Despite a rise in golf numbers in the UK in recent years, there remains a stigma that the game is inaccessible to certain groups, and particularly younger people with it being perceived as an older person’s sport that comes with a considerable expense.
But Kondor Kidz, a company headed up by 28-year-old Callum Cooke, is trying to overcome the barriers that could be stopping more children from taking up – and enjoying – the game.
Kondor Kidz offers an affordable subscription-based service for parents whose children are wanting to play golf, but might not have the funds to splash out on a whole new set of clubs before they know whether their children will like the game and stick with it longer term. With each subscription comes an exchange programme that ensures children can always have the right sized, high-quality clubs as they grow. It means families and kids can play and develop in the sport without high, upfront equipment costs.
Starting out in the game requires a significant investment, and Cooke explains how Kondor Kidz is looking to ease the financial burden for those making their first swings in the game, opening golf to more youngsters and preserving the sport for future generations.
How did the idea to set up a subscription equipment service for kids come about?
I set up Kondor Kidz in 2022 when I was 25. I was driving home from work one day when I saw an advertisement for the Bike Club, which allows kids to exchange their bikes on a subscription service as they grow. I thought that was what golf really needed. I spoke to some friends in the cycling industry, and found that essentially the margins on bikes were pretty much identical to golf clubs and it just made sense to try and replicate that model.
I managed to raise £48,000 in funding through friends and family to set the company up, and got further debt funding on top of that. The friends and family money is equity funding, so they all have a small part in the business, which, of course, brings some pressure, but their support has been incredible.
Do you feel like golf has an issue with keeping young kids interested in the game?
I think all kids can love golf and really enjoy golf, but even if you are buying beginner golf clubs, there is a cost associated with that and of course the problem comes with kids growing fast and those clubs becoming redundant and nothing more than furniture in the shed. If a new set isn’t bought, and perhaps a family can’t afford it, then the interest may wane and they will move onto something else.
There are essential things parents need to spend money on and families on low incomes simply won’t be able to afford golf clubs at retail. I think the game is missing an opportunity to maximise engagement. Look at Rory McIlroy’s win at Augusta, that will inspire kids to play the game and take it up, but the cost is a massive restriction.
How does the process work?
So our subscription service starts from as low as £1.99 per month, with sets starting at £6.99, meaning kids have decent equipment from our partnerships with Golfway and Lynx Golf, which they can exchange for a bigger set as they grow. Someone places an order, which they can do quickly via the subscription service on the website and by setting up an account, and I will send an online order off to our suppliers. They will ship them out, next day, and then the set is usually with the customer in two to three days.
We will follow up with the customer as a courtesy to make sure they are happy with what they’ve received. Then they pay the monthly fee for that set and when the time comes that they need a bigger set, they just exchange them from the online account.
Our junior sets include clubs ranging from driver, 3-wood, a mixture of irons, wedges and putters, so parents can always find the perfect set for their child.
There are clearly huge benefits to keeping the subscription going but, of course, it might not be for all?
Exactly, and that is part of what we do. If a kid loses interest it won’t be because they and their family were priced out of playing the game. If they don’t keep playing, it means they haven’t forked out hundreds of pounds on gear that they have quickly grown out of anyway. But we believe that with the right equipment and an affordable price that works for them, more kids and families will stick with it.
What is your background in golf and how did you end up working in the golf industry?
I was introduced the game from a young age by my granddad, and as soon as I was old enough he had given me a set of plastic clubs, and there was a driving range net in the back of his garden, so I would be there all the time hitting balls. Golf has always been a massive thing for me and I remember getting my first equipment as a kid, so I understand the excitement around that.
I fell into working in golf, if I am honest. I wanted to play rugby professionally, and had no other plan than that. I was totally committed to it. I went to Henley College which, at that time, was partnered with Wasps Rugby Academy. I left college at 19 and didn’t get offered a contract, and was a bit lost. During that summer the golf club where I was a member asked if I wanted to work in the pro shop so that I could earn a few quid.
I instantly fell in love with being in the golf club environment. I loved how sociable it was, even though I had been a member for a while I didn’t really appreciate how sociable it was. The golf club means so much to people. I learnt a lot working there, and just really enjoyed it and felt at home. From there I just developed in a number of roles before I launched Kondor Kidz.
As well as the subscription side of the business, Kondor Kids also offers an apparel range and you have recently launched a junior golf tour. How did those two elements come about?
I used to work in golf retail with American Golf, so I always wanted to do something on that side. I always felt the apparel side for kids was so limited in choice and sizing – a couple of token shorts and polos hidden away in the corner of the store. How kids look – in fact, how all golfers look and feel – is important, so we offer a range of apparel and footwear that gives kids more choice as they grow and develop in the game. Moving forward, I would like to feature the Kondor Kidz logo on apparel lines, and hopefully at some point we will have our own brand of clothing for kids to wear.
The Kondor Kidz Junior Golf Tour is a series of fun and inclusive golf events designed to inspire the next generation. With multiple age categories and a focus on participation, enjoyment, and development, the tour provides a welcoming space for juniors of all abilities, whether they’re picking up a club for the first time or looking to take their game to the next level.
We kicked off the tour recently – during Masters weekend – at Scraptoft Golf Club in Leicester and we have already landed a headline sponsor thanks to Golfway’s support, and we have another seven regional events throughout the season.
How do you see the business evolving in the coming years?
Our focus is obviously on kids, as that is the key area for development and ensuring people start out playing the game, but there’s no reason why the same subscription model couldn’t work for adult golfers. Again, there is something of a stigma in golf that you have to be playing with the best equipment and I understand that. But adults might go out and buy a beginner’s set and they aren’t cheap, and they may spend a considerable amount of money and six months later they haven’t got the bug. So I feel like a subscription model will be perfect for that, which allows the beginner to really test the waters before committing.
Looking ahead, I would love to get the business fully established in the UK. There is a long way to go there, but that includes things like making the tour national, we want to get our clothing brand up and running, and ideally with our own Kondor Kidz-branded golf clubs as well.
Really, I just want to help get more kids into the game and I really think we can do that with accessible pricing that ensures they are staying engaged with golf for longer. There is no other game that brings different people together and golf teaches you so many important life lessons.
For more information, visit www.kondorkidz.co.uk, email info@kondorkidz.co.uk, or call
03301 336624.