Unique Pro Shops or Features

[Steve_Roths]

A buddy of mine's club is going to either redo their pro shop or build a completely seperate building to house it.  They are kicking around ideas for what they want in it to make it unique.

My only suggestion was to replicate the original Friar's Head pro shop with it's tiny space, beer tap, and couch.

Anyone have a suggestion based on some place that you love and enjoy hanging in?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I've always liked the pro shop at Saucon Valley. It's in a seperate building near the club house.

[Bruce Wellmon]

I love the look and feel of OldTown's shop
See Jim Thornton's recent thread


    The Charm of Old Town Club (with photos)
« on: May 17, 2010, 06:58:28 PM »
 

[Mike_Trenham]

Build it somewhere with a view of the first tee or driving range or someplace with a lot of member golf activity.

Woodmont in MD north of DC is adjacent to the driving range with the indoor hitting stalls at the back of the building.

Davis Love Jr moved his desk into the middle of the pro shop at one time rather than have an office so the members could watch him pay bills and place purchase orders for merchandise so put the offices in a semi-public space so the members are aware of all of the work that gets done.

Make it a smaller number of square feet with higher celilings so that it always feels like there is a lot of inventory but not cramped.

Have a private bathroom for the shop staff so they don't need to leave the shop to take care of business

[Yannick Pilon]

The semi-underground clubhouse at North Berwick is certainly unique, but I am not sure it should be replicated....

[Ben Sims]

The halfway house at Mare Island in Vallejo, CA is a former bunker used for naval weapons storage.  I thought that was pretty cool.

[Sean_A]

I love the look and feel of OldTown's shop
See Jim Thornton's recent thread


    The Charm of Old Town Club (with photos)
« on: May 17, 2010, 06:58:28 PM »
 

Yes, Old Town's is very fine.  It is well located for hanging out and/or seeing play, is separated from the house, but it doesn't have an interior hang out zone.  Combine the look and location of Old Town with the hang out zone of Yeamans and it works well.  In a way, with a bit of tweaking, Tobacco Road's house/shop is about as good as it gets.  They just need to contain the merchandize more to the shop and if it isn't big enough alter the building a bit.  I don't like the mess of clothes spreading out of the shop. 

Ciao

[Carl Rogers]

Nothing unique ... but figure out a layout that requires a relative few number of people to operate and maintain a sufficient level of service ... but be helpful on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon.

[Adam Clayman]

Two standouts come to mind. Crystal Downs for its intimacy friendly pro and assistant and those two comfy leather chairs where one can sit and warm up properly. Talking with Dr. Roy.  Winged Foot for it's award winning Merchandising. Not a single wasted inch of space.

[jonathan_becker]

Steve,

If your friend's club wants to go the simple route, they could always operate the pro shop out of a closet like at the Dunes Club.   

They had no more than a dozen shirts, a few visors and hats, a couple gloves and 6 dozen pro v1s for purchase during my visit.  The simplicity of it was cool.

[Richard Choi]

I LOVE the idea of Bar/Pro Shop. Drinking beear and looking at equipment sounds pretty fun to me, at least.

[PCCraig]

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, stupid.

[Carl Johnson]

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, stupid.

Pat, you just took the acronym out of my mouth.  To expand, "simple, practical and comfortable for the members and staff."  Fancy, too cute, too clever, etc. are inappropriate.

[Steve_Roths]

Great suggestion about the vaulted ceilings.  I do like the space it creates.  I think a beer tap is a lock from what I hear.

As for the Dunes Club, yes that pro shop is awesome.  I am kind of hoping that Keiser does something similar with the Conservation Course's clubhouse.  Pluse finally use the Madrone tree as a logo as well.

I do like Pine Valley's pro shop as well given how tiny but packed with inventory it seemed.

[Anthony Gray]

  Should have a photo of Old Tom Morris

  Photo of Cruden Bay

  At least two places beside each other to sit to allow a conversation

  Should feel "older" than what it is

  No poster of the three stooges in golf clothes

  One stuffed animal or head of an animal

  Something from the local college/university

  Copy of The Confidential Guide

  A putting cup in the corner

  White belts for sale

  A retired old man to insult you

  Orange golf shirts

  I hope that helps,

  Anthony

 
   

[Mike Hendren]

No brush tees.

[Anthony Gray]

No brush tees.

  Or naked lady tees.

[Bruce Katona]

One of the best I've seen which amximizes space is Tobacco Road.  Very well done for its size.

[Dan Herrmann]

Here's a pic of the pro shop from my club:

[Tom_Doak]

I do love the pro shop at Crystal Downs, as Adam mentioned; but Richard and others might be shocked by the no-alcohol policy there.  It's a family club.

The one thing I've noticed about most clubhouses I like is that nearly all of them have the pro shop in a separate out building.  That of course is a holdover from the days when the pro owned the shop, and it was his business when to lock up for the day.

[Tony_Muldoon]

The one thing I've noticed about most clubhouses I like is that nearly all of them have the pro shop in a separate out building.  That of course is a holdover from the days when the pro owned the shop, and it was his business when to lock up for the day.

You see this a lot at the older clubs in GB&I and I always thought it was from the days when professionals weren’t allowed near the front door of the gentlemen's club?  It’s only new money clubhouses over here that build a pro shop into the building and then have him collect visitor dues.