CLUB PRO MANUFACTURING
Club Pro MFG has a long history of innovation. Its patented Sand & Speed Bottle is a revolutionary design that reduces the replenishment time of sand bottles dramatically. It was the first company to patent a universal golf car enclosure and the first company to offer a heater for golf cars. Founded by Bill and Jack Ridge out of their brother’s garage, today Club Pro MFG is a fully integrated engineering, manufacturing and fulfillment center that, after 26 years in business, continues to bring innovative ideas to the marketplace.
Having developed all the products in its lineup, the newest offering from Club Pro is one that, well, they acquired. At the 2013 PGA Show in Orlando, Steve Tyrer, President of Club Pro MFG, recalled seeing the Encompass Cab System for the first time. “The guy in the booth was giving a demo so I stopped to listen. We had been working on a hard-door enclosure but were still in the early stages of development. This was the best enclosure I had ever seen and knew we had to be involved with it.”
The guy giving the demo was Biff Brown, the inventor of the Encompass Cab System. He was demonstrating his product and receiving great feedback, however, he didn’t have any way to produce it. He recalls meeting Steve for the first time. “Steve came up and told me about him and his company. I was looking for someone to partner with and Steve seemed to have all the right answers to my questions. After about a month of meetings, we struck a deal.”
After the acquisition, Club Pro immediately put its engineers to work, merging some existing patents with Biff’s patent-pending design to create the most functional and stylish enclosure on the market. “Our customers are extremely pleased with the quality of the Encompass Enclosure,” says Rob Sheirbon, president of Foursome Golf Cars in Woodburn, OR. “And our techs love how easy it is to install. It has been a great addition to our showroom.”
The Encompass’s patented curved-door system is constructed of spot-welded aluminum wrapped in Top Gun 11-ounce fabric and allows for easy entry and exit. The large 20-gauge double polished UV-treated windows allow for sufficient airflow and also serve as an armrest when down. Standard colors are Black, Beige and Oyster with custom colors available upon request.
“We are launching the new Carryall model in August,” said Bryan Casey, VP of Sales & Marketing. “We’ll continue to roll out new models throughout the next several months.” As for Biff, he continues to have a role with Club Pro through PR work and development. “Man, I sometimes have to pinch myself!” he says with a big laugh. “Club Pro didn’t buy me, they sold me on who they are and what they do.”
The Club Car Precedent, Yamaha Drive and E-Z-GO RXV models are currently available. The newly designed Club Car Carryall model will be available August 1. For more information on Club Pro MFG, please visit www.golfcartsystems.com.
