AUSTIN, Texas — Before cell phones became an indispensable part of everyday life, locating Carl Paul on a Sunday was a straightforward task.
“You could easily find him by calling his work phone,” said Barry Rinke, Paul’s son-in-law. “He was always at his desk, even on Sundays. He had a genuine passion for what he did. It was never about money for him; it was about his love for the craft.”
What Paul did was transform his hobby of custom-making golf clubs into a groundbreaking venture known as Golfsmith. Co-founded with his wife, Barbara, Golfsmith had its humble beginnings in the couple’s two-bedroom apartment in New Jersey. The success of the business led to their daughters moving in with them. However, by the time Golfsmith was sold in 2002, it had expanded from a bedroom operation to 35 brick-and-mortar retail stores across the United States. With 1,200 employees and an annual catalog distribution of 30 million, Golfsmith became the largest golf retail and component catalog in the world.
Building a Community
But for those who knew Paul, who passed away on January 12 at the age of 83, it was apparent that his true passion was in building a community. Family meant everything to him, and so did his extended family of clubmakers spread across the globe. When Carl and Barbara established the Golfsmith clubmaker’s school in Austin, Texas, they often welcomed the participants of their weeklong seminar into their home.
“Years later, we began hosting a conference, and we would have 500 customers from all around the world in Austin,” said Rinke, who worked for the family business for 17 years. “A significant percentage would say, ‘Yes, I remember staying with Carl and Barbara in their house.’ It truly felt like a family. He touched so many lives.”
A Start with Green Stamps
Interestingly, Paul used S&H green stamps, a rewards program from a bygone era, to purchase the drill that kickstarted the club-making process in their New York City-area home. At the time, Paul worked for the Federal Power Commission while also pursuing his club-making hobby.
Paul offered his brother Frank a one-third stake in the business. Soon after, he made the bold decision to quit his job, relocate the family to Austin, and turn his passion into a full-fledged career. The move paid off handsomely.
“Carl believed in taking calculated risks. That’s exactly what he did with the move,” Rinke explained. “As things started to grow, he kept it a family business. He had incredible instincts, took calculated risks, and hired the best talent available.”
“He was a gut-driven individual. When he started repairing and building clubs, he realized that others shared the same desire to work on their own equipment. He saw the potential for it to become a small business for many of these people,” Rinke added.
A Testament to Success
Rinke joined the family by marrying Beth Paul, a talented golfer who excelled at Westwood High School in Austin before playing for the University of Texas. In 1985, Rinke vividly remembers discussing the company’s 108 employees and its impressive $8 million in sales.
“We thought, ‘Oh gosh, it can’t get any bigger than this,'” Rinke recalled.
However, by the time the family sold the business in 2002, sales were approaching a staggering $300 million per year.
Paul is survived by his wife, Barbara, with whom he shared 58 years of marriage, as well as their daughters Beth, Kelly, and Marnie.
By: Tim Schmitt
Title: Obit: After purchasing his first drill with green stamps, Carl Paul revolutionized the golf club industry
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2024/01/17/obituary-golfsmith-carl-paul-custom-golf-clubs/
Published Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:30:17 +0000
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