Columbine CC golf shop named one of the top 10 worldwide by Association of Golf Merchandisers, earning ‘Best of the Best’ honor for third time in 5 years
By Gary Baines – 2/6/2025
Only 10 golf courses/clubs/off-course shops worldwide earn a “Best of the Best Award” annually from the Association of Golf Merchandisers, recognizing the “pinnacle of golf retail excellence,” as the AGM website puts it.
The golf shop at Columbine Country Club south of Denver has reached that pinnacle not just once, but three of the last five years. It was one of the top 10 not only this year but in 2023. And in 2021, when AGM selected 20 clubs, Columbine also made the grade — along with Denver Country Club. Columbine also is a past recipient of the AGM Cashman Award for visual excellence.
Likewise among AGM’s Best of the Best for 2025 were Baltusrol in Springfield, N.J.; Boca West (Fla.) Country Club; Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.; Haggin Oaks Golf Super Shop in Sacramento, Calif.; Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.; Kapalua Plantation Course in Lahaina, Hawaii; Monterey (Calif.) Peninsula Country Club; the Links at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, Calif.; and Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.
“This year we explored the diverse world of golf retail, spanning bustling public courses, prestigious private clubs, innovative off-course retailers and luxurious resort destinations,” AGM said in its awards video. “In our search, 10 outstanding golf shops and operators stood out, earning recognition for their creativity, exceptional service and remarkable sales performance. These exceptional shops have redefined excellence through eye-catching visual displays, innovative promotions, advanced marketing strategies and outstanding sales achievements, setting new benchmarks that inspire the entire industry.”
Columbine — which hosted the 1967 PGA Championship (the only Colorado course other than Cherry Hills to be the site of a men’s open-age major) and five LPGA Tour events — opened a new $25 million clubhouse in late 2017. Bryan Heim has served as the PGA director of golf at the club since 2013. Columbine has been an AGM Platinum Award honoree eight times — every year since 2018. Platinum Awards go to the top 100 golf shops — 25 at private courses, 25 at public courses, 25 at resort courses and 25 at off-course facilities.
“Known for its innovative retail strategies, Columbine demonstrated exceptional adaptability and foresight in 2024,” AGM said in its “Best of the Best” video. “Faced with the challenge of offsetting a $30,000 revenue gap from reduced outside tournaments, the team turned to data-driven insights to refine their merchandising approach. Early seasonal launches, strategic holiday offerings and a shift toward high-value inventory resulted in remarkable year-over-year sales increases.
“Columbine’s key understanding of members’ evolving preferences has reshaped its product mix to include personal lifestyle apparel and family-friendly options, making the shop a one-stop destination for its community. Columbine Country Club’s innovative events, such as Junior Golf Day, Pop-Up Shop and a creative poolside eyewear promotion showcased their adaptability and focus on member engagement. These efforts resulted in impressive sales figures, with the Junior Golf Day alone generating over $10,000 in sales, while the eyewear event brought in $2,000 in just four hours.
“By proactively addressing members’ evolving needs and preferences, Columbine continues to set a high standard in golf retail, demonstrating how creativity and strategic planning can drive meaningful results.”
This past year, six Colorado-based golf shops earned AGM Platinum status — Columbine, Castle Pines Golf Club, the Country Club of Colorado, Roaring Fork Club, The Broadmoor Golf Club and the Country Club at Castle Castle Pines.
For the complete list of 2025 AGM award winners, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com