trimming a shirt or bag, she said.

Although the remodeling project at the Country Club has seen some delays, the end is in sight, Terry said. The fixtures have been ordered and she expects to be able to place them by the end of the month. Once the construction dust is cleaned up and the fixtures are in place, the merchandise can be arranged in only a couple of days.

Terry said she will be happy to see the end of the long project, but spring is her busy season so she'll still be busy keeping all five shops stocked and up to date.

General News on 02/14/2018