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Explain your business in 100 words or less. It's not our goal to be the largest golf bag and travel bag company in the world. Our goal is to be the best. Our philosophy is to make the highest-quality products available, and everything else seems to take care of itself. When did you start your business? 1990. How many employees do you have? Approximately 50. How did you get involved in the golf business? Two of my passions are surfing and golf. One day I thought it would be a good idea to make a head cover out of neoprene (wetsuit material) and that expanded to other products, including travel bags and golf bags. I started out in a garage. I guess you could say my story falls under the American dream category. How did you raise the money to start your business and how much did it take? In the beginning, I teamed with a couple of partners and then borrowed money from my grandfather to pay them back and buy all the stock. I paid my grandfather back in about eight months. It didn't take a lot of money. It was a small operation. I was single and had low overhead. What's the best thing about being in the golf business? Working with Ryder Cup team captains and touring professionals is very fulfilling. It's nice just to be a part of the game of golf at the highest level. What's been the key to your success? Never cut corners on product design, testing, quality or customer service. What sets your business apart from the competition? We won't sacrifice quality for a lower price. Function and quality is important to people who play golf and who use our products. What do you like most about your job? Product design, marketing and any aspect of the job that allows me to use my creativity. What's been your most satisfying accomplishment in business? Being chosen by five straight Ryder Cup captains to build equipment for the team. Also, building equipment for all the best college golf teams and knowing that we have a product that is used by more touring professionals than any other product in golf. What's the biggest challenge you face in business? Protecting our intellectual property, consistently improving our existing products and adding to our product line. Implementing new software is also a challenge nearly every growing business faces. We just did our third in 16 years. What advice do you have for someone wanting to go into business for themselves? Be prepared for at least four years of hard work with limited or no reward for the one shot that could be the difference between expanding your business or closing the doors. Also, add up every possible expense and financial necessity you may need. When you come up with that number, multiply it by three, and that's the amount of money you'll need to get started. How often do you get to play golf? Once a week, on average. I've come to understand that in order to become a better player you have to play at least three times a week and, if I'm on the course three times a week, I would sacrifice my ability to run a solid business. What's your home course and handicap? I'm a 12 handicap at SeaCliff Country Club in Huntington Beach. How did you become interested in the game? I never picked up a golf club until I was 25 years old. I played a couple of par-3 courses with friends and the bug bit me. I immediately went to work on my game, got my handicap down, and started shooting in the 80s. What's your best round ever? I've shot 81 so many times at so many places. That seems to be where it all ends for me. What's your personal motto on the golf course? Don't take the game too seriously and enjoy the time spent in the beautiful environment of the golf course with your playing partners. What's the most influential book you've ever read? "Journey of Souls" by Dr. Michael Newton. What is your most treasured golf possession? A Ryder Cup travel bag signed by the entire team. If you could have one PGA Tour pro represent your company, who would it be and why? I've been lucky to have met many of them. I really couldn't choose one. Strictly from an exposure standpoint, what business person wouldn't choose Tiger Woods or Michelle Wie? n The Club Glove is located at 17811 Jamestown Lane in Huntington Beach. For more information, call (714) 843-9288, or visit www.clubglove.com. |
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