Today's Highlights

• An "Ah-ha" Moment
• Hi-Tec delivers earth-friendly golf shoe
• All buckled in

Thursday, October 11, 2007

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FEATURE

An "Ah-ha" Moment

By Janice Ferguson
GPA Correspondent

We are always on the hunt for good golf apparel e-tailers, and recently stumbled on a great resource for women's golf clothing and accessories that must be shared.

Golf Sophisticate (www.golfsophisticate.com) is a print catalog and e-commerce site born out of a simple need to fill the void in the availability of women's golf fashion.

A year and a half ago, Pete and Julie Pisarri were sitting on their back porch enjoying a glass of wine and toasting another glorious Florida sunset. Pete was flipping through a popular golf catalog and stopped to point out a women's shirt to Julie. During the course of their exchange, they noticed the limited number of pages devoted to ladies golf apparel -- two out of 100, to be exact.

Instead of simply pointing out the obvious, the Pisarris actually decided to take action. Pete left his successful sales training career and busy travel schedule to join Julie in starting Golf Sophisticate -- a family owned and operated business.

First step? Research, research and more research.

"We spent a lot of time crunching numbers to find out exactly who spends the most money and on what," Pete said. "We discovered our niche should be to buy the opposite of what pro shops do as far as size runs are concerned. Since pro shops buy for a fixed number of members and in a limited quantity, if you aren't at the door on the first day of deliveries, your size would most likely be sold out. So we've created a shopping solution for women. Whereas a pro shop can only carry 10 pieces of a line, we have 50."

Golf Sophisticate currently offers collections from five key manufacturers of women's apparel and accessories -- Sport Haley, EP Pro, Fairway & Greene, Tehama, and Bette & Court, including plus sizes, that combine to make 316 styles. Golf shoes are by Aerogreen, while handbags and shoe bags are from Ame and Lulu.

"We felt it was imperative to keep the business very manageable the first couple of years," Julie said. "Doing things right is much more important to us than doing things big. All our vendors are known for their quality, fit, and vast collections. Whether you order from our catalog or online, you're assured of being able to get several pieces from a designer's line that work together to create a complete outfit."

What you will notice in addition to Golf Sophisticate's selection are helpful things like sizing charts, daily specials, and an online ordering process that's efficient as well as personal. When you receive your order, you'll be pleasantly surprised with nicely packaged goods, and a little something extra.

"The best way to differentiate us is through exceptional customer service," Pete said. "When we planned this part of our business, we took it right down to what the box will look like when it arrives on the customer's front porch step. And, we want the experience to be fun for the customers - give them something unexpected. So in each order we include a little bag of golf balls and tees tied to a thank you discount coupon good towards the next purchase within 30 days."

Ah-ha! That's what it means to get exceptional quality, value, and customer service from the convenience of shopping from the comfort of your home.