Bumper online sales as Direct Golf got in festive swing

The company, one of Europe’s leading multi-channel golf retailers, said the sales increase marks its 21st year of consecutive growth.

The group’s chairman John Andrew, a Class AA PGA professional, said: “While Christmas is typically our busiest time of the year, the figures have exceeded all expectations.

“They demonstrate that consumers buy with confidence from Direct Golf with our 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee and appreciate our mix of world class customer service, huge stocks, super-fast delivery allied with the best prices in the UK.”

He described online sales as the “shining light” thanks to the group’s “innovative and aggressive” marketing campaigns in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year. The group’s award-winning 156-page catalogue was mailed to over 220,000 golfers as part of the Christmas promotions and the company reported a 58 per cent spike in online sales during a week in mid December.

Direct Golf’s Huddersfield distribution centre dispatched over 6,000 parcels in one week when customer service and warehouse employees worked through the night to ensure consumers got their goods in time for Christ- mas.

Direct Golf was set up in 1991 by British PGA professional John Andrew.

The company, which is 100 per cent owned by its founder, has grown from one store in Huddersfield to 21 stores across the UK.

Since 2010, Direct Golf UK has added nine new retail sites taking the portfolio from 12 to 21 stores and it has posted consecutive record financial years.

It employs over 300 staff including 50 PGA professionals and claims to have Europe’s largest database of golfers.

Mr Andrew said the group has aggressive growth plans for 2013.

“We have invested significantly over the past couple of years in expanding our retail coverage and improving all aspects of our business and as a result have taken market share from our competitors in a very tough mar- ket.

“For 2013, we have some exciting plans for the business and these early results are extremely encouraging for the rest of the year,” he added.

The group’s 75,000 square foot distribution centre allows it to carry large stocks.

Next day delivery is available and the group strives to despatch goods on the same day as the order.

Its distribution centre is manned 24 hours a day and a study in December showed that 98.9 per cent of goods ordered were shipped from stock.