ATLANTA--Sales of golf knit shirts are on the upswing in Southeastern stores this spring.
Sales increases range from 5 to 30 percent, and many retailers are merchandising tops with golf slacks and accessories within shops. Golf is a popular sport and getting more popular, retailers said, explaining the increases. What's even better about golf in the Southeast is that it can be played year-round in most areas. Still, spring/summer is the season for golf.
'This is the season,' said Larry Greer, men's divisional merchandising manager, Hudson's department store, Shelby, N.C. 'It's the Masters (and other tournaments). And golf is more popular, too, when the professional players are popular, like Fred Couples and Davis Love, 3d (Love being from North Carolina).'
Hill Stockton, president of Norman Stockton, Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., said that sales of golf merchandise are good year-round at his store. 'North Carolina is the golf capital with Pinehurst (Country Club) and the beach and mountain courses.' Tournaments help, too, such as the Bing Crosby Amateur Celebrity Tournament coming up in two weeks in Winston-Salem.
Features that customers prefer in golf shirts, retailers said, include all-cotton fabrics, an oversized or relaxed fit, a soft collar, and bright, solid colors, including magenta and purple. Favorite brands include Bobby Jones (by Hickey-Freeman), Cross Creek (by Russell Corp.), Grand Slam (by Munsingwear), London Fog, and Sansabelt.
Stockton, whose sales are up 5 to 10 percent for the reason, said that Bobby Jones and Axis are his strongest golf knit shirt lines. He merchandises both in separate collections, while other golf shirts are merchandised together. A private-label shirt, made by Southport Supply, also does well.
Stockton said that consumers now prefer a soft knit collar to a hard woven one. Also, be noted, it used to be that golfers would not wear a golf shirt if it had a banded sleeve. Now that doesn't matter. Also, golfers are buying fashion colors, such as teal, salmon, and purple. Axis, he said, offers a 'terrific selection of color.' Patterned knit shirts -- paisleys and abstracts -- perform relatively well, he added.
Sales of golf shirts are up 10 percent at Thomas J. Falvey Co., which has three men's specialty store units in central Florida. Sales are strong, said Thomas Falve, president, not only because golft is a popular sport but also because his shirts are good quality and turn quickly so that stocks are always fresh.
Cross Creek and Munsingwear are his top lines. All-cotton outsells polyester/cotton, while stripes and solids sell about equally at his store.
Atlanta-based Muse's also is doing well with golf shirts, both at its three Muse's stores and it two Polo/Ralph Lauren stores, according to Ken Brandt, vice president. Muse's merchandises Bobby Jones as a shop concept in its Lenox Square flagship store -- apparel with related items such as sun visors and golf umbrellas.
Brandt said that the Bobby Jones shirt, despite its approximately $100 retail price, sells well because of the colors (deep blues, golds), contrast collars and relaxed silhouette. Polo golf shirts, sold at the Polo stores, also sell 'extremely well,' he said. Silhouettes also are oversized with a full sleeve to the elbow. White is the best-selling color.
Like other retailers, Brandt expects sales of golf shirts, as well as other golf-related merchandise, to remain strong through the summer. 'We're looking forward to Father's Day,' he said. 'It's a good gift-giving time.'
A buyer at McRae's, who asked not to be named, said that the Jackson, Miss.-based department store chain is having 'a tremendous spring' with golf shirts.' Not only are more people playing golf, but golf apparel can be worn on and off the course. 'People who don't play like the image,' he noted. Sales of golf shirts are up 25 to 30 percent this spring at McRae's, he said. The best-selling line in the active wear department is Grand Slam, which is merchandised as a shop in all units, while Southport Supply does best in mainfloor men's, also merchandised as a shop in many units. Customers also are buying Bugle Boy knit tops to wear on the course, he said.
'What's driving the business,' he said, 'are bright, solid colors.' McRae's has a wide spectrum of colors and sizes, he noted. White represents 15 to 20 percent of sales, while forest, red, navy, purple and jewel tones represent approximately 10 percent each. Consumers want all-cotton or cotton-rich blends, and they prefer oversized silhouettes and soft collars.
Hudson's Larry Greer said that his golf shirt sales are up 17.5 percent, and he expects business to continue to be strong throughout the season. Hudson's also has golf shops -- London Fog and Sansabelt the topselling golf shirt lines there. The store also does well with Nike's golf tournament shirt, he said.
'There's a lot of newness in golf looks,' he said, adding that colors are especially important and more unusual this year. What's helping his business, he said, is that manufacturers are presenting merchandise in striping and abstract patterns that ca be matched with bottoms.
