Golf Town

AUSTIN, Texas — Golfsmith International has named Sue E. Gove president and CEO of the world's largest specialty golf retailer. Gove, formerly president and COO of the combined Golfsmith and Golf Town business, has also served as the chief integration officer leading the successful Golfsmith-Golf Town combination which was finalized this past July.

Norwalk, Conn. -- GE Capital said Friday that it is serving as administrative agent on a $150 million senior secured credit facility to support the combination of Golf Town and Golfsmith, owned by parent company Golfsmith International. 

GE said the credit facility will be used to support working capital and to refinance existing debt.
 
"GE Capital structured the financing that will enable us to make … our ongoing operations a success," said Sue Gove, president and COO of Golfsmith International. 

San Francisco -- Mobile development platform-provider Moovweb said that Golfsmith has selected its SmartMoov mobile cloud technology to power the golf retailer’s next generation experiential mobile website and iPhone app.

Golfsmith said it chose the SmartMoov platform for its ability to render merchandising features as a compelling "in store" shopping experience on its mobile website and within the app.

Merrimack, N.H. -- Brookstone said it has hired Stephen Bebis as its new president and CEO, effective immediately.

Bebis is the founder of Golf Town and served as its president and CEO for 14 years. He has also worked at Home Depot, serving as VP general merchandise manager for its mid-southern division.

Austin, Texas -- Golfsmith International said Tuesday that it has established a partnership with The MoreGolf Group – South Africa’s largest golf retailer – as part of a global strategy toward growth.

At 78 stores, Golfsmith is the largest golf specialty retailer in the United States. It said it will reinvest the income generated from the just-announced partnership into its core U.S. business.

Austin, Texas -- Golfsmith International announced it will open its first retail stores outside the United States, in South Korea, which it called the fastest growing golf market in the world.

Golfsmith is opening the store in partnership with Golfzon Co., one of the world-largest sellers of virtual golf simulation systems. Under the terms of the agreement, the new stores will be branded Golfsmith and operated by Golfzon.