It starts with a vision: Jeff MacGregor’s entrepreneurship journey

Building a business from the ground up was not in Jeff MacGregor’s plan.

After being involved in golf through all facets for over 20 years as a player, shop worker, assistant, and head professional, MacGregor can now add entrepreneur to his list.

It began in 2020 when he took a role at Glendale Golf & Country Club in his hometown of Edmonton, AB.

He started there as the Head Professional in March – as fate would have it, that was also the week the pandemic began.

The team had to start from scratch once COVID-19 hit; MacGregor decided to raise his voice about some areas for growth during a board meeting.

“I've always been a progresser, and you're always trying to be innovative with the operations,” said MacGregor. “When I came to Glendale, one of the first things I saw was our huge issue with motorized carts, and we went through a full season of dealing with fire hazards downstairs; lithium batteries, carts not getting charged, remotes getting lost, cart damages with members. And I'm like, ‘I can't do this anymore,’ so I came up with the idea of like, how can we fix this?”

After working with a Canadian manufacturer to test his idea for a year, he launched Cart Locker – a locker system for motorized carts at golf courses that has since grown nationwide.

He began by installing 18 locker units at his course. Soon after, they sold out and grew the number to 36 – after realizing its impact on operations, they grew to 96.

“There have been many clubhouses that have burned down, and many outside service teams and golf pros that are sick and tired of dealing with the influx of motorized carts,” said MacGregor. “So, it’s pretty exciting to know we have a new revenue source for the club, and we fixed a problem within our industry.”

But as previously mentioned, MacGregor never imagined that this was in the cards for him.

He began to play golf at Riverside Golf Course in Edmonton when he was 16 – he was playing 36 holes a day.

At 18 years old, he entered the golf business, working in the Riverside golf shop. From there, he worked his way up the ladder.

“I just fell in love with playing golf and all that comes with it; meeting people, the social aspect, the rules of the game, the competitiveness of it. And that's why I got into the golf business, just because I loved all the aspects of the industry.”

In 2006, he graduated from the Grant MacEwan Professional Golf Management Program. He then moved to Calgary to work as an assistant alongside long-time GM of Inglewood Golf and Curling Club, Jason Stanier, and became a Class “A” member of the PGA of Canada in 2008.

At the age of 27, he became Inglewood’s Head Golf Pro.

In his second year, the course faced a devastating flood that destroyed many of its facilities. It took five years to restore the course, and MacGregor helped it flourish in the Calgary market.

Now, he has been on the Callaway Advisory Board for two years and the PGA of Alberta Board since 2020.

All the while, The Cart Locker is continuing to grow.

“There are so many things little things that you don't realize when you're starting a business, like dealing with the banks and dealing with how you're going to production lead times, dealing with different professionals, different facilities that have different unique setups with their motorized carts,” said MacGregor. “And it's definitely been a lot of fun… it's not been easy, but at the same time, it's definitely rewarding.”

It challenged him to learn marketing, website design, and how to manage being a business owner while still performing his duties as a golf professional.

He has a few sales reps in Canada and recently hired a new national sales manager, Mark Corrigan, to help manage the workload.

His product has now reached five provinces, the U.S., and are eying potential expansion into more continents.

“You know, with vendors, etc, that experience has allowed me to grow the business and I have a lot of connections within the business and people that believe in me and know that I do things right. And I can't thank all the head pros and management teams that have supported the initiative. They've seen the bigger picture and how this is going to change the landscape of golf.”

He said that his motivations have trickled down, leading others to establish their own businesses – one of his assistant pros, Evan Sinclair, is doing just that.

“I'd say if you have an idea and a vision, run with it, and if you can fix an issue, or you see an opportunity there, don't hold back. Don't be afraid to take the risks. That's the biggest thing and I can't say that enough,” said MacGregor.

MacGregor’s company sponsors several events across the country, including PGA of Alberta tournaments, as giving back to junior golf and the industry is a priority for him.

To date, Cart Locker, which is stainless steel, bulletproof, and universally fitting, has sold over 500 units across the country.

All the while, it has also helped keep walking a part of the game of golf.

MacGregor says that walking is a huge priority and is crucial for the longevity of the game. Thus, to say, his innovation supports the game of golf through many avenues.

“Treat everybody good and they'll believe in your product. Don't be afraid to push the needle,” said MacGregor.