Clarke to launch golf store that is bucking the economic trend

File photo dated 20/07/2011 of Darren Clarke. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday January 15, 2013. The European Tour's tournament committee meet to discuss the Ryder Cup captaincy in Abu Dhabi tonight. Here, Press Association Sport looks at the players thought to have a chance. See PA story GOLF Ryder. Photo credit should read: Lynne Cameron/PA Wire.

By Kevin Mullan
Published on 25/02/2013 19:07

MAJOR winner Darren Clarke is set to visit Londonderry next week to launch a local golf store that’s very much bucked the economic recession over the last four years and to hit a few balls, of course.

Dermot Hegarty of Total Golf and GolfStoreeurope invited the winner of the British Open 2011 down to his new store at the Foyle Golf Centre for a few drives.

And happily the popular sports star - who’s no stranger to the North West - agreed to come along.

Mr Hegarty told the Sentinel: “We have just recently opened a new 3500 square feet golf shop at Foyle Golf Driving Range in Derry and Darren Clarke has agreed to come up on Wednesday, March 6 to do the official opening.”

The Glenowen-native has been in business as the proprietor of Total Golf since 2006 but it’s been the company’s online operation that has led to an incredible rate of growth in defiance of the economic recession from 2009.

Whilst many other high street firms have been struggling as a result of the advent of online retailing, Total Golf and GolfStoreeurope, has harnessed the potential of selling and exporting from a warehouse right here in Londonderry.

Mr Hegarty says he realised some years past that online was the future of retail and chose to invest in this side of the business.

And it’s worked: in 2009 he employed two staff; he now employs an increadible 32 staff.

“In 2009 we broke onto the online business with www.golfstoreeurope.com, and have went form employing two members of staff to currently employing 32 and growing,” he said.

Darren Clarke will visit GolfStoreeurope to launch the new operation on March 6, 2012.

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Clarke to launch golf store that is bucking the economic trend

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