PGA Superstore’s return to Atlanta a ‘full circle moment’ for the brand
Troy Rice, like most golfers, says few things are more disheartening than slicing the ball on a swing that feels good.
Instead of gracefully gliding toward the green, a slice causes the ball to careen unpredictably.
So when Rice, the newly appointed CEO of Roswell-based PGA Tour Superstore, notices his shots are hooking left or right, he said it’s worth figuring out why. The solution is often a minor tweak to a golfer’s form, their gear or both — something easily diagnosed inside his stores.
“One small adjustment to the club, and (the ball) started going right down the middle, so it definitely was the club and not me,” Rice said, laughing.
PGA Tour Superstore is returning this weekend to Atlanta proper after its past attempt landed in the rough amid the Great Recession. But a switch to ownership with strong Atlanta ties and the city’s growing status as a sports hub has Rice confident in the forthcoming grand opening.
The golf retailer will open its newest location Saturday in the Buckhead Square shopping center at 3255 Peachtree Road, backfilling a Havertys store that closed last summer. Brian Williams, the store’s general manager, said he’ll have a team of “golf gurus” ready to help customers in a way that isn’t possible at other retailers or through online shopping.
“They’ll get to know your game better than anybody else,” he said. “That’s the kind of service that we can offer in the studio.”
As e-commerce has upended retail, PGA Tour Superstore has managed to buck trends and grow rapidly. From only 10 stores in 2010, the Buckhead location will be the brand’s 81st. It’s a growth story Rice credits to personal interactions that can happen only in a physical store among people who have a passion for golf.
“We sell a lot of golf balls, but that is not at the heart of who we are or what we’re about,” Rice said. “Education and game improvement. That’s what we’re all about.”
Welcoming everyone
Atlanta and Georgia both have an outsize influence on the longstanding game of golf.
The Masters Tournament in Augusta has been a centerpiece of the sport for more than 80 years. One of the tournament’s creators, Bobby Jones, was an Atlanta native who is hailed as the most successful amateur golfer in the sport’s history.
Rice said the Atlanta area is now home to more than 60 golf courses, and the sport’s popularity has ballooned in recent years, taking off during the pandemic. That shows up in the demand for his retail stores, which have experienced consistent annual sales growth and conducted 90,000 lessons last year.
“We’re a store for everybody who likes golf, whether you’re a beginner or experienced, whether you play four times a year or just want to look good at the country club,” Rice said.
Buckhead carries on that legacy with Bobby Jones Golf Course, but its impact goes even further. In 1951, Black golfer Alfred “Tup” Holmes was denied access to the all-white golf course, leading to a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 1955 that forced the desegregation of Atlanta’s public golf courses.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens last month referenced that history at a groundbreaking event for the Atlanta Opera, which is moving its back-end offices to the former Bobby Jones Golf Course clubhouse.
Besides its proximity to the links, the opera building’s name connects it to PGA Tour Superstore. It’s called the Molly Blank Center for Opera, after the mother of Arthur Blank, the Atlanta billionaire philanthropist who co-founded Home Depot, owns the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United, and acquired PGA Tour Superstore in 2010, helping kick-start its growth.
Rice, who began his career working for 16 years at Home Depot, said he was excited to work again with Blank when he was selected as PGA Tour Superstore’s next CEO last year. He credits Blank and his focus on sports — from his pro sports teams to multimillion-dollar donations to the First Tee nonprofit supporting youth golf — with expanding Atlanta’s sports ecosystem.
“There are so many great things that are happening for the city, and I think Arthur’s vision is a driving force behind all of that,” Rice said.
Both Dickens and Blank will be at the Buckhead store Sunday, a day after its grand opening.
A golf ‘wonderland’
Interactivity is the first thing shoppers will see when stepping into the Buckhead store.
A 900-square-foot practice putting green imported from Germany will be front and center, inviting customers to pick up a putter. Williams, the general manager, said its layout will change daily.
“You could come in every single day and have a different putting experience,” he said.
The store will also feature several indoor practice and fitting bays, which will all be equipped with Trackman radar systems that analyze swing mechanics and ball flight patterns. By this fall, PGA Tour Superstore will have the largest footprint of Trackman technology of any U.S. company, Rice said.
He described the store’s offerings as “a wonderland,” eagerly pointing out various apparel lines and roster of GPS watches, range finders and other golf tech. The store also stocks 14 types of golf simulators, ranging from $200 to $25,000, which Rice said has further helped expand the sports’ accessibility and appeal.
“The game is changing, who’s playing the game is changing, and the growth has been very healthy,” Rice said.
In addition to Buckhead, PGA Tour Superstore operates locations in Kennesaw, Lawrenceville and Roswell, which is also its corporate headquarters. From 2006 to 2009, the brand’s Buckhead store was near the Lindbergh MARTA Station and is now Passion City Church.
Rice said PGA Tour Superstore’s growth ambitions continue, adding between six and eight new locations each year. Urban locations like Buckhead are rare, but he said he’s feeling good about the swing he’s about to take.
“This is almost like a full circle moment for us to get this store in Buckhead, in the heart of Atlanta,” Rice said.
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
