Written by Ken Morton Jr.
As the golf industry gears up for another season post-PGA Show, I wanted to take a moment to share a realization that struck me while preparing for this year’s event. Doing some prep ahead of the event and reviewing the multitude of vendors there at the show got my head spinning, resulting in a long letter to my two buyers that summarized a bit of what is below in this blog story. My buyer, Heather Hadley, humorously dubbed my letter to the team my “Jerry Maguire Mission Statement,” and in many ways, she’s right—it’s a call to rethink how we approach our merchandising strategy in an era of unprecedented market fragmentation.
The Apparel Boom: 398 and Counting
While reviewing the exhibitor list for this year’s show, one statistic stood out: 1,063 vendors were in attendance, the highest ever for RX Global/Reed/PGA Show. But the truly eye-opening number? A staggering 398 of them were apparel brands. That number alone underscores the seismic shift taking place in golf retail. That doesn’t even include a couple of large vendors that weren’t in attendance.
How is it possible that so many new apparel brands continue to enter such a competitive market? The answer lies in the evolution of manufacturing and the democratization of production. We’ve seen firsthand how small minimum orders have revolutionized the game—my own private label Backspin Golf Threads shirts I design and create for the NGBA use direct-to-garment sublimation, allowing for runs as small as 200 shirts, or even fewer with slightly higher costs. This level of flexibility was unheard of just a few years ago, when brands had to commit to thousands of units to justify production. Just a decade or two ago, a single shirt had to be made in quantities in the thousands. Today, you can have an entire line of clothing for the same investment a single shirt cost to produce.
The Fragmentation of the Marketplace
This accessibility is reshaping the industry. The traditional barriers to entry have crumbled, allowing smaller brands to carve out space in a crowded landscape. However, this surge in new players is not without consequences. Recently, we’ve seen well-established longtime stalwart women’s brands close their doors. Their exits are telling: some legacy brands are struggling to compete with the influx of agile newcomers who are often more in tune with direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies and niche marketing.
Rather than a few dominant brands leading the way, we’re witnessing the rise of dozens, if not hundreds, of mid-to-low-tier brands, each aiming to capture a small, loyal customer base. Some of these brands may never even make their way into traditional retail channels, opting instead to sell exclusively through their own DTC platforms. This further complicates our ability to identify the next “big thing.”
The New Merchandising Strategy: Adaptability is Key
So, what does this mean for golf merchandisers and buyers? It requires a fundamental shift in our approach. The days of betting on a single breakthrough brand are likely behind us. Instead, success will come from curating a diverse mix of brands that speak directly to our customers. We must be tastemakers, leveraging our knowledge and insights to assemble assortments that capture emerging trends before they become mainstream. We must tell stories with our brands, identifying the creator or the influencer that is behind the logo.
Yet, this approach presents a paradox. Small brands can get lost in-store if given just a quarter of a gondola in the back. If we don’t create a compelling story around these new brands, their sell-through will suffer, making it difficult to justify their place in our inventory. Balancing fresh new brands with established performers is more critical than ever, and we can’t afford to let sentimentality dictate our choices. No sacred cows—only what the customer demands.
Our Role at the PGA Show: Spotting the Next Wave
With 398 apparel brands vying for attention, our challenge at the PGA Show was clear: identify the brands that will resonate with our customers. That means keeping an open mind, seeking out unique value propositions, and being prepared to test new concepts in our shops. It also means recognizing that some of our current brands may no longer align with the direction our customers are heading.
If you think about it, we have a 1/398 chance of getting it right. But if we pay attention, ask the right questions, and trust our instincts, we can dramatically improve those odds. The key is not to predict the future—it’s to recognize it as it’s happening.
Still True: Ride the Horse You Came in On
At the same time, we must recognize that our core brands—the ones that have proven their worth year after year—are still our horses. They are the backbone of our business, providing stability and consistent sales. These brands have built trust with our customers through quality, reliability, and service, becoming synonymous with our shop’s reputation. While we need to remain open to emerging brands, we cannot throw away long standing relationships for the sake of chasing what’s new. These core partnerships have been nurtured over time, offering us co-op marketing opportunities, early access to new products, and dependable delivery schedules. Our challenge is to strike the right balance between embracing innovation and maintaining the trust and reliability that our core brands provide, ensuring that our store continues to offer both the familiar favorites our customers expect and the fresh new options that excite them.
Let’s embrace the changing landscape and use our expertise (and relationships with those key vendor partners that got us to the dance) to curate the best possible assortments for our customers. Here’s to finding those hidden gems and shaping the future of golf retail together.
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