RALEIGH – Tiger Woods is the biggest name in golf – again – and his resurgence is great news for the Raleigh firm that’s “world’s largest ecommerce platform for pre‑owned golf equipment and new golf gear.”

Former pro golfer Ed Byman is smiling as big as Tiger for many reasons after Woods’ remarkable triumph at The Masters last month.

As in the past, what’s good for Tiger is good for golf – and GVC. His Masters performance has triggered renewed excitement about the PGA which in turn is driving more interest in equipment the champ uses – and that means more sales for Byman’s firm, Global Value Commerce.

Rick Smith, WRAL TechWire’s editor and a cofounder

Via a Q&A, Byman, who played on the Tour from 1978 to 1980 before launching GVC, shares his thoughts about Woods and the impact on business as well as the sport.

  • Tiger’s win is huge for golf – what has his victory meant already for your business?

Anytime Tiger wins, it’s good for the industry as a whole. We saw a 30% increase in website traffic immediately following his win.

We hope and expect that will continue as he contends in the year’s remaining Majors.

  • What products are buyers now most interested in?

We’ve seen an increase in interest in Tiger’s driver, the TaylorMade M5 as well as his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter.

  • Why these?

The driver is the flashiest club in the bag and the TaylorMade M5 is one of the most recognized drivers on the market. It is also a club that the average golfer can use, where Tiger’s irons for example, would be too difficult for 99% of golfers to hit.

As far as the Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter; that is a club that has become synonymous with Tiger. It’s probably the club that has spent more time in his bag than any other and one golfers associate with many of his wins.

Ed Byman from his LinkedIn page

It also helps that both of these clubs are in GlobalGolf.com’s U-try program, so visitors to the site are able to trial them for two weeks before purchasing.

  • Why is Tiger’s return and triumph good for golf ecommerce and the sport?

Tiger was the catalyst for a lot of growth the industry saw in the early 2000s. The fact that the dip in his career coincided with the economic struggles that began in 2008 played a significant role in the industry’s downturn.

That being said, his return to the top of the sport coming during a time of relative economic prosperity can be a big boost for the industry.

A lot of folks probably need to get rid of their old clubs and buy new ones. With trade-in vales at an all-time high the timing couldn’t be better.

  • How did your business gear up in anticipation of growth in demand following the Masters?

We’ve worked hard to build the infrastructure necessary to handle any influx in orders, regardless of what time of year they may come.

  • Will this mean more business for you long term or is it short-lived enthusiasm?

We’ll have to wait and see, but I think the effects will be far reaching, especially if Tiger continues to contend in majors. His win transcended the world of golf and even the world of sports.

  • As a golf fan what did Tiger’s triumph mean to you?

I was fortunate to be on the PGA Tour when Jack Nicklaus was dominant. Now with Tiger’s resurgence we get to witness his chase for Jack’s records again. It should be exciting, especially when just a few months ago we weren’t sure he’d ever play again let alone return to the pinnacle of the game.