Q&A: Emma Hanssens, Golf Shop Manager at Wannamoisett Country Club
Alex Elias
Can you briefly share a little about your background? How did you become interested in golf merchandising?
I have a degree in retail merchandising, and I've always known I wanted to work in the retail and apparel industry. During college, I landed a merchandising internship at a private club, and it completely changed my career path. I fell in love with golf merchandising because it combines every aspect of retail. I get to be involved in the entire process—from planning and buying to visual merchandising and sales—which isn't something you typically experience within a large corporation.
One of the things I love most about golf merchandising is getting to know the membership. Since they're your customer base, you really learn their preferences and can buy specifically with them in mind. It makes the job much more personal and rewarding when you see members excited about products you selected for them.
I also enjoy the business side of merchandising—analyzing sales, planning inventory, and finding the right balance between carrying what our members love today and introducing products they'll be excited about next season.
In an industry with well-established brands, how do you challenge yourself to discover new brands for the golf shop?
I really enjoy supporting smaller brands. I think working with vendors is a partnership, and many smaller brands truly understand that and are excited to work with golf shops.
Space is always limited, so I have to be selective, but I try to bring in at least one new brand each season. I spend a lot of time discovering emerging brands on Instagram, following industry trends, and walking the PGA Show.
I'm always looking for brands that fill a gap in our assortment, offer something our members can't find elsewhere, or have a story that aligns with our club. I think it's important to keep the shop feeling fresh while still carrying the brands our members know and love.
I've heard from several Golf Shop Managers that, since COVID, there's been a noticeable shift toward apparel that can be worn both on and off the golf course. Have you seen that trend as well? If so, how has it influenced the way you merchandise and stock the Golf Shop?
Absolutely—we're definitely seeing members gravitate toward pieces they can wear both on and off the course. Layers, in particular, have become much more popular—not just hoodies, but comfortable pullovers, fleece jackets, overshirts, and lightweight outerwear.
On the women's side, we've seen a significant shift toward softer, boxier crewnecks instead of the more traditional fitted quarter-zips that once dominated golf apparel.
When I'm buying now, I'm always thinking about versatility. If someone can wear a piece to the club, out to dinner, or while traveling, it's usually a great addition to the shop. It's definitely changed our assortment over the past few years. We still carry the traditional golf staples, but we've expanded our selection of lifestyle pieces because that's what our members are looking for.
Wannamoisett has a fantastic logo on its own, but you always seem to find creative ways to incorporate it into unique merchandise—especially with pieces like the Del’s Lemonade-inspired headcovers. How much do you enjoy that creative side of the job?
It's one of my favorite parts of the job. I love finding creative ways to connect with our membership through merchandise.
Those custom products are fun because they're inspired by things our members know and enjoy, so they feel personal rather than just another logo item. Coming up with the ideas—and occasionally creating the artwork myself—before seeing our vendors bring those concepts to life is incredibly rewarding.
It's always exciting when members recognize the inspiration and get excited about something that's unique to Wannamoisett or the local area. Those exclusive products have also become some of our best sellers because our members know they can only find them in our shop.
