5 Questions With Sweet Spot Golf

If you've read anything about women in golf over the last year then you've probably heard of Sweet Spot Golf. The company has been featured on several golf blogs such as Golf Views, Real Women Golf, and I talked about them on Golf WRX last year. I was able to personally try their putters but haven't been able to test the rest of the line. When I met up with them last year they only had putters in a lefty but not the rest of the line. I recently caught up with Sweet Spot's Brian Allman once again to be a guest for five questions:

1. Tell me the history of Sweet Spot Golf - when did you start the company and what was your goal? How has that evolved?

In 2007 SSG was started from the idea of incorporating aerodynamics into the sport of golf. The designer for many years wondered why other sports like downhill skiing and bicycle racing were doing this but no one had yet brought it into golf. With that basic concept and the look of bicycle racing helmets, our club head design was born.

As the club went through the development stage we also started to ask the question, "What else can help the average golfer?" We soon realized that many players don't set up to the target properly and with that we created the Sweet Spot Golf Precision Positioning System. It's pretty simple, without proper target alignment at the moment of set up reaching the correct position on the golf course is a lot harder. It's been said many times that our clubs with this PPS help the average golfer begin their swing routine correctly for the moment they address the ball. We are the only manufacturer that carries this concept through all our clubs with the same head design on our driver, hybrids, and putter. We are developing a full line of clubs that we are planning for a Winter 2010 release of a full set including this design concept.

How has that evolved: we set out to have a men's, women's, and sports-branded line of clubs but have recently made a strategic decision to become exclusively a women's golf equipment company. This was a big revelation for us to move in this direction and we know we have made the right decision by all the positive feedback we have received. We feel strongly that the women's golf market, the fastest growing segment in golf today, is the right place for us and the most in need of fresh ideas as well as more functional equipment to fit the consumer's needs.

2. How often do you get out to golf? How long have you been involved in golf? Are you involved in or follow any other sports?

I love golf and I am an average player but since entering the golf industry I actually get to play less than ever before. Running a small company leaves very little time for play and most of the time I spend at golf courses tends to be at Charity events when I'm actually working the event (poor me...). We started this concept in early 2007 and are aiming for a full product launch at the PGA show in January 2010.

I'm a sports junkie, I follow EVERY sport including table tennis, cricket, just about anything...

3. So I have to know - what is your handicap? Do you game anything other than Sweet Spot products? What was your first set of clubs?

My handicap is playing golf...(ha ha ha), no I was a 19 and now not playing much so I'm guessing a bit higher now? (shh...don't tell anyone *Apryl's note - come on Brian, you knew I'd let that slip*)

OK, my first set of clubs were hand-me-down women's clubs... do you think my Aunt Sally knew something about me way back then? Now I use Sweet Spot clubs and Montech Irons.

4. What is unique about Sweet Spot clubs? What makes your company stand out from the others? Who is your target consumer?

Sweet Spot Golf is a product of the times. The traditions of golf are changing as the world changes and people want different things out of their game now than five years ago. Sweet Spot incorporates the high performance aspects of playing with a personalized lifestyle statement. Many women play golf for the social aspects of the game and now that fashion has crept into the sport Sweet Spot feels it's time to also have fashion in the equipment arena. Who says golf equipment can't have it's own personality other than that of the tour player won the last tournament? We think clubs, apparel, accessories, etc. can ALL be an integral part of the game. This can make a more fun experience by reflecting a more fashion forward player. I think everyone will agree that when you feel good about yourself you are more relaxed and you play better golf and our clubs help you do that on both the performance and lifestyle aspect of the sport. We will soon have a full assortment of colors for our clubs but right now with our Pink line, you can feel great about making the statement both on and off course.

I also care about finding a cure for breast cancer as well and we support the National Breast Cancer Foundation with the sale of these clubs.

Our target consumer is the avid golfer that wants more out of their game both in performance as well as personality. We want to be the fresh and fun alternative that is more responsive to the current consumers needs. We have no age demographic but we do seem to get players that are just as interested in having a fun experience on the course as they are scoring well and we love that approach which just points out, how many of us will ever be a professional golfer and should take the game so seriously that we can't have a good time while playing.

5. Do you have any plans to branch out to any other products? Bags, clothes, etc?

We have BIG plans to launch a full lifestyle Brand once we secure our position in the women's golf equipment arena. We follow fashion trends very closely and have some favorite apparel and accessory companies whom we feel are on the right track. We feel strongly that we can grow the Sweet Spot Brand to be much more than an equipment company. More importantly we feel consumers are ready for a new voice in this industry and hey... it might as well be us!