The National Golf Buyers Association, often referred to as the N.G.B.A , gathered at the Westin La Paloma resort from September 28th-30th in Tucson AZ to celebrate its 35th year.
It’s locally owned and operated award winning golf specialty stores, many of which operate under the Golf Headquarters name, first organized in 1983 and meet formally annually.
The 46 members operating 71 storefronts attended consumer experience enhancement seminars, exchanged best practices and met with 50 of the best golf equipment manufacturers in the industry who displayed the latest innovations in the resort’s exhibit hall. The group’s vendor partner brands offered the group exclusive promotional buys that provide the shop-local golfer outstanding products at strong value for every player skill level.
The association also handed out its hotly contested 2015 Vendor Partner of the year awards.
Thanks to their no up charge offer on steel custom shafts and select grips that made the right fit for that consumer faster and more affordable the group’s iron club business with Mizuno was up significantly.
The Vendor Partner of the Year for Golf Clubs: Mizuno USA
The combination of the new Chrome soft being a great product, the Callaway sales team providing R & D training of member sales staff and an abundant amount of two ball packs for consumer trial yielded a winning formula.
The Vendor Partner of the Year for Golf Balls: Callaway Golf
The out of the box idea of a cash for clunkers trade-in promotion toward a new cart that encouraged walking the course for fitness was very popular with members and consumers.
The Vendor Partner of the Year for Golf Bags and Carts: Bag Boy
The quality, size run and mix of their July apparel promotion yielded strong promotional price points that delivered exceptional consumer value.
The Vendor Partner of the Year for Golf Apparel & Shoes: Callaway Apparel
Well-designed packaging, great service and products that enhance the consumer experience earned them this award.
The Vendor Partner of the Year for Golf Accessories: J & M Golf, Inc.
The consumer enthusiasm and boost in product trial yielding a bump in business going right into Father’s Day was a strong factor in this award decision. Consumers who participated had an opportunity to trial this leading manufacturer’s drivers, irons, fairways and hybrids, putters and shoes, receive a TaylorMade cap and enter to win products worth over $10,000 at retail.
For their “10 days of Consumer” trial and enter Promotion, The Vendor Partner for the Consumer Marketing Initiative of the Year: TaylorMade/Adidas/Adams/Ashworth
Last, the group’s committee and board, populated by many of the organization’s most innovative and successful merchants announced the Spring 2016 rollout of its Xponent and Backspin platform. These golf clubs, bags and gloves incorporate strong design influence by industry veterans and address the need to invite more participation in the game by satisfying the golfer seeking authentic performance attributes that benefit the average player at an exceptional value.
Xponent and Backspin will be distributed exclusively by the N.G.B.A members.
Contact:
Lee Clapp
lclapp@golfheadquarters.com
716-913-1311
