Chris Marx, PGA,Director of Golf,Eagle Mountain Golf Course,Brigham City, Utah
At Eagle Mountain Golf Course in Brigham City, Utah, creating a loyal customer base means building relationships one interaction at a time.
Chris Marx, PGA, Director of Golf at Eagle Mountain and a multiple award-winning professional within the Utah PGA Section, believes that knowing how to treat a customer is fundamental to golf shop success.
“A quarter century of golf shop ownership teaches you a lot about people, products, relationships and yourself as a PGA Professional,” Marx says. “Our approach to customer service is simple: Get to know our golfers. Whether it’s their name, where they’re from or how their game is going, we take the time to learn about our customers.”
Eagle Mountain serves a wide-reaching public golf community, and Marx has taught his staff the value of engaging in conversation, even with unfamiliar faces.
“Asking simple questions helps build connections and shows that you care,” he explains. “That’s how you go from a transaction to a relationship.”
Marx notes that while many golfers do their equipment research online, they aren’t always ready to make a major purchase when they walk into the shop. Instead, they may gravitate toward smaller, impulse-buy items. To capitalize on this, Marx has expanded his product mix with unique accessories and lifestyle items to help initiate customer interaction. One example? A paddleboard that always sparks conversation.
To ensure profitability, Marx has taken a proactive approach to inventory.
“Most PGA Professionals understand that accessories have the best margins,” he says. “In 2019, we decided to go all-in on this segment. Since then, we’ve quintupled our accessories income.”
Engaging with customers doesn’t stop in the shop. Marx’s team uses Instagram to stay connected, sharing drone footage of the course and highlighting unique offerings.
“Our goal is to catch a customer’s eye and get them thinking about Eagle Mountain, even when they’re not here,” he says. “Then once they’re on the property, our natural ability to engage and connect turns visitors into loyal customers.”
Marx’s approach emphasizes that creating a customer starts with conversation (pictured) and continues through thoughtful product offerings. By building relationships, fostering engagement and keeping the shop stocked with appealing items, he’s created a model that turns first-time visitors into repeat customers.
