The 8 Most Interesting Stats from the 2024 AGM Membership Survey

The Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) has released its 2024 Membership Survey and we want to go over some of the most notable findings from it. 

Here are a few key findings in this most recent survey: 

• 75% of golf shops surveyed saw higher sales in 2023 vs 2022
• The average salary for golf retail pros is around $84,000
• The average golf shop is about 2,400 square feet and generates around $830 per square foot annually 
• 78% of golf retail shops surveyed use RepSpark

But, let’s go over these in more detail. 

Golf Retail Continues to Boom

This year’s survey tells the story of a steadily growing golf industry. 

As mentioned, 75% of golf shops reported higher sales in 2023 compared to 2022. Looking a little deeper into those 75% that saw year-over-year growth, roughly a quarter of these shops saw an increase of 11% or more in sales. 

This year’s results marks two years of consecutive year-over-year growth among golf shops, good news for golf retail. 

Who’s Running Golf Retail Shops

This year’s survey found that experience continues to be an important factor in who’s running retail operations in golf shops. 

The average merchandiser has 16 years of experience, according to the survey. 

And, the most common titles among respondents included: Merchandise Manager/Retail Manager/Pro Shop Manager (36%), Head Professional (25%), or Director of Retail/Director of Merchandising/Vice President (17%). 

It seems the golf retail industry is thriving under experienced hands.

Benefits and Compensation for Golf Retail Professionals

The average salary for golf retail pros stands around $84,000, according to the survey. The higher end of the pay spectrum is around $100,000 while the lower end hovers around $50,000. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they get a bonus, and that bonus amount was on average around $11,000.

Raises were also common among respondents, as 63% said they received a raise of 1-5% and  18% received a raise of 6% or more. 

Beyond salary, health insurance, dental, vacation pay, and retirement plans like 401(k)s are commonly provided benefits. 

In Person Sales vs Digital Sales

Interestingly, 60% of golf shops still don't sell online. And even among those who do, online sales account for just 6.4% of their total sales. This suggests a significant opportunity for growth in digital sales. 

What’s Flying Off the Shelves?

These are some of the best-selling brands among respondents, and ones that you should be looking at (if you run a golf shop): 

• Ladies Apparel: IBKUL is the best-selling brand, followed by Peter Millar and Polo/Ralph Lauren.
• Men’s Apparel: Peter Millar continues to dominate, and no other brand posted double digit market share.
• Junior Apparel: Garb takes the top spot, with Peter Millar holding second.
• Shoes: FootJoy is the best-selling brand, followed by G/Fore and ECCO.
• Golf Gear: Titleist dominates in golf balls and bags, while Callaway tops the clubs category.

Tech in the Shop

This list of best-selling brands is a great segue for the results of this question that was posed to survey respondents: “What other technology platforms do you use?” 

The most popular platform was far-and-away RepSpark. 

A whopping 78% of respondents said they used RepSpark (which is 6% more compared to last-year’s results). And it makes sense when you realize that nearly all of the best-selling brands in this year’s survey are found on the RepSpark Community. 

Emerging Sports Offer New Opportunities

Golf Shops should keep note that it’s not just about golf anymore. This year’s respondents noted that they were ordering more pickleball, tennis, and fitness/spa products. 

Pickleball, in particular, saw a rise in orders. Nearly 24% of golf retailers said they were stocking pickleball equipment and apparel. 

This shift presents an excellent chance for golf shops to expand their customer base, diversify their product offerings, and capitalize on the growing popularity of these emerging sports.

Retail Shop Stats

The average golf shop spans around 2,402 square feet, and generates about $834 per square foot annually, according to the survey. 

On average, a shop generated about $1.6 million in gross merchandise sales, and profit margins sat at about 37% on average.

Golf shops reported around 43,600 rounds played in 2023, and about $37 in merchandise sales per round played. 

Looking Ahead

This is just a quick overview of this year’s survey but, overall, the golf merchandising landscape looks bright. The industry saw more rounds of golf, higher sales figures, opportunities in online sales growth, and higher salaries for golf professionals.  

For a full look at this year’s survey, head over to AGM’s website. 

Whether you're stocking up on best-selling brands or exploring new digital sales platforms, leveraging these insights could set you apart in the thriving golf market.

And if you want a central place where you can shop the best-selling brands among golf retail shops, then check out the RepSpark Community, where you’ll be able to find nearly all of this year’s best selling brands.