NEWS
Fairway & Greene and EP Pro have again been named the Association of Golf Merchandisers' top apparel vendors for men and women, respectively, for the fifth straight year in the AGM's annual member survey.
Dunning Golf announces that staff players Zach Johnson and John Senden will showcase styles from the brand's fall 2007 collection during this week's John Deere Classic.
Ecco staff player Colin Montgomerie wore its World Class collection line of shoes en route to winning the European Open, his first win in nearly 19 months.
Hi-Tec Golf introduces its Enviro golf shoe, in which 99 percent of its materials are environmentally friendly.
Perry Ellis International Inc. enters into an agreement with The Luxe Group LLC to become the exclusive sales agency for Original Penguin by Munsingwear and Tricots St. Raphael for the golf and resort markets.
FEATURE
Q-and-A: Colin Sinclair
Head professional, Carnoustie Golf Links
Editor's note: Apparel Wire publisher Alex Miceli spent some time with Colin Sinclair, head professional at Carnoustie Golf Links, site of next week's British Open. Sinclair was also the head pro when Carnoustie last hosted the British Open in 1999. Sinclair talks about that experience and the preparation for this year's championship from a merchandising standpoint.
Q.: Talk about the build up to the Open, how far out did you start?
COLIN SINCLAIR: We were told in December 2003 that we had the championship for 2007. And then in conjunction with the [Royal and Anceitn Golf Club and International Management Group] -- from the merchandise standpoint -- we told them we would like to sell two logos with the Open Championship on it, so that in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 we could sell both logoed products.
Q.: How far past that?
SINCLAIR: Just 12 weeks after it.
Q.: And that's it?
SINCLAIR: We have a sell through period of 12 weeks after the tournament. Effectively on the Sunday night [after end of play], I don't want anything with the Open on it. I want it all basically gone. On the Monday morning after [the Open] the customer comes in and wants the product for half price. That happened in 1999, and that was my first. I remember 9 a.m. Monday morning someone comes in and says "I love that shirt, but I want it for half price." And so that's why.
The course shuts down three weeks before the tournament, so nobody's coming into the shop and then for the week of the Open, IMG controls the merchandise areas. The shop is shut to the public. So I've got limited foot traffic coming through the door because every one is going through the main tent. And I don't want to keep the product to myself.
Q.: So can the public get in the shop during the Open?
SINCLAIR: Not this one, no. Just the players, any guests of the hotel, corporate hospitality and members can come into the shop. But the paying public will go through the wonderful merchandise area that they're going to have at the Open.
Q.: In '99, how much did you do right and how much did you do wrong?
SINCLAIR: We bought too much. So we did 50 percent right, 50 percent wrong. What you do is you go by the pros that have had it over the previous years and one says he sold 10 of this and five of that. So you're trying to gauge it. We bought too much. That was it.
But we had originally been told that we had a bigger tent and then we were told we were having a smaller tent. But it was like anything else, we did sell it eventually, but we didn't sell it for the top markup price that we would have normally for the week of the event. And we never ran out, that was our key. We wanted to give the customer something. We wanted to give the guy on the Sunday night exactly the same choice as the guy on the Thursday morning and we did that.
Q.: On ordering, you have the experience of '99 now, are there certain items that you now know that you need to do more of or less of?
SINCLAIR: Oh, very much so. It's predominantly shirts and hats. People want a nice shirt and a nice hat. And then you'll have your knitwear and your accessories as well.
Also, we'll keep it tight. Instead of giving a hundred different styles, we'll have 50 different styles, but we'll go deep with these numbers. So that's what you learn more of year after year. You want to give as much choice as you want, but you sometimes get too much. So it's just limiting the choice, but giving the backup of the size runs in your storerooms.
Note: Sinclair notes that for the past year 60 percent of the merchandise features the Carnoustie logo and the remaining 40 percent features the Open logo.
Q.: Has that been pretty much the way for like the last couple years?
SINCLAIR: No. No in 2004, 2005, 10 percent of it was Open Championship. It was just a slow build-up to get a feeling of which logo was more popular. And then 2006 was pretty much the 60/40 split. But since it's not our logo, we can't be seen to just be doing everything Open Championship. We have a licensee agreement that makes sure we obviously give enough space to our standard logo as well.
Q.: In the old days they didn't really have a shop?
SINCLAIR: No.
Q.: You could buy a shirt or a hat, maybe.
SINCLAIR: At the old clubhouse?
Q.: Well, I wouldn't call it a clubhouse?
SINCLAIR: It was a public toilet.
Q.: Exactly. But you could buy a shirt or hat and the Carnoustie logo was very hard to find.
SINCLAIR: Yeah, it was always there, but as you said, quite rightly, it was very difficult to get. When you were checking in and getting your scorecard, "Oh, I'll have that sweater as well." You couldn't get your hands on it; it was kind of behind the glass case.
It's all changed now. It's a lot more commercial now. We were brought in '99 and our job was to look after the visiting golfers requirements and merchandise is a massive part of that at a venue like this.
