AGM New England Regional Event at Needham Golf Club: Collaboration, Retail Innovation & Revenue Opportunities

Written by Justine Cook

The AGM’s recent New England regional event on May 12th at Needham Golf Club in Needham, MA brought together AGM merchandisers, PGA professionals, and industry partners for an afternoon centered around education, collaboration, and innovative ways to grow golf retail business. From e-commerce conversations to corporate gifting strategies, the event created valuable opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and explore evolving opportunities within today’s golf shop environment.

The afternoon began with lunch sponsored by Tee Commerce, giving attendees time to reconnect with peers and continue building relationships within the AGM community before educational sessions kicked off.

The first panel discussion focused on expanding revenue through e-commerce, events and emerging customer segments and was moderated by Justine Cook and featured Jeff Piltch from Tee Commerce alongside Darlene Martin from Wellesley Country Club. The conversation focused on how clubs are expanding revenue opportunities beyond the traditional golf shop through e-commerce platforms, tournament stores, and intentional merchandising strategies designed to engage ladies, juniors, national members, and non-golfers. Panelists also shared practical insights surrounding staffing, fulfillment, operations, and programs that have proven especially successful within their clubs.

Attendees then transitioned into a collaborative roundtable discussion, where the group exchanged ideas surrounding tournament business, customer engagement, e-commerce opportunities, and operational challenges. These peer-to-peer conversations continue to be one of the most valuable aspects of AGM regional events, allowing members to openly share best practices, challenges, and new ideas they hope to implement within their own facilities.

Following a networking break, the afternoon continued with the second educational panel, focused on maximizing corporate and group business, moderated by Justine Cook. The panel featured Emma Hanssens from Wannamoisett Country Club, Ali Putnam from A. Putnam, and Stephanie Roth from Ashworth Golf. The discussion explored how clubs can strengthen corporate and group business through strategic partnerships, curated product assortments, and thoughtful positioning within their local markets. Panelists shared insights into successful product categories, corporate gifting trends, and ways clubs are elevating their approach to group outfitting opportunities.

The day concluded with a visit to Needham Golf Club’s golf shop followed by a cocktail reception, giving attendees additional time to continue conversations. A sincere thank you to the team at Needham Golf Club for their hospitality in hosting the event, along with our industry partners at Tee Commerce, A. Putnam, and Ashworth for their sponsorship and support throughout the day.

Most importantly, thank you to all AGM members and attendees who contributed to the thoughtful discussions, shared insights, and collaborative spirit that made the event such a success.