James Moore has wasted no time since becoming head professional at Rowlands Castle Golf Club in Hampshire in 2023 – investing in a state-of-the-art fitting studio, joining TGI Golf Partnership and winning TGI Titleist Partner of the Year. He tells us how technology, organisation and a member-first mindset are driving his business forward.
The landscape of the golf industry is always evolving, how has your business adapted to change in recent years?
Having only started as head professional at Rowlands Castle Golf Club two and a half years ago, I’m very fortunate to have installed an indoor GC Quad studio, this has allowed me to coach and custom fit all year round and not be affected by our changing weather hot or cold, which has been a massive positive for my team. My previous role at a busy retail / driving range facility which utilised modern technology, made me aware that Covid had brought a lot of new golfers to the game we love and that I needed to offer the same levels of facilities. By updating our practice ground and adding the studio I can now offer a high level of coaching and a full custom-fitting experience, with this and my golf club’s support, we have seen a growth in our membership, which has had a positive effect on our retail growth.
When did you join the TGI Golf Partnership and what made you decide it was the right fit for your business?
I joined the TGI Golf Partnership in October 2023, I really felt that TGI was a family-like group that allowed you to retail with your own direction, but I also have the support and guidance that I need, Simon Keeling, my retail consultant, Matt Millard in marketing, plus all the other members of the TGI team have made this a smooth process. The business conference is a great event with the chance to network and learn from fellow partners. The TGI Foundation Days and the Team Challenge are becoming firm favourites in the calendar. I also very quickly started using MyTGI and the Email Marketing Service and the new TGI app is awesome!
How has becoming a TGI partner been of benefit to you as an independent retailer and PGA professional?
The support I have had from TGI as a partner, the group terms and the way that we all stock our own products has been fantastic. It’s great to have their support and guidance on hand if I need it.
All the benefits of a partner have been fantastic for me, I feel very lucky to be part of a partnership that has helped guide me in becoming a very confident retailer.
The day of a club professional can see you wear many hats; how do you manage your day?
I think it’s a fantastic honour to be a PGA club professional, it’s definitely a very busy role and you must be super organised. I like to be totally member centred, so as much as I can I’m always available to deal with any questions they have. My key is that I enjoy being super busy. I think it’s very important to schedule your diary well, allocating times for lessons, custom fitting and any meetings. I also enjoy playing golf as the members like seeing you out on the course, so I schedule this as well. Although when I’m at the club, I don’t really get a chance to sit down, for me, making time for my family is also very important. Without the support of my wife and family I wouldn’t be able to give my all to the club. Using a pro agenda booking system has been a life saver!
There is a constant flow of new golf products – how do you manage your stock to serve the needs of your members and visitors?
Having my studio and being a custom fit specialist for Callaway, Taylormade, PING and Titleist, I have the full range of products and fitting components, which allows me to offer a full custom fit service to our members but also means I do not need to hold a massive amount of stock. I think you need to build a great relationship with your reps and work together to drive your business and their brand forward. I’m also very proactive when a new range is released and make sure that I clear old products as soon as possible.
What are you doing to support junior golf and introduce kids to the sport?
Rowlands Castle boasts a fantastic junior section. We offer group lessons for new players, girls rock and junior rookies initiatives, these were very popular last year. We also offer our own regular junior groups and individual lessons at weekends. Our excellent junior organiser, Gill, alongside the junior committee, helps plan fun events and arrange a full fixture list; many of our juniors stay with the club and become full members.
Are you actively trying to attract more women to golf?
We are very proactive in trying to attract more women into golf, offering Get into Golf groups and taster sessions. With the support of the ladies’ section at the club, we offer structured groups alongside individual lessons, socials and fun events. At the club, the ladies’ section has a buddy system to help integrate new members into the club and make sure they enjoy using all our facilities.
A lot of PGA pros are having to be a step ahead of their competitors in their offerings and technology – what additional added value services do you provide?
Being one step ahead of the competition for me means we are proactively anticipating market trends with the help of our reps and TGI. We look at consumer behaviour and product life cycles rather than simply reacting to them. It helps guide me on stock levels and optimising pricing. I always try to make sure the technology in my fitting / coaching studio is up to date and as state of the art as possible and I’m always on the lookout for any new technology that could improve the services we offer. We now offer extra services such as distance gapping sessions and golf ball fittings meaning we can help our clients in every possible way to improve their game and enjoyment. We’re always looking to add something our competitors don’t.
What year did you turn professional and what have been your career highlights, both playing and employment?
I turned professional in 2002 and I’m very proud to be a PGA professional. Two of my golf highlights would be a trip in 2022 with Callaway Golf to The Masters in Augusta, while there I also had the pleasure to play Kiawah Island. I’ve just returned from another amazing trip after winning the TGI Titleist Partner of the Year award. This was a trip to Boston for five days, taking in a Boston Red Sox game, a couple of games of golf and tours of all the Titleist ball plants, alongside a fantastic visit to Manchester Lane to see where all the custom fittings take place. This was a very valuable learning experience, which has given me some ideas for the future.
My career highlight so far has been being made head professional at Rowlands Castle Golf Club in 2023 which is a massive honour, it’s a fantastic Harry Colt parkland design golf course and a club with wonderful traditions which date back to its beginning in 1902.
I’m very lucky to have a supportive committee and members that really support my team and appreciate the services we offer and the high levels of customer service they get from my brilliant team!
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