ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
New Year’s
Revolution
PGB Managing Director Grahame Jenkins explains why our industry needs to buck
the trend and remain positive in testing times.
New Year is normally golfers will buy goods; the manufacturer
A
welcomed with has to have confidence that retailers will
a general air of place orders; and the manufacturers’
optimism and suppliers have to have confidence that
predictions for the they will receive orders.
12 months ahead. Of course, the only From the retailer through to
things we can be truly certain about in the manufacturers’ suppliers each
2009 is that the sun will rise 365 times, constituent part of this delicate
the tax man will have his hand out, framework is dependent on one
train fares will keep on rising, and - another. As soon as any part of the
knee permitting - Tiger will win another chain is broken, the whole system will
Major! fail. So, for example, if a supplier refuses
Jokes aside, what has struck me as we to honour a manufacturer’s order, then
enter 2009 is that the air is heavy with the manufacturer cannot manufacture
doom and gloom. Every newspaper, their goods, the retailer receives no
conversation and television programme products, the consumer has nothing to
is warning us of unavoidable economic buy and the golf course’s turnover is
disaster and preparing us for ‘credit affected.
crunch’ Britain. The impact of this It is very easy to appreciate why
negative press has made a notable there is an element of fear amongst us,
impression on our own industry – an particularly when High Street retailers
industry that in the past has always been are in turmoil. However their problems
hailed as recession-proof. differ tremendously from ours. The
Speaking to friends and colleagues, High Street is competing in a stagnant GRAHAME JENKINS REMAINS CHEERFUL DESPITE
the most alarming observation that I market, is trading on debt and has no
THE RECESSION
have made is that we are in desperate captive audience. The golf industry is
peril of self-combusting in a similar different because, whatever happens, will become stronger because golfers
way that the banking industry did people will continue to play golf. Can will spend their money with them rather
towards the end of last year. Banks lost you really see empty fairways in the than with you.
confidence in each other, reneged on summer? I certainly can’t. The New Year stretches unwritten
promises and treated each other with So the challenge for us all is to not before us and my advice is to be positive.
suspicion. As we all know, several strong panic. The companies and retailers In these strange times we all rely upon
names in the banking world collapsed that continue to thrive this year will be one another. Undoubtedly there will
and the knock-on effect for the entire the ones that have the strength and be challenges ahead, but by working
economy has been, and will continue to confidence to continue to trade in together the strong will survive. Our
be, disastrous. exactly the same way they have in the challenge is simple – we must remain in
As with the banking industry, past. If you stock strong brands and control of our own destinies and keep
the golf industry is also built on a offer new lines, golfers will buy them. our industry alive for all our sakes.
framework that is dependent on If you have nothing on your shelves
confidence. The golf course has to have to buy, then golfers won’t spend their For further information,
confidence that golfers will play golf; money and turnover will obviously drop. call +353 214 211155
the retailer has to have confidence that More significantly, the strong retailers or fax +353 214 211166
January 2009 PRO SHOP EUROPE 5
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