Blogging Headcover, blog’s on golf & life at Daphne’s Headcovers

I’m a Golden Retriever and I love my job here at Daphne’s Headcovers. We Goldens are a pretty special breed, if I do say so myself. I am here to bring smiles and fun to everyone who carries me on their bag and I think I’m pretty good at that (you know, if I do say so myself).  

My qualifications:

I am well trained–if you tell me to “stay” I will not move.

I come with all my shots. (You’ll be surprised how that helps with your shots!)

I will protect your driver day and night and keep it comfy so it is ready for that long drive when you need it.When people see me they say “Ahh he looks just like Buddy, or Noble or
Dino.” I always stare straight ahead and try really hard to look exactly
like the Golden Retriever they have at home. I also secretly hope that
they’ve taught “Buddy” not to chew as life as a headcover can become rather
uncomfy as a chew toy.I’m really proud to protect my golf club. But my most favorite thing to do is to ride on a golf cart. The wind in my face makes my ears flap, and I love that!�

I don’t mind leaving Daphne’s to be adopted by another family, because I
know that like a retriever if anything happens to me Daphne’s will always
take me back. Their life time guarantee makes it easy for me to go to my new
home and a keep my driver covered.

 P.S The owners created me to look like their Golden Retriever (although I
know it’s the other way around).  

Always check references when you hire your relatives.

 In our early days, as sales began to grow at Daphne’s my Mom, our company’s namesake, and I decided that we should “become international.” So we contacted my uncle Nick in England. Nick was an avid golfer, retired businessman and had a car that could hold plenty of headcovers, he was perfect for the job of our first international salesman!.   As our relative we knew he’d handle this opportunity with tremendous effort and we placed our trust in his success.  Of course we didn’t ask for his references, Nick was family. When my mom went home to England she brought him headcovers and catalogs and he agreed to become our representative. Daphne’s Headcovers was about to become an international company! After many weeks of waiting and imaging the stellar success Nick was having we realized that we hadn’t heard a word.  We gave it a bit more time and still, nothing! So, my mom and I got up early in the morning and called to ask Nick how things were going. “Oh, yes well you see I’ve been very busy going to golf courses but now that I am retired I have time to play golf. So when my friends see me they invite me to play a round of golf and I do. I haven’t had time to actually sell any headcovers although I’ve been giving them away as thank you gifts for these lovely invitations I’ve been receiving. They’re ever so nice, do you think you could send some more?” We decided to find someone who didn’t play golf but who knew about business. We reached out to my cousin Ann and she thought the idea was “simply spiffing.” Ann had a career in London but said she had “oodles” of spare time and knew just where to start.  We knew as our relative she’d handle this opportunity with tremendous effort and we placed our trust in her success.  This time we were sure to clearly explain that we expected sales to be made and that the samples were for the golf shops and not gifts for friends. We were back on track to becoming an international golf company! We sent Ann oodles of samples and catalogs, discussed our goals, and sent her off. After a few weeks we hadn’t heard a word. We gave it a bit more time and still nothing! So my mom and I got up early in the morning (sound familiar?) and called Ann. She was delighted to hear from us and share her success. She’d seen a golf shop near by and went in to check it out. When she got there she met a “very lovely, tanned American golf pro” who seemed very interested in her, and “oh yes the headcovers too.” Well that night Ann had a brainstorm. She brought all the samples to her “lovely American” as a gift!  She knew we wanted them in a golf shop and said he was delighted to get the headcovers at no charge! She went back the next day and they were all priced and already selling! She wondered if all American golf pro’s were this tanned and charming and could we possibly send some more headcovers? Our next great idea came when my childhood friend and his mates were coming to America for a break from their studies at Oxford. They were low on funds and asked if they could stay with us as they made their way across the U.S. Again we had a brilliant idea and thought that we’d pay them to be our representatives if they made sales along the way. We gave them firm guidelines that they were to sell and not give the headcovers away, etc. Although they weren’t family we thought “hey, how can we lose if we don’t send too many samples?”  When the guys landed in New York they bought an old Buick for $700.00 went to the first golf course they saw and made a sale! An actual sale, we were thrilled! As they made their way around the States we got phone calls about our “British threesome” from customers. The golf buyers were impressed and surprised by this sales tactic and it worked. The boys were happy too as we sent them commissions and they developed an affection for the drink cart girls. Sales were growing, feedback was great, we were shipping orders, the boys were getting cash (and some dates) and life was good! My roommates were delighted when they came to stay (I was finishing college at the time). The boys continued to sell headcovers around Arizona, provide beer money for my roommates and stayed and stayed. One day a bottle of Lime A Way appeared on my dresser and I realized this was a subtle hint from my fiancé. So off the boys went to California (with one of my roommates). They sold Daphne’s Headcovers up and down the coast, sold their Buick for $750.00 and went back to England. We were all delighted with the job they’d done and the fun we’d had along the way. We weren’t international yet but we’d learned a lot about the importance of getting references–especially from our family!