Q.: The Carnoustie Links Trust quickly went from very little revenue to a large amount of revenue in just the first year alone?
SINCLAIR: Yeah, very much so.
Q.: And has it been pretty steady progress?
SINCLAIR: Growth every year. We have a lot more members now coming in and buying our merchandise. Which is slightly surprising, but a lot of people want better quality product now days. They want the best. And through the period of time that we have been here it's just built up.
People have bought a sweater, for example, Peter Scott, which is the finest knitwear. They have worn it for three or four years. Well, this is good stuff and then they come back and buy more and tell a friend and they tell a friend and it just snowballs from there. So we're getting a lot more members through the door and the visitor always buys from us, but it's nice to see our members coming in as well.
Q.: With the change in hotel ownership, have you seen any change in terms of your situation?
SINCLAIR: With me personally? No. We're busier, it is a lot healthier than under the previous management. There was a lot of the staff that was a little uneasy with them. But it is just personality clashes.
I was pretty much left to my own devices, because I am the head professional. My experience, my expertise is in looking after the visiting golfer, the member golfer, with regards to the merchandise and instruction, as well. I really haven't seen a change. We have only seen a change for the best, because the facility is busier. I can only see that as a good thing.
Q.: When you talk about this growth, are we saying on an annual basis it has been single or double digit?
SINCLAIR: Previous years single digit. In 2006, double digit.
Q.: How do you account for that?
SINCLAIR: Quality of merchandise. It gets better and better every year. Just working with the suppliers, I specialize in dealing with companies that are the finest in their particular product. Knit wear, Peter Scott by far the best. Marbas, by far the best shirt; Imperial, by far the best hat; Ecco, best shoes; ProQuip, best waterproofs. The whole point of good product is good quality, good pricing, good service. All these companies have these three key points.
The product comes in on time and it sells well. It's a combination of just working with your suppliers and the quality of the product. And the prices … working with the suppliers, the prices are coming down from my point of view. Obviously from the customer's point of view, they're happy with the price points that we have got as well. So it's worthwhile for everybody.
APPAREL
Poulter turning heads, creating buzz
By Vartan Kupelian
GPA Correspondent
Ian Poulter describes himself as "a massive Payne Stewart fan" when the fashionable American was strolling the fairways of the world in his plus-fours, designer sweaters and Hogan cap.
Stewart's style made a lasting impression on Poulter when he was working the fashion retail side in the shop as a young professional.
"He was pristine," Poulter said. "He was probably my favorite, watching telly. He had great shoes, great dress sense. He had a massive following for that because he was a little bit different."
Poulter is the closest thing to Stewart in today's game and it is safe to say the Englishman is more than just a little different. He wears clothes that everybody else talks about, including those Union Jack slacks he debuted at the 2004 British Open at Royal Troon. There is still a buzz about that outfit. Poulter has a scrapbook full of clippings from newspaper stories in countries from around the world following that major.
"I don't think anybody who had anything to do with the trousers had any idea the kind of impact it would have," Poulter told Sky Sports. "I certainly didn't. I tried them on the night before, ironed them for 15 minutes, and just went, 'Wow.'"
It wasn't until seeing cameramen following him every step of the way that he realized the furor he was about to create.
"That's part of the fun of being a little bit different and trying to enjoy golf," said Poulter, who has taken his fondness for fashion to a new level.
Ian Poulter Design's Collection One leisurewear will be unveiled July 17, the week of the British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links.
"It's going to be really special," Poulter said. "That's exciting - nervous but exciting. It's an amazing business. Once done with your drawing, done with your sketch, there's an awful lot of work behind the scenes."
Poulter's primary focus remains competitive golf and will for as long as he can imagine but said "it's nice to have a business interest on and off the golf course."
A lot of people are wondering whether the Poulter line will include designs borrowing from the Union Jack, Claret Jug and USA flag themes that he has fashioned in recent years. He is also known for bright colors, especially pinks, and coordinating accessories.
In an introduction on his website, Poulter said "there is a hint of these" in the collection.
Poulter is routinely asked on tour about his fashion philosophy and he responds by saying the key is to feel good about his clothes because that translates into how he feels about his game.
"It's very like that satisfaction you have when driving away in a freshly cleaned car, it just seems to run that little bit better," Poulter said.
The line will be sold exclusively by green grass clients and selected High Street retailers. Poulter will wear Collection One on and off the golf course.
The line offers a wide range of styles and colors, including blush pink, mystic mauve, golf ball white and khaki mist. A Nehru collar top, made from 100 percent double-faced Polyester Coolmax, offers a unique look to go along with more conventional polo-style shirts and turtlenecks. Each product has the IJP logo.
The line includes a Tartan Boot Leg trouser - in machine washable "Poulter Tartan" with front frog pockets and a boot leg shape. It complements a casual trouser with front pleats and detailed top stitching. Jackets, shorts, belts and beanies will also be available.
A sampling of the prices: Shirts $69-$99; knitwear $74-$129; trousers $139-$169; tailored shorts $94.
For information, go to www.ianpoulterdesign.com.
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