Pro Shop Better Pro Shop Profits... By Design by Robert Lefebvre Creating a designer space for your pro shop customers shouldn't be done just for aesthetics alone. A better design and look for your pro shop can both please your golfing customers and improve your bottom line. Of the many factors that contribute to the success of a pro shop, key architectural design and interior design considerations constitute two of the strongest. The pro shop is one of the most important functioning elements of a club because virtually everyone who comes to golf visits the pro shop. More people see the pro shop on a regular basis than any other part of the clubhouse. An architect will see your green grass shop as a design showpiece that enlivens the golfer's experience of the building and enhances the owner's profitability. Here are the five most important factors to consider when designing a pro shop: 1. Location in the clubhouse and proximity to the course 2. General design motif 3. Traffic flow 4. Display fixtures 5. Lighting Location The location of the pro shop in relation to the physical course itself is key. Ideally the location should satisfy the following criteria: It should be clearly visible from the approach driveway; It should also be adjacent to bag drop; It should have views of 1st and 10th tees; views of 9th and 18th greens; It should have a view of practice green and range tee blocks, and it should provide panoramic views of the golf course. Accomplishing all of that is a lot to ask, and it usually doesn't come into full fruition given the different conditions at each golf course. Meeting a number of these objectives in combination, however, is possible. The relationship between the pro shop and golf course depends on terrain, contours, landscaping, proximity/course layout, and how the course is operated. Individual course operators have different preferences for prioritizing views. By far and away though, the two most favoured views are the approach road / bag drop, and the first tee deck. A pro shop that occupies a corner or corners of the building, or one that projects from the building offers the greatest chance of satisfying the above factors. And, if it presents a panoramic view of the layout of
the course or frames a particularly memorable view, it will add greatly to the golf experience. For the golfer there is always something magical about seeing the course from the pro shop. On any given day, the pro shop is where most golfers want to go first. Therefore when it is positioned up front and visible from the approach driveway it serves to orient the golfer immediately upon arrival at the course. The golfer will know right away where to check-in, especially if he or she has already stopped at the bag drop immediately outside the pro shop. A well-marked and well-designed entrance to the pro shop will save the golfer from a meandering search through the clubhouse. If the pro shop cannot be positioned in the front, make sure that there is a combination of clear signage and pathways directing golfers to the shop entrance. Golfers want to feel welcomed and well served. Pro shop location can improve staff operations as well. If it is possible for staff in the shop to view the practice green, the driving range, #1 & #10 tees and the returning nines, then they can help to monitor pace of play directly from the shop. Not to mention that when staff can see golfers approaching, they can be better prepared to give a high level of service. The pro shop can create a great welcoming first impression by orienting the golfer not only to the course, but also to the rest of the clubhouse. The ideal pro shop location provides a connection or views to the lobby, bistro, locker room access and the main staircase (if one is required). Most people within the clubhouse will go into the pro shop at some time during their visit if they can easily get to the shop from other parts of the building. If the pro shop walls have a transparency to the other public spaces of the clubhouse, then merchandise displays can entice people back into the pro shop from various parts of the building. Additionally, if the pro shop has a direct connection to the bistro, then both operations will benefit from having more visitors. In the overall design of the clubhouse, a clear and uncluttered layout of lobby spaces, hallways, and rooms will direct golfers through the pro shop, enhance staff productivity and be a very pleasant environment for the golfer. Some clubs prefer to have the pro shop on the shortest path between the parking lot and the locker rooms. Some prefer to have it between the parking lot and the bistro. The pro shop can be positioned such that golfers will want to walk through it twice: once arriving at the course and again upon leaving. General Design Motif The design motif of the pro shop should reflect and enhance the spirit of the rest of the clubhouse and the course itself. For example, if the clubhouse has a country estate character and sits on a Scottish highlands type of course, then the pro shop can be detailed accordingly. The same is true for a rustic cabin clubhouse on a course in a wilderness pines setting.
