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Keys To Growing Westchester merchandiser Weightman sees power in Social Media, course conditions and hosting tourneys

Beyond The Green

Alex Weightman once had visions of becoming a DEA agent or a music composer for movies.

But the now 34-year-old fell in love with golf the day after watching Tiger Woods win the 1997 Masters.

The following day, Weightman and cousin Ben Rueger rented clubs and proceeded to lose 13 balls through three holes.

“We were only 10 with two sets of ratty rental clubs where big paint letters were on the side of the bag that said ‘rental,’” Weightman said. “Ben ran back to the clubhouse (at Hamilton’s Golf Course in Evansville, Ind.) to buy more balls. I was hooked after that.”

Weightman serves as Golf Shop Manager/Merchandiser/Marketer for the past two years at Westchester Country Club in Boynton Beach.

“It’s a good part of the golf business that I absolutely fell in love with,” said Weightman, who lives near the club. “I was a PGA pro for five years (2012-17) and I got out because amateur golf is phenomenal, plus the merchandising and marketing part, I just love that.”

Weightman has been a general manager, assistant manager and assistant pro at several courses, and has been an on-air personality for seven years.

“I worked at Davie Golf Club with Danny Boswell before he passed and their philosophy was entertainment,” Weightman said. “I see it more now with the clothing. Justin Bieber and DJ Khaled cut a music video at Davie. A music video on a course. That’s pretty cool.”

Covid affected golf, but Weightman sees it as a positive for the industry.

“It opened the eyes of the people – they could be outside,” he said. “I don’t know anybody that doesn’t love competition – even if it is for a $1 or bragging rights. That’s brought more people who play basketball at 28 years old who don’t want to tear an ACL. They see golf as a competitive, hard … every day is different even if you are playing the same course.

“Social media has also helped with Justin Thomas and Ricky Fowler, but Covid was easily the best thing that could have happened to golf, since Tiger Woods,” Weightman said.

Weightman said merchandising is key for him. The clothing aspect is about fitting a player’s personality. Westchester also has simplified its website to make securing a tee time easier, and rounds are up 20 to 30 percent. He also lauded course conditions and that their range never uses mats.

“We are getting approached now by a lot of people who want to have tournaments,” he said. “If you google ‘How to raise money,’ a golf tournament will be one of the top four things to pop up. The good thing about being a 27-hole course is we can do a lot of things other courses can’t do.”

“Golf is a sport that just gets you,” he added. “You can hate it, but you always seem to have a good shot on the last hole after a bad round.”

Visit westchestercc.com for more information.

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