Title: Golf Pride Global Innovation HQ
Location of Proejct: Pinehurst, North Carolina
Project Completion Date: 2019
Firm Name: Cline Design

Short Description: Golf Pride, the global leader in golf grip technology, boasts a new corporate headquarters that enhances collaboration and innovation. Located on Pinehurst No. 8, the 35,996-square-foot building – containing retail, office space and R&D - reflects traditional Pinehurst architecture through its thoughtful composition of materials complemented by native landscaping. Elements of their grips are subtly woven into the fabric of the building from golf grip mimicked lighting to floor-to-ceiling wall graphics. Its open-office concept introduces unobstructed workstations, collaborative areas and focus rooms. Additional amenities include a 9-hole indoor putting course and outdoor courtyard.

Architect's Statement: Golf Pride is an industry-leading global company with a 70-year history steeped in tradition and infused with innovation. They needed a new headquarters that would liberate them from the uninspiring labyrinth that obstructed communication flow and hindered the spark that kept them on the leading edge of golf grip design.

The evolution they sought was a space that took cues from its surroundings, seamlessly blended with its Pinehurst context, and realized their vision of a transparent, thought-provoking, and collaborative workspace that would attract talent, welcome clients and change their culture.

Golf Pride’s new headquarters coalesces history, tradition and innovation into a place that inspires, connects and transforms. Their redefined 35,996-square-foot corporate innovation center boasts an open-office workspace, retail sales center and global manufacturing facility. Intentionally sited at the entrance to Pinehurst No. 8, Golf Pride welcomes clients and offers them ample conveniences after a custom fitting session in their retail center. Evoking traditional Pinehurst architectural design in a contemporary interpretation, the main building’s exterior fuses rustic white brick, wooden timber columns, dark-finish lap siding, fieldstone landscape walls, and expansive, floor-to-ceiling dark-framed windows positioned within the building’s steel framing. Behind the façade lies the research and development wing, where a pre-engineered metal building offers a preview into the industrial manufacturing process occurring within its walls. The program deliberately spans across a single level, promoting collaboration of all departments – from marketing, accounting, customer service, administration and sales, to research, development, and production.

The interior welcomes clients and staff with elements of Golf Pride’s grips subtly woven into the fabric of the building. From pendant lighting, carpet tile, and furniture to glass and wall coverings, the grip’s shape and texture are mimicked throughout to remind visitors of the brand’s forte. Wall graphics showcasing initial grip creation and deconstruction, inspirational quotes from professional golfers, and photography of employees demonstrating products alongside customers’ testimonials exhibit Golf Pride’s industry knowledge and sophistication. Details such as natural wood wall paneling and finishes, as well as green turf-colored accents, spotlight the interior and pay homage to its exterior surroundings, hinting at Pinehurst’s historical tree-lined putting greens and world-famous links. A 9-hole indoor putting course winding around the perimeter of the floor plan brings Pinehurst’s raison d'être into the building, while providing an opportunity for clients to test products showcased inside the display room.

Glass panels accentuate the central open-air courtyard, as well as the meeting rooms and executive suites, to promote the importance of transparency throughout the facility. In addition, the glass bathes visitors and staff in natural light while permitting panoramic views of the office, lobby and retail space. An open-office concept articulates its inner layout and purposefully positions three hubs – the Innovation Hub, the Operations Hub and the Social Hub – along the corners of the main corridors connecting the executive suites and retail space to the central core of the building. Collaborative areas, focus rooms, and meeting spaces are located throughout the floor plan – totaling twenty-six reserved places intended to foster creativity, encourage interaction, and offer a stress-reducing setting away from an assigned workstation.

The building and its spaces continue to shape the culture of Golf Pride and evolve with the company and its people as they grow.