Merchandiser of the Year - Public
At a facility that sees nearly 40,000 rounds a year, keeping a golf shop relevant is no small task.
At Beavercreek Golf Club, Steve Klick has found a way to do it with a level of attention to detail and personalization that would be impressive anywhere, and is particularly notable at one of Ohio’s busiest public golf facilities.
Klick spends roughly 75 percent of his time in the merchandising operation, where he changes displays monthly and has built a philosophy around keeping inventory fresh and closely aligned with the golfers who walk through the door. It’s focused and intentional. Rather than trying to stock everything, Beavercreek has developed strong relationships with a select group of vendors and puts a particular emphasis on special orders and custom club fitting.
That approach requires something more valuable than shelf space: trust. Golfers at Beavercreek know that the recommendation they receive is based on what fits their game, not simply what happens to be sitting in the shop. It is an uncommon level of service for a public facility and one that has helped the operation generate more money in annual merchandise sales, with that number projected to grow again this year.
Klick’s résumé backs up the results.
He previously won the Southern Ohio PGA’s Public Merchandiser of the Year Award in 2010 and 2012 and was named a Ping Top 100 Fitter of the Year from 2014-22 before earning Ping Power Fitter of the Year honors from 2023-25.
At Beavercreek, good merchandising isn’t simply about selling more. It is about knowing the customer and earning their confidence. Klick and his staff’s ability to deliver that level of service is a big reason why those customers keep coming back.