"Mom Shops While Kids Take Lessons" Lotte Department Store Opens One-Stop Golf Center

Jamsil Branch TPI Junior Golf Academy.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Lotte Department Store is capturing the hearts of young golfers with its ‘one-stop golf center’ where shopping and lessons are available all in one place.

According to industry sources on the 13th, since last year, Lotte Department Store has been actively introducing popular golf brands and various experiential golf stores, mainly at major branches. As a result, last year, Lotte Department Store’s golf sales grew by 37% compared to the previous year, and this year (January to February) also saw a 52% increase, continuing the steady growth trend. In particular, the Jamsil branch underwent a full renewal at the end of September last year, transforming into a one-stop experiential golf center where customers can shop for various golf apparel and equipment, as well as receive club fitting and lessons. Consequently, from October last year to February this year, golf sales at the Jamsil branch increased by 58% compared to the same period the previous year, with sales among the 20s and 30s age group soaring by 84%, successfully capturing the hearts of young golfers.

First, the golf lesson studio with experts is highly popular not only among golf enthusiasts but also among ‘gollini’ (golf beginners) and ‘golf juniors’. At Jamsil’s ‘TPI (Titleist Performance Institute)’, professional coaches who have completed Titleist’s certified training courses operate various specialized programs, including short-term diagnostics for adults and regular lessons for children, using advanced analysis equipment systems. Especially, the ‘TPI Junior Golf Academy’ for children aged 7 to 13 is regarded as the most popular course, offering a scientific and systematic golf fitness program tailored to children’s growth stages. It provides customized lessons on eight topics such as ‘putting’, ‘swing’, and ‘torso rotation’ twice a week, along with fitness exercises necessary for golf, helping children build a solid foundation for their golf skills from an early age. As a result, more than 30% of all TPI students are juniors under the age of 10, making it a hot spot for true ‘gollini’.

The Jamsil branch’s golf-exclusive membership, the ‘Golf Buddy Club’, is also popular with over 3,000 members. Operating since September last year, the Golf Buddy Club allows any customer interested in golf to join and enjoy various shopping benefits. Key benefits include a welcome gift of a ‘3-ball golf ball set’, monthly discount coupons for golf products, and coupons for participation in promotional events. In fact, analysis of Golf Buddy Club members’ data shows that golf purchase sales increased by about 1.5 times after joining the club, receiving strong support from customers who regularly purchase golf products.

Meanwhile, following the full renewal of the golf center last year, the Jamsil branch continues to introduce a variety of new golf brands this year. A representative brand is ‘Piretti’, a premium golf wear brand that opened on the 8th as the first in the domestic distribution industry. Piretti, launched in the U.S. in 2008, is one of the world’s top three handmade putter brands and has newly launched as an apparel brand this year, offering golf apparel along with shoes, golf bags, hats, belts, gloves, and other accessories. Additionally, premium golf brands such as ‘G/FORE’, ‘St. Andrews’, ‘Amazing Cre’, and ‘Malbon’ opened last year and have gained popularity. On the 18th, ‘Anew Golf’, known for its vivid colors and diverse patterns, is also scheduled to open.

Hyun Jonghyuk, manager of the Jamsil branch, said, “We are putting great effort into presenting a one-stop golf center where customers can not only shop for golf but also learn and experience it firsthand. We will continue to attract rising domestic and international golf brands and engaging content to become a leading golf destination in the commercial district.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.