#Canada named one of the best countries in the world to launch a #startup http://t.co/gAx6QT0FOm

#Canada named one of the best countries in the world to launch a #startup http://t.co/gAx6QT0FOm

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 23, 2014

How to Save the Great American Golf Shop

In the previous article I suggested some pretty obvious (I think they're obvious anyway) things retailers can do to try and make up for business lost to the internet. If you've got the space, sell buckets of balls. Regrip and repair clubs. Give lessons. If you've got a launch monitor (and you should), lease largely unsupervised time on it. If you've got the population to support it, follow the lead of the New York Golf Center and others like it, and expand your business to include a true, build-on-site, custom fitting department. All that sounds great, but my guess...or at least my hope is that most shops are already doing most or all of the above. What can a golf shop do to entice you turn your back on eBay and the rest of the internet and spend your money locally (since you're there demoing clubs anyway)? [READ MORE]

First Look – 2015 Nike Vapor Flex Driver

It would appear that the proverbial cat has escaped its sack. Nike Golf is finding it increasing difficult to keep secrets, and that's probably a positive indicator where brand interest is concerned. Here is your first look at the upcoming Nike Vapor Flex Driver. While I'm sure Nike would have preferred everything stayed under-wraps, anecdotally there's more interest in the new lineup than any Nike release I've ever seen. Whether that translates to sales...I won't speculate just yet. You can say what you want about Volt, but it's definitely grabbing some attention.

10 Tools Every #Lean #Startup Needs — Medium http://t.co/Esq3GmYJH9

10 Tools Every #Lean #Startup Needs — Medium http://t.co/Esq3GmYJH9

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 19, 2014

#Golf is Good for #Business http://buff.ly/YWh5im

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:55PM http://buff.ly/YWh5im

#Golf is Good for #Business http://buff.ly/YWh5im

10 Steps to Get #Media Coverage for Your #Startup Launch http://buff.ly/XqCO0q

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:57PM http://buff.ly/XqCO0q

10 Steps to Get #Media Coverage for Your #Startup Launch http://buff.ly/XqCO0q

Scotland votes “yes” to women at historic #golf club after 260 years http://t.co/hBXuEHLyYt #golf gets it right

Scotland votes “yes” to women at historic #golf club after 260 years http://t.co/hBXuEHLyYt #golf gets it right

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 18, 2014

On this date: Steve Largent becomes #NFL all-time leader in receiving yards http://t.co/WhTMeY5oi0

On this date: Steve Largent becomes #NFL all-time leader in receiving yards http://t.co/WhTMeY5oi0

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 18, 2014

Who Wants $400,000: Steve Case and Forbes Are Investing in the Best #Entrepreneurs Under 30 http://t.co/ohRH5hsSYl

Who Wants $400,000: Steve Case and Forbes Are Investing in the Best #Entrepreneurs Under 30 http://t.co/ohRH5hsSYl

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 18, 2014

7 Key Steps Toward Starting Your Own #Business http://buff.ly/1uLt6BY

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:48PM http://buff.ly/1uLt6BY

7 Key Steps Toward Starting Your Own #Business http://buff.ly/1uLt6BY

Scotland votes “yes” to women at historic #golf club after 260 years http://buff.ly/1uLtMr4 #golf gets it right

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:53PM http://buff.ly/1uLtMr4

Scotland votes “yes” to women at historic #golf club after 260 years http://buff.ly/1uLtMr4 #golf gets it right

On this date: Steve Largent becomes #NFL all-time leader in receiving yards http://buff.ly/YWgjSy

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:50PM http://buff.ly/YWgjSy

On this date: Steve Largent becomes #NFL all-time leader in receiving yards http://buff.ly/YWgjSy

Who Wants $400,000: Steve Case and Forbes Are Investing in the Best #Entrepreneurs Under 30 http://buff.ly/1qPaq55

Curated content September 18, 2014 at 06:47PM http://buff.ly/1qPaq55

Who Wants $400,000: Steve Case and Forbes Are Investing in the Best #Entrepreneurs Under 30 http://buff.ly/1qPaq55

10 Tips to Negotiating a Commercial Real Estate Lease for your #smallbusiness http://t.co/8uAkdScigh

10 Tips to Negotiating a Commercial Real Estate Lease for your #smallbusiness http://t.co/8uAkdScigh

— Yardstick Golf (@YardstickGolf) September 18, 2014

The Death of the Great American Golf Shop

Most of you have already read One Insider's View on The Demise of Golf Equipment Sales, and hopefully have a better understanding of the all too unpleasant realities of running a brick and mortar golf business in 2014. These guys are being squeezed on all sides. Competition includes other shops, big box, online warehouses, eBay, and the golf equipment companies themselves. As the marketplace has evolved, so too have consumers. More than ever we know what we want, we know what we're willing to pay, and we're willing to buy before we try. As we considered the plight of our anonymous author, and countless others just like him around the country, we found ourselves asking a most uncomfortable question. Do we even need brick and mortar golf shops anymore? [READ MORE]