Paul McGinley-backed ClubstoHire nominated for award

Clubstohire.com, a club rental service supported by Paul McGinley, has been nominated in the Irish Times business awards

ClubstoHire

Two years ago Paul McGinley helped set up Clubstohire.com, a shrewd decision given that the Dublin-based company has been nominated in the Irish Times business awards.

ClubstoHire.com has been shortlisted in the 'Best Service' category after seeing sales grow by 100% each year since trading began.

The Irish company - which operates from 14 airports across popular Mediterranean golfing destinations - hires out sets of the latest golf clubs, including Callaway and TaylorMade, from as little as €35 per person.

Last year, more than 30,000 sets of clubs were rented out, with the company claiming it helped golfers save almost £1m in additional airline baggage charges.

ClubstoHire - which has just opened a shop in the main arrivals hall at Malaga Airport - also won a similar accolade from Germany's Golf Magazin in 2012.

"Paul's profile and business acumen have been major factors in our rapid growth and nomination for awards," said the company's chief executive, Tony Judge.

"We're delighted that he's been appointed Ryder Cup captain and believe he'll do as great a job for European golf as he has for us."

The 46-year-old sends a personal email to every golfer who uses the service, so hundreds can claim to have received a message from Ireland's first Ryder Cup captain.

Golfers can find ClubstoHire shops in popular European golfing destinations like Murcia, Alicante, Majorca, Faro and Dublin, amongst others.

The Irish Times Inter-Trade Innovation Awards ceremony will be held at the Titanic Belfast in March.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x