A relative newcomer from Sweden looks destined to take the British golf market by storm in 2012. SGB Golf reports Lobster, a value Swedish apparel name we can all expect to see and hear a lot more about over the next 12 months, has unveiled a colourful, pioneering and versatile Golf Season 2012 range for men and ladies of all ages, shapes and sizes.

Technology is an essential tool for any golf retail business in today’s competitive market. Whether it be a teaching lesson or a custom fit session, the customer demands the very best customer experience. The latest innovations to reach this rapidly developing sector embrace and integrate many global house technologies and through the internet provide a powerful market tool to help the retailer build customer loyalty and grow their profits. MIA Sports Technology, the leading technology distributor, highlights two of the very latest.

In May’s Field Report we announced that FootJoy, No. 1 shoe and glove in golf, is planning a move into the apparel market for 2012. The last month has seen some early excitement as the sales team have been shown the full range of garments. Following on from this, we took the opportunity to catch up with Steve Gale, Vice President Worldwide Apparel Sales, to get his thoughts on the big move

A new and innovative ‘Right Weight’ Fitting System is introduced to help fit golfers to the optimum driver that will give them longer, straighter shots.

The golf equipment market has been dominated by the evolution of custom-fitting over the last few years. Cleveland Golf and Srixon have been at the forefront of developments with their UK Centre of Excellence in Maidenhead offering a personalised fitting service that allows golfers to get the perfect equipment to suit their swing and build. But while most golfers now appreciate the importance of getting the right club for their specific needs, there has always been one important element of custom fitting that no manufacturer has ever truly embraced - total weight.

PowerBilt’s patented Nitrogen charged clubs have been described as one of the most important new technologies to hit the hardware market. With distance and accuracy improvements for all standards of players, tour proven performance and great margins, it’s clear why this brand is taking the US by storm

European Tour coach Denis Pugh explains why he uses the new GolfBuddy World Platinum GPS rangefinder

When it comes to coaching course management, many golfers find it hard to grasp the idea that knowing their own game inside out is a great way to shoot lower scores.

It’s been just over a year since SRI Sports of Japan, owners of the Srixon brand, bought the assets to Cleveland Golf. The two brands form a giant golf company and it’s a move that has proved to be extremely successful with both companies seeing a growth in their market share of sales, despite the tough economic climate last season.

2009 was an extremely successful year for Srixon, which increased its position as the Number One two-piece ball brand in the UK, while making a big dent in the three-piece ball market share thanks to the instant success of the new Z-Star ball. The growing success of Srixon balls was documented throughout the year in monthly retail audits provided by Sports Marketing Surveys, which highlighted that not only did the brand average in excess of a 20% share throughout the year, but that in November, they achieved their goal of actually being the Number One golf ball brand in the UK!