Tee Bee's Tip #4

Help the professional understand his market.
A professional has to analyze his membership or clientele.  It doesn't matter if it's a daily fee operation or an off-course shop.  What are the areas for potential?  What are the percentages of male, female & senior golfers?  Today's equipment is specialized.   Professionals need to target their buying.  They should plan their ordering with the rep to be in the right position with not only stock but demo equipment.

ABOUT TEE BEE

I´ve been involved with golf all my life, so golf sales has been a very natural career for me.  I was Illinois Junior Golf Champion (in a year not to be mentioned!); played on the Southern Methodist University Golf Team from 1956-1959; was VP for Junior Affairs and a Director of the Southern Golf Association for 18 years; and am a former Club Champion at Atlanta Country Club.

Since my days at SMU, I have been interested in golf sales, so it was no surprise to anyone that my first call after graduation was to my friend Bob Robinson, then Director of Sales for the Walter Hagen Division of Wilson Sporting Goods´ Golf Division.  Bob felt there were other opportunities for me that would provide a better living that would still allow me to pursue my interest in golf; so while he left the door open, he didn´t hire me at that time.

Late in 1962, though, I read in Golf World Magazine that Bob had left Wilson to become General Manager of the new Arnold Palmer Golf Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and I wasted no time in contacting him. Bob said, "I´ve been waiting for your call", allowing that the new company was a most exciting venture he felt could offer a good opportunity to a young person with some sales ability.  (I love referring to myself as a "young person!")  Since I had sold over 3000 putters that year that were built by a friend of mine in his garage, I felt I had the requisite sales ability, and jumped at the chance.

My first territory included Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, and I visited every 9 hole, 18 hole, private or municipal golf course in the three states.I sold Arnold Palmer Golf Gloves, Golf Shirts, Slacks, and Socks for men, as well as a few items for ladies.  Contractual obligations to Wilson kept Arnold Palmer Golf from selling its first clubs until November of 1963, but as soon as they came out, I retraced my steps thru the 3 states, selling at least a couple of sets of clubs toeach customer.  The Arnold Palmer line was popular from the very start.

In the spring of 1964, I moved to the home office in Chattanooga to help Bob Robinson train our expanding sales force and to oversee, with him, our advertising and catalog work.  During my years working with Arnold Palmer Golf, I enjoyed many experiences that strengthened my appreciation of our industry, including being a part of the victory celebration at the home Arnold and Winnie rented in Augusta for the 1964 Masters.  I can truly say that I´ve never felt like I´ve worked a day in my life since going full time in the golf business.

I stayed with the Arnold Palmer Golf Company for 7½ years, and in 1970 I departed to start my own independent rep business.  Over the next 28 years, I was Salesman of the Year numerous times… for several lines. I served on product development teams for a number of the lines I represented… I was featured in articles on selling in Golf Shop Operations, and participated in sales seminars for PGA of America.  In the 1990´s, Cobra Golf and Pickering Shirts were my primary product lines and I was very successful, achieving multimillion dollar sales levels with them for several years running.

In 1999, I became Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing for Kasco Corporation of America, a position I held until 2004, when I decided to return to business as an independent rep, handling quality lines from top manufacturers.  I´ve never enjoyed my work as much as I do when I´m traveling my territory, seeing old friends and customers and making new ones.

Tom Brown (Tee Bee)