The PGA Tour Superstores

By Dale Shepard

Greetings to all my fellow tennis lovers! The PGA Tour Superstores opened a new retail outlet with locations on the northwest corner of the 101 Freeway and Shea Blvd. and a location in the east valley at Ray Rd. and Arizona Ave. These superstores are not your typical, average golf stores.

WITH ALL THE AMENITIES you'd normally find at a golf shop, the PGA Tour Superstores also include tennis. One might think, "So what's the big deal about that? Other golf shops sell tennis stuff as well." Let me take a moment and explain the difference.

Do the other retailers have a full size tennis court in their location? Probably not. The PGA Tour Superstores have established the reputation of being a full service retailer that uses cutting edge technology as a part of their everyday operations. Both their golf and tennis areas utilize computer programs to analyze the mechanics of a player's swing. It allows customers to see exactly what they are doing correctly or incorrectly. This technology provides a valuable tool for any tennis or golf enthusiast. The Chandler store will feature a full-time tennis pro at its indoor tennis court. So now, people that shelf their tennis racquets for the summer can now keep their skills sharp during the hot summer months.

The PGA Tour Superstores plans further expansion into the Phoenix area. "Arizona makes a lot sense for us because of the large number of golf enthusiasts in the market," said Bill Hamlin, chief executive officer of GTPS. "We look forward to providing the same extraordinary inventory of products, expert assistance and state-of-the-art technology in the Scottsdale PGA TOUR Superstore that we do in all of our stores."

The brand operates as Martin's PGA Tour Superstore (Martin's) in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and as PGA TOUR Superstore in Atlanta, Dallas, Arizona and in all future markets. In addition to two Superstores in Myrtle Beach, four in the Atlanta area and two in the Dallas suburb of Plano, GTPS is poised for continued growth. They are actively seeking locations in Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Diego and the South Florida area.

I love the fact that we will have a truly unique opportunity for the greater Phoenix area. Indoor tennis courts are a rarity for Arizona. We have had a few attempts at having indoor courts here, but the cost of the land alone is a discouragement to any investor. It is an accepted practice that when summer rolls around many tennis pros leave the valley for cooler places. There are some hardcore tennis pros who stick it out and do local tennis camps.

The PGA Tour Superstores is not a competitor for court or lesson time with other tennis centers. Instead, it is an additional resource because it gives tennis players a chance to look at their game from a different angle. I have said for years that tennis is the best sport going and anything a person can do to enhance his/her game is a great idea.

The PGA Tour Superstores will bring a new element to Arizona tennis. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to them becoming a vital part of the golf and tennis community in the Valley of the Sun.