Golf travel can be a hassle, especially when it comes to transporting clubs. Clubs to Hire, founded by a frequent traveler frustrated by this inconvenience, offers a brilliant solution: renting golf clubs to holidaymakers. Since its start at Faro Airport in 2010, the company has grown to 28 locations, known for convenience and quality. Their concierge service, delivering clubs directly to resorts, exemplifies their innovative approach. With ongoing expansions and new brand partnerships, Clubs to Hire is revolutionizing the golfing experience for travelers worldwide.
Can you tell us how you came up with the idea to rent golf clubs to holidaymakers internationally?
Having sold property in Portugal for 5 years I very quickly realised the cost and hassle of flying my clubs over and back from Ireland. I used to play golf with my property clients which meant a lot of travel with my clubs. When the property market imploded in 2008 it was time to try something new. That was the light bulb moment!
How has your business changed over the years and what do you continue to learn?
Having started the business in 2010 and opened our first location at Faro Airport, I very quickly realised there was a real market for traveling golfers not wanting to drag their golf clubs with them. Demand was positive at the start which gave me the courage to open at other locations.
Very quickly I opened another 8 locations and the business expanded from there. Initially, we had airport shops but the clients wanted more.
I decided to develop a concierge service that brings the clubs directly to the client at their resort. This has proved super popular and convenience is very much the mantra now.
When you need to get away from it all, where do you like to go on holiday and why?
I like to holiday with my family in Greece and go on golf trips with my buddies. I get to see new places and fortunately, the business allows me to explore many new locations. Having grown our locations to 28 we are always looking for new new demand locations. Greece is an amazing country and so laid back. It’s a great location to recharge but not in the height of the summer!
What’s on the horizon for Clubs to Hire? Are there any exciting developments or expansions in the works?
In recent years we have opened up 10 new locations via organic expansion and franchise partners. We have managed to cover most of the hot spots in Europe and beyond but are always happy to look at new markets. We have some interesting discussions happening in the US and Europe for new product offerings. This will take time but could be big for the business.
In recent weeks we have also started discussions with leading European airlines and booking portals to allow us to market our products to their base.
Interesting times!
Can you share some details about the brand partnerships you have established with Clubs to Hire and how they benefit your customers?
We work closely with several Companies from different verticals. This is really about offering our 55,000 members an additional service and keeping them up to speed on developments in other industries. We work with a top property Company in the Algarve and many suppliers in the golf industry. Working with the leading golf manufacturers allows us to offer the latest sets to market at a very affordable price.
How do you ensure that your customers have a seamless and enjoyable experience when renting golf clubs from Clubs to Hire?
Convenience and quality are the name of the game and we endeavour to make golf travel simple and convenient. I believe that traveling with your golf clubs will become increasingly more expensive as the airlines continue to raise their prices for baggage. Dragging a set of clubs through airports is a lot of hassle and can lead to long delays and often missing sets of clubs. A lot of our clients take advantage of our service which allows them to try out the latest sets in the marketplace. The more appealing we can make renting your set the better for everyone.
What trends do you see emerging in the golf travel industry, and how are Clubs to Hire adapting to these changes?
Golf travel has bounced back strongly since covid and I expect it to stay on track. More and more products are coming to market but the golf resorts must remain competitive and offer value for money. New locations are always sought after by traveling golfers and we have seen growth in South Africa, Marrakesh, Dubai and several locations in Spain. As long as the main locations remain competitive golfers will continue to travel.
Finally, I feel that golf travel needs to get hotel and flight bookings. Golfers like to book everything and control the process. The Industry needs to embrace innovation and make it easier for the end user. I feel in time there will be one or two key websites that all golfers will gravitate towards for booking their tee times. Tour Operators will always be in demand for large society and corporate bookings and they play a huge part in the industry.
