The Loop
Five questions with The Club Fix founder Bronson Wright
From the Dec. 11 edition of Golf Digest Stix:
Bronson Wright is the founder of The Club Fix, a California clubfitter that just opened locations in New York City, Thailand and Mesa, Ariz. He took five questions from Stephen Hennessey
Fitting in: Wright's shops expanded to Asia in 2013.
Q: Are these new markets different for you?
No question. Thailand is the most interesting. We've coupled with a company over there that does 35,000 lessons a year. And they weren't doing any clubfitting. So that was a no-brainer for us.
Q: How are Asian clubfitting customers different from Americans?
To be blunt, they want quality, whereas a lot of American customers are just looking for a deal. Really, Asian golfers are willing to spend top dollar for the proper golf club to get the most out of their game. Also, I think they work harder at their game. So they can really notice a difference when something is clicking or not.
Q: Tell us a recent success story from one of your locations.
We had one guy who had gotten a clubfitting somewhere else. But they didn't custom-build the clubs. He's now hitting his driver 60 yards longer after having his clubs custom-built by us. That's beyond a Wow moment. It shows that just because you've been custom-fit doesn't mean you can't go through another fitting and still obtain more.
Q: What's the key to expanding a golf business in this economy?
There's nothing that's going to provide more quality growth than customer service and expertise. The experience a person has had better be 110-percent quality or they're going somewhere else.
Q: What's the biggest problem with most golfers you see?
They get a custom-fitting, but they're not getting a custom club. If they're not custom-built for you, you won't get optimal results.