• April 23, 2010

Sears says it is hooking up with Edwin Watts Golf Shops, to open 12 pro shops inside its department stores.

The first of the service-oriented golf shops will open in Murray, Utah next month, followed by Hicksville, N.Y.; Falls Church, Va., and Friendswood, Tex., before rolling out to stores in Maryland, Illinois, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

"We chose to partner with Sears based on our strategic need for a mall-based retailer with a national footprint, as well as affiliations with leading brands such as Craftsman Tools and Nordic Track, which strongly align with the golfer demographic," says John Watson, CEO, Edwin Watts Golf Shops, in a release, adding that the move will "help drive new players to the game."--Sarah Mahoney