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John Andrew, founder of 20-store golfing specialist Direct Golf, received backing from an industry titan last week when Mike Ashley's Sports Direct took an equity stake in the business.
Andrew, who will stay at the helm of the retailer, plans to combine its sector expertise and Sports Direct's buying power to create "a powerhouse of golf," he says.
Andrew, a PGA Professional, has spent the past 23 years building up his golfing empire to 20 stores. He candidly admits that he started the business after he realised he wasn't going to make it big as a golfer.
He turned to his next great skill: retail. Like many in the industry, Andrew is from retail stock. "I started my career in retail at eight, serving at my dad's newsagent," he says.
Andrew ran a golf club shop at the age of just 19 and six years later decided to go it alone with his first store in Huddersfield at "the height of Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam".
Originally called Huddersfield Discount Golf, the name changed to Direct Golf when the internet came along and Andrew quickly...