Swag Golf, the premier provider of limited-edition golf accessories, equipment, and apparel, has successfully closed a $10 million growth funding round led by Verance Capital, a prominent sports and entertainment-focused investment firm based in New York.
Notable participants in this financing round include Aurum Partners, affiliated with the San Francisco 49ers, three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine, Heights, LLC Founder Alex Cohen, Howard Lindzon, and former Libra Solutions CEO Greg Zeeman, among others.
This substantial investment will bolster Swag Golf’s innovative product offerings, including their cutting-edge headcovers and putters. It will also enable the company to expand its product range, further penetrate the Asia-Pacific market, and enhance its manufacturing capabilities. Ultimately, this investment empowers Swag Golf to meet the growing demand from its dedicated customer base.
Notable People Give Perspective
Swag Golf’s founder and CEO, Nick Venson, who boasts over 19 years of experience in the golf industry, expressed his vision for the company, saying, “I founded Swag after spending many years in the golf industry and noticing a distinct lack of original expressive design and quality. This investment will help us broaden our incredibly innovative product base. Our limited edition, premium product releases typically sell out in minutes. With this investment, we will be able to increase our manufacturing capacity to meet increased demand and satisfy our ever-growing customer base while enabling us to innovate on the next generation of Swag’s product lines.”
This expansion aligns perfectly with the ongoing transformation of the golf industry, which has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by a younger and more diverse audience.
The industry has experienced a surge in total rounds played, a thriving collector’s market, and sustained interest in PGA TOUR events. Swag Golf has been at the forefront of these changes and is now represented by top athletes on both the PGA and LPGA TOURS.
Venson added, “Since embarking on our journey to disrupt the golf industry in 2018, we have been humbled by the insatiable demand for our products and are grateful for our loyal, passionate customer base. We are thrilled to partner with Verance Capital and the rest of our industry-leading investor group as we embark on our next growth phase. Their expertise across the sports and media ecosystems will help us accelerate our value proposition and capture a larger share of the growing golf merchandise and collectibles market through international expansion, new partnerships, and increased manufacturing capabilities.”
Lyle Ayes, the founder and CEO of Verance Capital, expressed excitement about this partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to partner with Nick Venson and his team to help accelerate Swag’s mission to transform the golf industry. Swag Golf is a proven disrupter in the space that has successfully tapped into the collector psyche by offering premium, exclusive, and differentiated products. The company is poised to capitalize on the extraordinary demand for its products and the strong macro tailwinds in the golf industry, and we’re excited to be part of that journey.”
More On Swag Golf
Swag Golf’s headcovers are renowned for their bold, distinctive designs and impeccable craftsmanship, quickly establishing themselves as the gold standard in the headcover niche within six years.
Swag’s putters are meticulously engineered and precisely milled from 303 American Stainless Steel, emphasizing machining and eliminating the need for constant polishing. The quality of Swag’s products, characterized by a consistent sweet spot and weighting, has earned the trust of PGA TOUR and LPGA TOUR professionals.
In 2020, Swag acquired Ecktron Performance (“EP”), a Georgia-based manufacturer, to vertically integrate its headcover production in the United States and expand into the wholesale business across country clubs, the PGA TOUR, and other licensing partners.
In 2021, Swag ambassador Anna Nordqvist achieved victory at the British Open using a Swag-produced putter, leading to numerous Korn Ferry players adopting Swag Golf putters and the signing of its first PGA TOUR ambassador, Nick Hardy. In his inaugural year using a Swag putter, Hardy secured his first PGA TOUR victory at the Zurich Classic in April 2023, propelling him to a career-best 52nd place finish in the FedEx Cup rankings.
