LOCAL STORES OFFER EQUIPMENT, INSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE YOUR GAMEHilton Head Island is a paradise for golfers. Not only does the island boast more than 20 world-class public and private golf courses, it also has an array of premier pro shops dedicated to ensuring that golf enthusiasts have everything they need to make the most of their time on the links.
Whether it's new clubs, club repairs, accessories or professional instruction, the area's best golf shops have practically anything and everything golfers could need to improve their games.
Golf Etc. — located at 11 Palmetto Bay Road, Suite 106B, on Hilton Head — is one of the most popular golf stores in the area, offering a large selection of equipment, apparel, shoes and accessories, as well as club rentals, repairs and custom fitting services. A relative newcomer to the Lowcountry, Golf Etc. opened three years ago and has since take the local golfing community by storm, winning the Hilton Head Monthly Reader's Choice Award for Best Golf Store each year it has been in business. Considering owner Chris Wycoff's zeal for the game and his commitment to providing the best customer service on the island, it's easy to see why.
“Golf is a passion for some and a needed diversion for many, therefore it should be a source of fun, not frustration,” he said. “I absolutely love it when customers come back in and report that they're having more fun playing, had the best round of their life or have taken a couple strokes off their handicap because we got them into the right clubs for them, or they took a lesson from one of our instructors.”
What gives Golf Etc. its edge are its stateof- the-art facilities and trademarked Better Golf Faster custom club-fitting system — a seven-step fitting system that provides in-depth and high-tech swing analysis to help golfers reduce shot dispersion by 50 percent, increase distance by up to 10 percent and improve confidence and game enjoyment.
“Our focus on helping golfers of all skill levels play better and more enjoyable golf (makes us the best golf shop in Hilton Head),” Wycoff said. “It's nearly impossible to make sure you're getting the best clubs for you without knowledgeable help and the information you receive from hitting in a controlled setting on a high-end launch monitor. We've invested more than $100,000 in bays, high-speed cameras, launch monitors, custom fitting equipment and a SAM PuttLab so we can help you improve your score and not waste money on new clubs that don't deliver.”
The specialized fitting services start at $100 and cost $250 for the three fitting sessions necessary for a full set; these are “lifetime” fitting services, so customers can come in and purchase new clubs whenever they like without having to pay for additional fittings. The custom-built clubs are constructed on site and, as a Mitchell-certified repair facility, Golf Etc. staff can repair or regrip clubs and have golfers back out on the course in no time.
“Our focus and investment in helping golfers, not simply selling equipment, apparel or shoes, sets us apart from the competition,” Wycoff said. “Whether it's instruction, full custom fitting or simply finding the right clubs off the rack, we try to help.”
Golf Etc. is also a PGA-recognized teaching facility and boasts two high-definition virtual simulators featuring 86 prestigious courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links, Pebble Beach Golf Links and St. Andrews Links. For more information on Golf Etc., call 843-341-7000, email info@golfetchhi.com or go to www.golfetchhi.com. Golf Etc. is also on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
Golf Headquarters, located at 1016 William Hilton Parkway, is another of the island's most well-known golf stores, having served the Hilton Head area for 27 years. Owned by the Colella family, Golf Headquarters offers a wide selection of golf equipment, apparel and accessories, as well as club repairs and rentals. To learn more, call 843-686-4653, email info@golfhqhiltonhead.com or visit www.golfhqhiltonhead.com.
Bluffton is home to another of the area's best golf shops: Edwin Watts Golf. Located at 1 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Edwin Watts Golf is a premier golf store that offers golf equipment, apparel and accessories, as well as full-service, in-house club repair and custom fitting services. The store's sophisticated facilities include large indoor hitting stalls equipped with digital coaching systems, indoor putting greens designed to feel like the real deal and high-definition golf simulators with a tracking system that measures and evaluates club and ball motion.
For more information on Edwin Watts Golf, call 843-837-3399, email store manager Jeff Kinsley at BF69@wattsgolf.com or visit www.edwinwattsgolf.com/store-69.aspx.
