Rapid-Expanding PGA Tour Superstores Moving Into Vacated Retail, Claim Better Attendance Than Tournaments!

As the retail sector struggles and my distant relative Geoffrey The Giraffe is retired, the burgeoning PGA Tour Superstore chain is actually looking to expand, including into old Toys R Us locations.

Thanks to reader FS for Brent Schrotenboer's USA Today feature on the appeal of the stores and their amazing foot traffic owed in part to having an indoor range experience.

Since 2011, the chain has more than tripled in locations, from nine to 32 now. It plans to open around five more this year alone and hopes to increase to 50 locations by the end of 2020.

The chain’s CEO, Dick Sullivan, even told USA TODAY Sports that he’s been scouting several old Toys R Us and Babies R Us locations that are up for auction after Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy last year.

“There are hundreds of them out there that are available and the perfect size for us, usually around 37,000 square feet,” Sullivan said.

This number on foot traffic, attributable to the ability to rent a range stall, get fit or take lessons, is rather amazing given where retail is going.

The PGA Tour is a minority owner of the chain and has a 50-year license with it that expires in 2060. About 7.5 million customers visited the Superstore in the last year, Sullivan said, exceeding the attendance at Tour events.