Worldwide Golf, the largest golf specialty retailer on the West Coast, has acquired Edwin Watts Golf Shops, the largest golf specialty retailer in the southeastern United States.

In joining Worldwide Golf, Edwin Watts now operates alongside a stable of leading specialty golf retailers, including Roger Dunn Golf Shops, Van’s Golf Shops, The Golf Mart and Golfer’s Warehouse in forming a powerful national golf retail conglomerate.

Edwin Watts has a reputation based on its strong customer service, experienced club fitters and talented club repair staff. The retailer also touts a price-match guarantee on all new equipment and has earned the title of “America’s Golf Club.”

“This acquisition will also give Worldwide Golf a national presence in the very competitive golf retail landscape, as Edwin Watts Golf provides us with the leading Southeast golf specialty retailer and rounds out our formidable stable of brands that now operate from coast to coast,” said Al Morris, president of Worldwide Golf.

As part of the acquisition agreement, Worldwide Golf will operate 45 stores in 13 states and will retain the Edwin Watts Golf Shops name. Additionally, Worldwide Golf will operate the five Uinta Golf Shops in Utah and rebrand those stores back to the original Uinta Golf name.

The most noticeable change consumers will notice will be the implementing of Worldwide Golf’s 90-day, 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed policy. The policy will be implemented immediately in all Edwin Watts locations in-store and online. Customers are able to try new equipment for up to 90 days with the option to return it for a full refund if they are not fully satisfied with the product.

For those wondering what this acquisition means for the average golfer, the answer is probably not much. After all, the retail prices are still determined by the manufacturers. However, golfers can now take advantage of Worldwide’s (or any other golf retailer’s) customer satisfaction policies. The sales associates at stores that have these kinds of policies are extremely knowledgeable about equipment and are trained to give you the best possible recommendation based on the information you provide them about your golf game. Furthermore, these policies allow you to try equipment under the conditions in which you normally play.

It’s easy to swing well in the simulators many stores have or putt well on the store’s Augusta-esque artificial turf greens, but will you trust the equipment when you are put under a little bit of pressure? Will that putter still roll the ball the same way when you take it outside? How does that set of irons perform when you get in thick rough? Will that wedge dig too much when you hit it on real grass? There’s only one way to find out!