Design motifs are accomplished through elements of interior architectural detailing: wall, floor and ceiling treatments; style of display fixtures; door and fixture hardware; type of windows; the choice of materials and finishes; furniture; interior colour schemes; accessorizing, and lighting. The thematic fluency and the cohesiveness of the design can add charm and character to the pro shop. It can also create the most effective environment in which to display the merchandise. Ultimately, the pro shop has the potential to become both a profitable boutique and the place of business for tee times. Traffic Flow Good traffic flow into and through a pro shop is another factor that affects a golfer's experience of the building and influences directly the functional and financial performance of the pro shop. A clubhouse operator wants people to move fluidly through the building and the shop itself, but also wants them to linger in some places. Pro shop size affects this traffic flow. Most pro shops in new clubhouses for an 18-hole golf course have between 600 Ð 800 square feet of shop space. For 36- hole layouts, the size increases to 1,200 Ð 1,500 square feet. Even a large pro shop, however, can feel cramped or awkward if the interior fixture layout is not carefully planned. The placement of merchandise display fixtures can smooth traffic flow and creative placement of displays can move a golfer through the entire shop, from front to back, on their way to the counter. Typically, as with any boutique shopping experience, the sales counter will be placed toward the back of the shop. In a pro shop however, the counter should also be placed to have a view of the first tee or other parts of the course as discussed above. If both cannot be accomplished, then the priority for each individual course must be determined. Good traffic flow will also depend on the number of pro shop doors and if they are strategically placed for both flow within the shop and for flow to the rest of the club. A door position that works well for direct access to the bistro may interrupt traffic flow in the pro shop. In each individual case, the priority of club's operations will determine the best working solution. Display Fixtures Display fixtures are typically of three varieties: built-ins, moveable pieces, and accessories. The design and flexibility of each of these must be carefully considered.
Built-in units can be designed as multi-functioning pieces that serve variously as shirt hangers, waterfall displays, shelving, sloped shelving for shoes, golf bag displays, TV/VCR stands, and storage. Depending on the season, or special merchandising offers, a built-in unit that is designed for flexibility can be used to full advantage. Built-ins must be placed carefully within a shop, as they are typically tall units that need wall space behind. The shop should be designed so that this wall space doesn't compromise views outside to the course or views inside to the rest of the building. The sales counter is typically a built-in unit that displays smaller merchandise items. The counter has to be designed so that it comfortably welcomes the golfer, accommodates staff, and simultaneously satisfies the multi-functions of computer location, point of sale systems, cash drawers, telephones, storage, waste, and merchandise bags. Moveable pieces accommodate different displays with the added advantage that they can be repositioned to alter traffic flow within the pro shop. Moveable fixtures typically consist of a club rack, nesting tables, and raceway tables. Mobility allows the shop operator to put a special display in a strategic place, or to give the shop a fresh look by rearranging the pieces - a necessary process to keep your regular customers interested in your pro shop merchandise. Accessory merchandise display fixtures can include unique items such as a cedar chest, wicker baskets, artwork, memorabilia or even an antique motorcycle parked in the pro shop. Whenever possible, items such as these should be brought in to accommodate special promotions or themed decorating to add additional character to the shop. What these three different fixture types should have in common is design theme, finishes, colours, and last but not least, quality. The placement and size of the fixtures should allow for a clear view of the entire shop for both the golfer and the staff. Fixture sizes should be coordinated with the window sizes as well, so that one complements the other. This will add to the cohesive look and aesthetic appeal of the pro shop. Lighting Lighting not only helps to create the ambience of the shop, but it is also the most significant factor in making attractive and successful merchandise displays. Bad lighting can ruin a good pro shop design. Generally, a combination of halogen and incandescent lighting is most effective for pro shop design. Low voltage halogen lights (MR-16s) give true colour renditions, especially for fabrics. High voltage halogens (capsylites) provide a warmer light output. The light should be consistent no matter what outdoor
lighting conditions are affecting the appearance of the space. Incandescent lighting has an even warmer, glowing quality that adds to a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. Fluorescent lights can be used as an economic choice, but must be carefully selected for bulb type and lens type so as not to appear too institutional and inappropriate for a golf shop. Halogen and incandescent fixtures come in a wide variety of types and designs. Track lights offer the most flexibility and come in a range of shapes, sizes and finishes to satisfy any design theme. Flexible lighting options are always preferred because they can be adjusted to create 'warm spots' within the shop, highlight special merchandise displays, and provide functional illumination for sales counter operations. Pot lights and other permanent fixtures such as wall sconces must be carefully placed so as not to become redundant if the shop layout is rearranged from time to time. Display windows also require carefully placed lights of the right type and size. Lights in exterior windows and in interior display windows can make a marked difference to the attractiveness of pro shop merchandise. Designing a pro shop that meets your customers' needs and reflects the character of your club takes careful consideration and attention to detail. The preceding five factors must be addressed in the creation of a successful pro shop design. If each factor is considered individually and then combined, the outcome will be the evolution of a space that adds value to any clubhouse. Aesthetics in your green grass shop can either attract sales or detract from them. An owner and operator must consider whether or not to save money at the outset or make money in the long term.