WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio, May 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The nation's largest specialty golf retailer is swinging into the Cleveland market and opening the area's largest experiential retail golf store. The newest Golfsmith location provides area golfers with an unrivaled golf retail experience with interactive, high tech features not found in most golf stores. The 20,000 square foot facility is Golfsmith's third Ohio store and one of the largest specialty golf stores in the state, offering golfers the ability to try out equipment right inside one of four indoor, high-tech hitting simulators, or on an indoor putting green.
The new Golfsmith store located at 4063 Richmond Rd in Warrensville Heights at the Harvard Park shopping center is Golfsmith's 85th store and the company's first in the Cleveland market. The grand opening marks the fifth store opened as part of Golfsmith's aggressive expansion announcement of 10 new store openings and four relocations this year. More than 20 associates will be hired at the new Harvard Park store located across from University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center.
Golfsmith's expansion is bucking a major retail trend in the golf industry. In the last decade, almost half of all golf retail stores in America closed, according to the National Golf Foundation. By the end of 2012, Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:GOLF) will serve customers in 89 locations from coast to coast.
"Golfsmith's experiential concept will make most customers' jaws drop. Our arrival in the Cleveland market means there is a new standard in retail to help golfers play better and enjoy the game more," said Golfsmith CEO Marty Hanaka. "We are a golfer's paradise offering a huge product selection with the best equipment from brands like Titleist, PING, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno and MacGregor. We encourage customers to 'try before they buy,' right in the store. And we offer a 115% Low Price Guarantee on everything we sell with a commitment to exceptional customer service by the best retail professionals in the industry."
On Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12, the first 500 customers in line before the doors open at 8 AM will receive one of the following absolutely free - a $20 Golfsmith card, or a free two-pack of golf balls. Customers can also register all weekend long for a chance to win incredible prizes totaling more than $10,000 including drivers, iron sets, bags, balls, apparel and much more. Winners will be selected by random drawing at the close of business on May 13.
The new Harvard Park store also features the latest custom-fitting technology that will help Golfsmith certified fitting specialists identify the right clubs for a golfer's individual abilities. A recently released study of several thousand golfers found a majority of golfers in America play with clubs that do not fit them properly (www.customfityourgame.com). Golfsmith traces its roots to making custom-fit clubs beginning in 1967 and offers free custom fitting services at all stores. In fact, they have fit more than one million golfers over the last 45 years. Every custom fit club is backed by the Golfsmith Custom-fit Play Better Guarantee. If customers do not see improvement in their game after getting custom fit they can bring back their clubs within 30 days for an in-store credit.
Golfsmith offers a comprehensive online store at www.golfsmith.com where Cleveland area residents can register for special offers and updates on grand opening details by signing up for "E-mail Offers" on the company's web site. To read the NGF report 'The State of the Industry', please click here: https://www.box.com/s/yc495selsybg0hbvlmq4https://www.box.com/s/yc495selsybg0hbvlmq4">https://www.box.com/s/yc495selsybg0hbvlmq4
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About Golfsmith - Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:GOLF) is a 45-year-old specialty retailer of golf and tennis equipment, apparel and accessories. The company operates as an integrated multi-channel retailer, offering its customers the convenience of shopping in its 85 stores across the United States, through its web site at golfsmith.com and from its assortment of catalogs. Golfsmith offers an extensive product selection that features premier branded merchandise, as well as its proprietary products, clubmaking components and pre-owned clubs. Visit www.Golfsmith.com.
The Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9492
Cautionary Language -Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. Important factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Golfsmith ® is a registered trademark of Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc.