Talking shop at Emirates Golf Club
Graham Forbes explains the operations at one of the top golf stores in the UAE
When you see the racks of clubs, clothes and equipment that jostle for space at the Emirates Golf Club pro shop, it can be easy to overlook the logistics that go into running such an operation — from sales to bespoke club fittings, marketing to customer care.
Enter Graham Forbes, the retail manager and custom fitting specialist at EGC, where he oversees the running of things with his team, ensuring players get all the care and advice they need to help them improve their game.
“I joined the team here a year ago, coming directly from an academy in Glasgow, Scotland,” he told Gulf News in an exclusive chat. “It was quite a leap to come out here to such a state of the art facility, but there is such a great team that we are always rising to the challenges.
“The day to day challenges are ensuring we get our stock in quickly as golfers are always on the look out for the newest releases — be it clubs, clothes or gear. “The essential factor is ensuring each and every customer gets the personal treatment from me and my team, making sure they receive the right advice and attention to detail. Almost all our customers have purpose-made clubs. There is no points in buying off the rack if you want to be your best at this game. It is really worth it to get a bespoke set made and they really see a difference in their game.
“It is a challenging project buy I love a challenge and we have a great set-up.”
With the Dubai Desert Classic just around the corner, Graham is gearing up for one of the busiest periods at EGC.
“I don’t think I have seen is as busy as it is right now,” he said. “And it will continue to get even busier. the Classic is always brisk business and this time around it is free entry, so we will be working our socks off.
“We have our dedicated brands like Ping and also all the fashion wear from the likes of Foot Locker, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss. This gear is top of the fashion also, so it’s not just for the course. People like the clothes to relax in as well, so we are always selling plenty of them, say if a golfer has forgotten a shirt when he comes off the course and wants to relax. We are always happy to help out.
“This will be my first Dubai Desert Classic proper as last year was different as there was no crowds. We are braced for the storm but the team are all trained to the same level to ensure each customer receives the same standard of service, from me or any of my team.”