Galway Bay’s waterproof jacket
My buying decisions about golf equipment and accessories are largely influenced by personal recommendations. The same goes for apparel like a rainsuit. More than 25 years ago, Jeff Howland, the former PGA pro at the Highlands CC in Grand Rapids, sealed the deal for me to buy a Zero Restriction rainsuit by saying, “For serious players, it’s not just a piece of apparel; it’s equipment.” Hey, I like to think of myself as a “serious golfer,” so sold!
Last fall I was playing up north on a raw day when my playing companion endorsed the lined rain pants he was wearing. In fact, the pair was so tapered and fit, I didn’t know they were rain pants. The brand was Galway Bay. So once again, sold!
This spring I’ve played several rounds of golf wearing my new Galway Bay rainsuit. Not only is it truly waterproof (never buy water resistant) but it’s flexible and stretchable, fully complementing the golf swing. And it looks great.
In doing research on the company, I was heartened and surprised to learn Galway Bay is a Michigan-based company with its headquarters in Novi. Curious about the enterprise, I recently spoke to Mike Brown, Chief Operating Officer.
Asked what separates Galway Bay from its competitors, Brown said, “Our attention to detail and thinking about those little things the golfer does while playing are very important to us. It might be our rounded collar to prevent water dripping down into the suit or how we might design the back pocket where golfers keep their scorecard if they’re walking.”
From a marketing standpoint, Brown elaborated, “We have found a niche because of our price point and because our apparel works and does the job accommodating the golf swing.”
Although he sees Galway Bay’s customer base as stretching from “30 years of age to 70,” an even broader reach is where the company is headed. “Our new design team will offer more colors and styles to make our brand more adaptable to the younger demo,” said Brown. “Our continued goal is to create and maintain a like-minded community of golfers and users.”
Like many sectors in golf, 2020 was a good year for Galway Bay. “We were not alone in riding the wave of the game’s popularity last year. Now we plan to expand the brand and its selections with different layers.”
But Brown really got my attention and reminded me of Howland when he summed up the essence of the Galway Bay golfer:
“I’m playing golf today no matter the conditions.”
Sold!
For more information, visit http://galwaybaygolf.com
image courtesy of Galway Bay
