Early Reports Say Dick's Bought Golfsmith

Granted, we don't know all the details for sure yet, because this comes from those nameless "sources" who provide early info. But Reuters is certain enough that they put the word out late Friday.

It looks like Dick's Sporting Goods is going to buy Golfsmith.



I've been scanning the net for details, and here's the best I can do at this point.

There was an auction for the chain last Wednesday, which Dick's won, although the US Bankruptcy Courts still have to approve it.

Supposedly the deal included all the stores, the inventory and the intellectual property. Intellectual property includes all the printed materials (instructional and otherwise) that Golfsmith made available to the public.

The belief is that Dick's will keep about 30 of the stores open and close the rest, but nobody knows yet whether they'll be rebranded as Dick's stores, Golf Galaxy stores (which Dick's also owns), remain as Golfsmith stores, or there could be some other arrangement. But a Golf Digest article about the sale says it would likely give Dick's "the largest collection of golf retail stores in the country. It currently operates 72 Golf Galaxy stores and adding the 30 Golfsmith stores would give it 102, compared to Worldwide Golf Shops 72 stores." The article adds that Worldwide was the other major bidder in the auction.

What does that mean for the rest of us? Well, unless Dick's removes the golf departments from its regular stores -- which I suspect is unlikely, given that a Dick's golf department employee told me several months ago that Dick's is training its own golf techs now -- your next set of clubs will most likely come from a Worldwide or Dick's-owned golf store.

At least, they will if you want to have your clubs custom-fitted.