A LIFE DEDICATED TO THE PRO SHOP: TGI Golf welcomes Adele McLean as new Managing Director

There are not many people who can say they first started working in the Pro Shop at just three-years-of-age, but new TGI Golf Partnership Managing Director Adele McLean certainly can. Golf Retailing caught up with her to find out more.

Ok, so maybe the intro has a little bit of journalistic licence, and she was slightly older before she officially started working in the Pro Shop, however, Adele McLean, TGI Golf’s new Managing Director was certainly heavily involved in Pro Shop life at that tender age.
Her father, PGA Master Professional John Mulgrew, was a pioneer of sorts back in the 70s when he opened the first Driving Range in Scotland – Normandy Driving Range in Renfrew – and built a hugely successful retail operation.

“Some of the very first memories I have are of being in dad’s shop at the Normandy,” said Adele. “He had that shop for nearly 30 years and was one of the first PGA Professionals to bring in video technology – of course in those days you had to hold the camera on your shoulder to film anything.

“As a teenager I would be working in the shop most weekends until I went to university and even then I would still put in the hours during the holidays.”

After graduating with a hospitality degree in 1982, she returned to working at the driving range. It was at that time that the incumbent retail manager left the business, so Adele took over and continued in that role until the business shut in 2004.

“Unfortunately we had to shut the range as we were simply running out of space, we couldn’t extend the range and with the new technology in equipment meaning balls were going further, we just couldn’t continue,” explained Adele.

But that didn’t mean Adele’s bright retail mind would go to waste. A regular visitor to the Normandy Driving Range – the now former TGI Golf Managing Director Eddie Reid – would see to that and ensure the golf industry didn’t miss out.

Adele takes up the story: “Eddie was looking for someone to fill a position at TGI Golf and needed someone who knew the trade from the Pro Shop side, but also knew it from the golf brands’ side of things.

“I met with him and he said he didn’t have a job description, but he drew a circle and said ‘this is you’ he then drew lots of lines off that circle showing ‘PGA Pros’ ‘Suppliers’ ‘Staff’ and all the things he needed someone to be responsible for.”

Now, 16 years later Adele steps into the Managing Director’s chair after Eddie stepped down at the end of March.

However, the change in role – moving from Group Services Director to MD – holds no fear for the 53-year-old, who has served what her predecessor calls ‘the longest apprenticeship ever.’

“I have been working closely with Eddie almost since I started, so for 15 years I have seen first-hand what the job entails and have built good relationships with our Partner Suppliers and Partners,” added Adele.

It is this experience and the strong relationships built up over many years which saw Adele offered the MD’s role by the TGI Golf Board of Directors.

Mike Bradley, TGI Golf Chairman, explained: “When Eddie informed us that he would be stepping down we had to make a decision as to whether we wanted to look outside of the group for a new MD or to promote from within.

“The reality is that it was a very simple decision. The group is not in distress, it is in a very strong position with a great team all working very hard to help us as PGA Professionals. To bring someone in from the outside would risk all that, coupled with the fact that our business is built on having strong relationships with the group’s Partners and Partner Suppliers. Adele has all of that, she has been doing it for 16 years and is in the perfect position to continue the great work both her and Eddie have been doing.”

It was a unanimous decision from the Board of Directors to recommend Adele for the role and this was ratified by the Partners at the group’s AGM last year, giving a 12 month transitional period.

It is a year of celebration for TGI Golf, with a new captain steering the ship as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Over those 40 years the group has continued to support the PGA Professional in every way to ensure they run profitable and successful businesses and that will not change.

“As a team we are always looking to enhance the services that we offer and there’ll be no change there,” said Adele. “We are a retail services provider, our sole reason for living and breathing it to make our Partners more successful and profitable.

“The uniqueness of the group is that all our PGA Professionals are equal shareholders, they are Partners in the business, not members. We’re not here to satisfy the needs and whims of any major shareholders outside of the business. Everything we do is to satisfy the needs of our Partners from budgeting and planning, shop layout, merchandising, digital marketing, staff training, industry insights, the list is endless.

“PGA Professionals are trying to spin so many plates and we are there to help them, to take some of the strain away. The PGA Pro is in such a strong position, with high market share against the off course. If you are a good PGA Professional providing a quality service to your members and working hand in hand with your golf club then the future is bright.

“We also work closely with our Partner Suppliers to ensure that we are providing them with the very best quality retailers to work with and sell their products.

“There will always be competition, we just have to carry on providing an excellent service for our Partners and moving with the technology to ensure they have all the tools to stay successful.”

After 20 years of continued success and growth it is a new chapter for TGI Golf, but one that Adele and the team are confident will be just as successful for both the group and its Partners.

She added: “It has been an outstanding period for the group under Eddie Reid’s stewardship and he steps down with our very best wishes and thanks for everything that he has done to grow the group and make it the huge success it
is today.

“It is now up to all of us at TGI Golf to continue that hard work and build on what we have achieved. There is an outstanding team in place and we are all looking forward to taking the group and our PGA Professional Partners forward.” GR