By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
Leatherman Golf Learning Center is an 11-time Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Top 50 Stand Alone Facility. Owned and operated by Quarter Century PGA Member Chris Leatherman, this facility is a destination for golfers throughout the Charlotte, North Carolina area. However, with mini-golf, beginner lessons and some of the best ball-tracking technology in the industry, you don’t have to be a die-hard golfer to enjoy this entertainment center.
Leatherman bought the facility in 2002 and still spends an average of 75 hours per week on the property – teaching, fitting and managing a
staff of four other coaches and several indoor employees who ensure the retail operation runs smoothly and their customers are happy.
Leatherman Golf Learning Center has 50 grass and mat hitting stations – 34 are equipped with the Power Tee automated teeing system and 23 have ball-tracking technology that enables golfers to attain their shot statistics and compete with fellow golfers.
“We just installed the ball-tracking technology this spring, and customer feedback has been great,” Leatherman says. “This technology adds another dimension to one’s time spent on the range.”
Leatherman implemented a Range Servant ball dispenser system and its Select Pi technology that enables customers to use credit and debit cards at the ball machine and also incorporates in-house discount cards that incentivize frequent golfers to pay ahead and save some money on their Leatherman Golf experience.
Leatherman says he’s implemented several improvements and renovations over the 20+ years that he’s been at the helm. New putting and chipping greens have made his facility’s short game/bunker area a must-see for golfers investing their time and money into game improvement, which ultimately increases their enjoyment in the game and brings them to the range or course more often. This cyclical concept should motivate all range owners to follow Leatherman’s lead in facility upgrades and time spent on-site. In fact, in addition to the plethora of responsibilities he has daily, Leatherman teaches 35 hours per week.
“Our clientele is more diverse than ever since the pandemic, with young people, couples, beginners, juniors and women joining our existing core golfers in enjoying our practice facility,” he adds.
Leatherman says that many of the lessons he teaches are beginners, but he still enjoys helping his skilled golfers shave those extra couple of strokes off their handicaps.
Beginners, he says, are a lucrative demographic, as they often need lessons and clubs – they’re also usually reliable and practice at the range between lessons, contributing to the 1,000,000+ range balls hit at Leatherman in-season each month. He says the numbers dip slightly below a million during the winter, but with the doors being locked on just Thanksgiving and Christmas, Leatherman has not only created a stellar golf environment for his customers, but his range is accessible and affordable. After all, in addition to his reasonable regular bucket rates, Leatherman offers Combination Bucket/Beer Specials and Discount Cards, as mentioned already.
With junior clinics and adult classes, Leatherman and his team of coaches are growing the game one new golfer at a time, and they’re providing long-term opportunities for golfers to continuously hone their skills.
The range is lit for night play and there’s a dedicated club fitter onsite to satisfy customers’ club repair needs and also ensure golfers are playing with properly fit equipment. Not only is this a great service, but it’s often a catalyst for hard goods sales.
“We’re seeing seniors on weekday mornings and families in the evenings,” Leatherman explains. “Golf has grown so much that we have more couples and women than we used to have.”
Leatherman Golf Learning Center has a pristine mini-golf course that hosts birthday parties and small children who will hopefully someday swing a real golf club, but for now prefer the fun and excitement that mini-golf provides.
Leatherman sells logoed hats and towels in his golf shop and looks forward to adding apparel to his merchandise mix. With upwards of 15 custom fitting days scheduled per year, the majority of his retail sales are equipment, but he also has balls and the many accessories that golfers love to see when perusing the golf shop.
“The keys to our success are the great condition of our range and the technology we’ve added over the years, and continue to implement,” Leatherman says. “Our instruction, club fitting and club repair are all positive revenue streams.”
For more information on everything Leatherman Golf, log on to their website today!
