Mark Carlson loves to promote the game of golf.
His desire to get more folks playing the game the past 29 years has led to the success of Nemadji Golf Course in Superior, where he is the head PGA club professional and general manager.
As the pro at the 36-hole municipal golf course, Carlson wears many hats, from teaching to overseeing the entire operation, which includes supervising Nemadji's superintendent to running the pro shop and everything in between.
But one of the hats Carlson enjoys wearing a great deal is merchandising, which he says ultimately promotes the game the right way. For Carlson, it's not about the fancy golf wear or stylish golf shoes, but all about the equipment.
"One of the most important things we do for golfers is properly fit them with clubs," said Carlson, who added general manager to his title in 1980, which by default put him in the merchandising aspect of the business. "It's real important to get clubs that fit from a trained club-fitter. If you want to play your best game, it's really important to have clubs and equipment that fits you and your style."
Carlson has done so well in fitting clubs and in the merchandising end of running a golf club, he was named Merchandiser of the Year by the Minnesota Section of the Professional Golf Association in 1996 and 1997.
While he continues to fit about 100 sets of clubs a year at Nemadji, much of the club-fitting business -- as much as 70 percent according to Carlson -- has gone to discount stores such as Nevada Bob's, Austad's and Golfsmiths. Even with less business because of the trend, the Nemadji pro continues the service because he thinks it's important to the golfers who play the municipal course.
"A lot of golf pros have given up trying to sell clubs because business has continued to dwindle," Carlson said. "I feel it's a very important part of my job and it's an area I really like.
"My philosophy on operating a successful golf course is you have to have excellent service, and club-fitting is a part of that."
Bob Cahill, head pro and general manager of Pokegama Golf Course in Grand Rapids, agrees with Carlson.
"I'm still heavily involved in the club-fitting business because I think people are looking for someone to guide them and help them become better players," Cahill said. "Even though much of the business has gone the way of the discount stores, I still think it's a good and necessary service."
Cahill, a two-time Minnesota Section PGA Club Fitter of the Year in the 1990s and the current Ping Regional Club Fitter of the Year, says most people believe they can save money going to a discount golf store for the same clubs.
But what he says they are missing is the guidance aspect they can only get with a PGA-trained golf pro.
"The perception is that people are getting a better price at the discount chains," Cahill said. "That's not true. The prices we are charging are no more, and sometimes less than the discount stores and we give them the extra value of fitting them in equipment that truly fits their game."
Cahill relates the story of a customer who recently came in to the Pokegama pro shop for a new set of Pings. While he was willing to fit the customer, he saw that the man was hitting sporadically off the practice tees and told him it would be wise to maybe work out the kinks and get a consistent swing before the actual fitting began. The man agreed.
"Fitting and teaching goes hand-in-hand," Cahill said. "If he would have gone to a discount golf store he might have bought the right clubs, but he might not have.
"To properly fit someone with the right clubs takes a combination of knowledge in club-fitting and teaching, which is why our service is invaluable."
Source: Duluth News-Tribune
