A Look Inside The Golf Shop With Sarah Mason

photography by Jason Roberts

If you’ve visited the Cordillera Ranch Golf Shop in the last year and a half, you have probably noticed some changes. In January of 2014, Sarah Mason joined the team as Golf Shop Manager. Her challenge was to breathe some life into the Golf Shop and create a relaxed and fulfilling experience for members and guests.

Sarah’s career in golf started in 2003 when she worked as a Golf Shop Attendant at The Hyatt Hill Country Resort Golf Club in San Antonio. Her six years there taught her all aspects of the business including membership relations, golf operations, tournament planning and operations and buying/merchandising. She credits much of her success to her beginnings with the Hyatt and mentor Jennifer Roddy who was the Buyer/Merchandiser, and Sarah eventually replaced her when she moved on. Sarah joined The Association of Golf Merchandisers which provided merchandising workshops and networking opportunities to help further her career. In 2007, Hyatt Hill Country Golf Club was named PGA Merchandiser of the Year for the Southern Texas Section. The club also earned a spot on the Golf World’s Top 100 Golf Shops list.

In 2010, Sarah was hired by the PGA Tour as the Merchandise Coordinator for their newest network addition, TPC San Antonio, and in 2012 was promoted to Merchandise Manager. She worked in conjunction with the PGA Tour Merchandise Headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to manage the merchandise for the Golf and Retail Shops, as well as the Tournament Merchandise for Valero Texas Open and AT&T Championship. During Sarah’s time with TPC San Antonio, they were named as one of the Top 100 Golf Shops in the Resort category.

In late 2013, Sarah was ready to move on and broaden her experience. Marc DeWall and The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch gave her that opportunity, and from her very first visit, she knew it was something she was meant to be a part of. The rest, as they say, is history. In her short time here, she has thrived on the relationships with members and guests and has channeled that into the Golf Shop.

Throughout the year, Sarah attends golf merchandise shows and meets with vendors to select the apparel and accessories that you see in the Golf Shop. Every January she travels to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show with over 1,100 exhibits and 40,000+ industry professionals from 74 countries to view and book fall apparel and accessories for the shop. She is able to network with other buyers/merchandisers and gather some insight into the state of the golf business while bringing fresh ideas back to the club. In August of each year, Sarah attends The Texas Active Lifestyle Show (TALS) in Sugar Land to view and book spring apparel and accessories for the shop. TALS is a regional show, offering an AGM Educational Conference and networking opportunities with vendors and golf business professionals. Sales representatives from several companies also call on Sarah throughout the year for one-on-one meetings to review their lines and receive feedback on how their product is performing in the shop. As in any business, these relationships are a good foundation for our success.

Just as the game of golf has evolved, the golf apparel industry is ever changing to fit the needs of the game, and it is important to keep the Golf Shop fresh. Because we have such a unique space, it takes some strategic planning to ensure that we are offering our members the perfect selections. By trimming down the list to about six core apparel lines, we have the opportunity to really showcase them and build a relationship with our vendors. Our core apparel vendors include Nike, Footjoy, Greg Norman/Dunning, Peter Millar®, Martin and EP Pro. There are also seasonal apparel vendors that are brought in to cater to the Cordillera Ranch lifestyle. Those vendors include Columbia® Sportswear, Southern Tide® and Tommy Bahama®. Another department that Sarah has enhanced is the accessories/gift department. Since we are off the beaten path, it’s nice to have a place to come for those last minute gifts for a friend or family member. Some of our best-selling gift items include Sterling Cut Glass Barware, 2UNDR Men’s Undergarments, Nexbelt™, Kingmade Jerky, Circle E Candles and Spartina 449. Trunk Shows at the Golf Shop have also provided the opportunity for more merchandise options in a convenient location.

So whether you’ve been a golfer for years, you’re new to the game, or just want to come by and say hi, Sarah is excited to share all that the Golf Shop has to offer.

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