Nike Golf Canada is making a play for the premium golf-retail market. The brand has opened an exclusive Nike Golf shop at Markham, Ont.’s Angus Glen Golf Club, which previously sold more than a dozen brands in its pro shop.
“One of our strategic goals is to create a separation in the golf market and be the most innovative and premium brand at the retail level,” said Tyler Keenan, director of marketing at Nike Golf. “We want to inspire the consumer through product innovation, assortments and a premium destination to shop our entire product line.”
While Nike Golf has other exclusive retail partnerships, “this is our first of its nature… and the pinnacle expression at a golf course,” said Keenan.
The revamped 2,500-sq.-ft. store has distinct areas dedicated to the brand’s sponsored athletes, including Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie. During golf tournaments, the store will display all the Nike gear worn by its athletes throughout the events. There’s also a women’s destination and smaller section for young golfers.
For Angus Glen, the Nike Golf partnership was a perfect fit. “We both obviously feel we’re premium brands within our market, so the fit there was very good for us,” said Chris Neale, general manager of Angus Glen. “Secondly, we had done an extensive $6-million renovation to our south course [in 2013] and it was time to give the pro shop an upgrade.”
With its old pro shop, “we were trying to be too much to too many people,” said Neale. “We had too much merchandise and it wasn’t appealing. It looked more like a discount house.”
The new Nike Golf store is “more spacious, the merchandising is astoundingly better and the product selection is fantastic. It makes you want to shop.”
Keenan said Nike Golf plans to expand its footprint in the premium retail market, but “we need to be sure we find the right location and the right partner.”
