Kit DeAndre, PGA,Head Golf Professional,Liberty Lake (Washington) Golf Course
For nearly three decades at Liberty Lake Golf Course, PGA of America Member Kit DeAndre has built his business around a guiding principle: Know your golfers, serve your golfers and evolve with your golfers. At a busy 18-hole municipal facility that hosts 35,000 rounds a year and boasts thriving men’s and women’s leagues, that philosophy has been essential.
Liberty Lake is part of a three-course network owned by Spokane County, each recently rebranded with distinct course logos. For many regulars, that logo carries real pride and identity, making merchandise a central part of the experience. DeAndre relies heavily on his long-standing vendor relationships to track trends and bring in the styles today’s golfers expect.
“The business of golf has changed many times over my career,” he says. “The post-pandemic boom brought in a whole new wave of golfers and they don’t all fit the cookie-cutter demographic of the past. They want options – more than a solid cotton shirt or one style of headwear.”
Puma Golf and FootJoy have become staples in the Liberty Lake shop, offering modern cuts and vibrant colorways that appeal to both league members and newer players. With significant shop credit circulating through outings, having compelling merchandise available year-round is crucial.
“If you want golfers to come back even when they’re not spending shop credit,” DeAndre explains, “you have to give them something worth coming back for.”
But catering to today’s clientele extends well beyond apparel. DeAndre has introduced single-rider electric bikes from Finn Scooters – an amenity that has reshaped the on-course experience at Liberty Lake.
“They’re super fun, no matter what the scorecard says,” he says. “The bikes provide a modern, fast-paced and social way to navigate the course. They’ve also proven financially beneficial.”
Whether it’s merchandise variety, innovative amenities or simply listening to golfers’ preferences, DeAndre believes the formula for long-term success hasn’t changed – even if the golfers have.
