The game of golf has undergone significant changes over time, but its business model has remained unchanged. Traditional distribution channels dominate, with each layer taking a share of the profits. Brands continue to invest exorbitant amounts of money in sponsoring top tour players.
However, a Malaysian-based company is aiming to change this scenario. They have adopted a direct-to-consumer business model, passing on the savings from distribution and sponsorship to their customers.
Begolfpro Sdn Bhd, the sole business enterprise behind the Gutty Feel Soft golf ball, has broken the mould in Southeast Asia by offering high-quality products at fair prices. Its founders have refused to mark up prices and according to its founder, Lim Jia Shen, the brand named ‘Gutty’, is a symbol of courage and determination to provide the best for customers.
“Did you know that the first golf ball was made of gutta-percha, a material that originates from Malaysia? The word “Gutta” comes from the Malay word “Getah,” and “Percha” was an old name for Sumatra. As Malaysians, we may not have fully appreciated our contributions to the world of golf,” said Lim.
Interestingly, the Gutty brand is named after the gutta-percha, a material that the first golf ball was made from. The brand hopes to continue impacting the world of golf by providing high-quality, affordable golf balls to encourage more people to take up the sport.
Initially, Begolfpro was founded in January 2018 as a portal for golfers to search for coaches and purchase golf equipment online. After two years of operating the platform, the company decided to develop its own golf ball and introduced the Gutty Feel Soft Golf ball in August 2020. The development process of the Gutty ball took more than a year to complete, including extensive research and development to ensure the ball met the company’s high standards.
The brand has a team of golf ball R&D experts and experienced coaches that have done intensive ball fitting processes to create the right golf ball for the Asian market. Rather than relying solely on golf ball robots that produce a uniform and consistent impact, they have gone the extra mile by conducting extensive ball fitting with golfers of varying handicaps across Asia.
Lim said, “Through our market research, we realised there was a significant demand for soft 2-piece golf balls in Malaysia. To develop our own brand of golf balls, we conducted numerous tests on simulators and on the course with the help of industry experts.
“During the testing phase, we received a variety of prototypes with different compression levels, dimple patterns, and cover thicknesses. We compared our balls against those from established brands in terms of spin, distance, and feel for both short and long game shots.
“After a rigorous testing process, we finally arrived at a final design that boasts an overall compression of 35 and 312 dimples. We believe this design offers the best performance for the Malaysian market.”
They charge the lowest rate in the market, offering personalised golf balls that cater to the individual’s preferences for just RM10 per dozen. They believe that affordability is the key to the growth of golf.
Lim added, “We believe every golfer deserves a personalised ball that sets them apart. While many big brands and retailers disregard this, we prioritise golfers’ needs. We understand that customisation matters and offer the lowest rate in the market. For just RM10 per dozen, you can have any golf ball design you desire.
“Golf balls are the most used item when playing golf. I used to lose a lot of balls when I first started playing golf. It’s very costly. I tried using used balls. They are cheap, but they have no consistency since used ball quality may vary, and we use different brands each time.”
The Gutty Feel Soft Golf ball’s super low 35 compression core provides a softer feel than most golf balls on the market, enabling high handicappers to achieve pure and solid contact on their golf shots. The lower compression allows high handicappers to compress and launch the ball with greater ease, resulting in more successful shots.
One of the common challenges faced by high handicappers is shot consistency, particularly with their drivers. To address this issue, the core of the Gutty golf ball has been redesigned to reduce driver side spin and backspin. This redesign helps high handicappers achieve a straighter and longer flight, which is crucial for their game. The ball is recommended for players with clubhead speeds below 95mph.
In addition to longer and straighter flight, the Gutty golf ball offers excellent spin, control, and feel around the green. It’s responsive and soft ionomer cover enables a higher approach spin, making it perfect for greenside control.
The golf balls have been submitted to rigorous quality control, ensuring the rubber core is centred and the surlyn cover is uniform in thickness, promoting consistency in the game. The golf balls have undergone testing by USGA and R&A to meet and comply with international standards and the rules of golf.
“Our factory in Taiwan conducts stringent quality control measures on every golf ball we produce. The Gutty golf ball is meticulously designed and engineered in Japan and expertly crafted in Taiwan. Through our exceptional R&D capabilities and world-class manufacturing quality control, our products deliver performance on par with the biggest brands in the market,” said Lim.
The golf ball was launched during the first lockdown, and around 1,000 dozen balls were sold in just the first month. Today, Begolfpro has sold over 30,000 dozen Gutty balls and gained a loyal customer base of over 14,000 golfers. Aside from golf balls, BeGolfPro also retail their magnetic towel, headcovers, gutty pants, and gutty water repellent cart and stand bags.
In addition to launching its gutty ball and other products, BeGolfPro has plans to expand its product line and reach more golfers around the region. The company aims to launch a ball suitable for lower handicap players in 2024, which has been a part of their plan from the beginning. They are currently in the research and development phase of this project.
Last December, the company opened their first retail store at The Club at Bukit Utama Driving Range, so they now offer the best online and offline golf shopping experience.
BeGolfPro also plans to expand its gutty brand range of products in 2023, including tees, arm sleeves, belts, and all-weather gloves. They also hope to expand their gutty brand to Singapore and Indonesia. With these expansion plans, BeGolfPro aims to make its products accessible to more golfers, offering them high-quality products at an affordable price.
Aside from being an official partner of the PGA of Malaysia, Begolfpro also supports junior golf in the country. In 2021, Begolfpro was honoured with the Affin Bank Rising Star Award by Sidec – Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation. This award celebrates aspiring merchants with the highest potential to grow extensively and profitably.
With its growing customer base and impressive sales figures, Gutty is a name quickly establishing itself as a game-changer in the country.
