BACKGROUND:
Mike Forsey has more than 30 years in golf soft goods product creation and brand development including stints at FootJoy, Reebok Golf, Nike Golf, Ping, UnderArmour and now PAYNTR Golf.
THE FORSEY STORY:
I love the product creation process. Being involved with golf footwear product creation for 30 plus years, it has allowed me to do something I have loved for my entire career.
There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a brand and product from inception to consumer delivery and watching the fruits of your labor have a positive effect on golfers and their performance. I’ve been fortunate to have a lifetime of experience in golf footwear, and prior to establishing PAYNTR Golf, I saw a huge void in the market.
The pendulum of fashion versus function has swung too far to the fashion side of the business. Golfers were missing a key performance advantage as manufacturers focused too much on footwear aesthetics and not enough on foot in contact with shoe, shoe in contact with ground – the biomechanics of the golf swing.
At PAYNTR Golf, we’ve filled this void by delivering our SPEED technology which allows golfers to harness ground reaction forces more efficiently and effectively by bringing greater speed to the ball. Our efforts have successfully filled the performance void in the golf footwear market.
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What was the genesis for PAYNTR GOLF?
We think of golf footwear as equipment and understand the biomechanics of the golf swing as well as the on-course needs of the golfer. Our goal is to always deliver a true performance advantage.
How does PAYNTR GOLF differentiate itself from your key competitors and should consumers opt for your offerings versus those already on the market?
Our product creation philosophy is different than our competitors in that we think about footwear as equipment, and not as a fashion item or a compliment to an apparel line.
We incorporate our SPEED technology into every model we bring to market and allow golfers the ability to more effectively harness ground reaction forces to bring more power and speed to the ball.
How have your business efforts changed / evolved from the pre-pandemic time frame to now?
We established PAYNTR Golf during the pandemic, so we don’t know any other way of operating. Timing can be important in business and golf’s popularity boomed over the last few years.
Who is your customer?
Our customer is the golfer who plays often. But it’s not about playing ability, where they play, or if they played competitively. Our focus is on the golfer who plays frequently and who is looking to progress. PAYNTR Golf’s footwear can help this golfer improve their footwork and more effectively work the ground during the golf swing.
In what specific ways are you identifying and reaching out to them?
Directly from all of our social media platforms as well as our outreach through our green grass account partners. In addition, we have our marketing partners Golfzon-Leadbetter, Mike Weir and targeting more ambassadors moving forward. We try to work with other industry leading brands that deliver superior products, for example, we did a collaboration with Vessel Bags and our first spiked product launched with Softspikes’ newest technology.
Companies routinely tout the importance of customer service. Define the term and the approach you follow.
PAYNTR Golf considers itself in-service to many, including but not limited to, our wholesale partners, our customers, our athletes, and our employees.
Our customer care goes beyond the support we offer both before and after purchase, but more importantly, we want to make sure our customers have an enjoyable experience with our brand.
How do you handle customer feedback and what specific role does it play in future product development?
Consumer insights have driven our product creation agenda from our inception and will continue to refine the products we bring to market now and in the future.
From the standpoint of sales — what is the approximate percentage of your efforts via green grass shops, online sales and brick and mortar retail outlets?
40% green grass, 30% direct to consumer, and 30% off-course specialty retail outlets.
The 2023 PGA Show is coming up next month in Orlando. Will you be present and how do you plan on using the event to elevate your brand awareness?
Yes, we will exhibit at the 2023 PGA Show with our marketing partner, Golfzon — booth number 3127. We plan to introduce the trade to “Operation Speed” and a new product called the 005 X.
We will have 15 of our 20 territory sales managers presenting our Spring 2023 offering to green grass golf specialty accounts from North America.
Biggest challenges going forward — short and long term — and what actual steps are you doing to address both now?
Similar to 2022, when our revenues were up 680%, our short- and long-term challenge is keeping up with demand.
For Spring 2023, we’ve made some big bets, but mid-way through our booking season, we have needed to go back to our suppliers for more inventory. It’s a really nice problem to have.
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Photos Courtesy / PAYNTR GOLF
