Couples' Pal Using Clubs To Put Dent In Golf Market

Like his close friend, 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples, Jay Turner of Redbird Sports has been able to turn his love of golf into a full-time job.

While Couples, a Seattle native, has climbed to the top of the world golf rankings, Turner hasn't reached the foothills of the golf business even though his Beacon Hill golf club firm, which is a long 5-iron south of Jefferson Park's third tee, is 7 years old.

Turner owns Redbird Sports, which turned out 400 sets of clubs a year after it opened in late 1985. This year, Redbird will sell 4,000 sets of clubs mostly in pro shops in Washington, Florida, Hawaii, Oregon, California, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina and Japan.

"Now we're trying to establish our clubs in the Midwest," said Turner, 35, whose business grew from a basement-bound, club-repair hobby.

As teenagers, Turner, a Cleveland High School graduate, and Couples met while both were working at the Jefferson driving range. The two will get together this summer when Couples plays in Portland's Fred Meyer Challenge.

Turner would love to have Couples use his equipment on the PGA Tour but knows his friend could not afford to take the pay cut that endorsement would require.

"He (Couples) couldn't afford to do that now that he has an agreement worth $800,000 a year to use another company's equipment," Turner said. "Before he had that deal, he used to use drivers we built for him on the tour.

"Basically we've done what we've done with word-of-mouth (publicity). We can't afford to pay people to play with our clubs."

Turner said Couples used his clubs to win the 1988 Northwest Open, and one PGA Tour player and two Hogan Tour members use Redbird clubs at their own expense.

Redbird's big selling point is bargain-priced clubs with custom-fitted feel. Clubs are ordered with a specific player's needs and measurements in mind. Prices for Turner's clubs range from $400 for a set of eight irons with steel shafts to $1,200 for clubs with exotic graphite shafts. The price for a set of three ranges from $225 to $525.

Turner said 20 percent of Redbird's sales come from Japanese players.

"We have a good arrangement with a distributor over there," Turner said. "I go over at least two times a year and show people how to measure their customers for our clubs. Our clubs sell for 2 1/2 to three times more in Japan than they do here."

Turner wants to make his company more successful, but doesn't want to build it up just to sell it to a larger company.

"I wouldn't do that. Never. I need a job," Turner said.

Going for No. 4 -- John Harbottle, a member of the Tacoma Golf & Country Club, will go for his fourth PNGA Senior Men's Amateur title in five years when the tournament tees off at Seattle's Rainier Golf and Country Club June 23-25.

Harbottle, who has won the past two Senior titles, will be joined in the field by past champions Dale Bennett (1983, 1986), Manley McDowell (1978, 1982); George Holland (1985, 1987) and Milo Novotny (1989).

1-900-HELP-ME! -- Golfers can avail themselves of the same help as astrology buffs and the lovelorn now that Golf magazine has started a 900-number for people who want help with their swings.

To get tips from Jim McLean, who runs a golf instruction school near Miami and whose pupils include PGA Tour winners Tom Kite and Brad Faxon, call 1-900-933-1155.

Nine categories of lessons (driving, putting, chipping, etc.), are available. Calls cost $2 per minute.

Competition corner

A partial schedule of competitions for local players:

Oregon Open (June 27-July 1) at Sunriver G.C. North - A field of top Northwest pros competing for a total purse of $100,000. First place in the tourney that was first played in 1905 is worth $14,000.

Washington Junior Golf Association - Summer competition for junior players in the Seattle and Tacoma areas begins June 16 at Mount Si. Play continues June 18 at Nile C.C. and Ballinger GC, with Dungeness G&CC serving as the site of a June 22 tournament. For more information about WJGA events and membership, call 564-038.

Course of the week

-- Course: Harbour Pointe Golf Club -- Location: Mukilteo. -- Telephone: 355-6060. -- Directions (from northbound I-5):

Take exit 182 (to north Highway 99); Make right turn to Hwy. 99; then make left turn at first stop light (Hwy 525); go 1 1/2 miles on Hwy. 525 to second stop light (at Harbour Pointe Blvd.); make left turn to Harbour Pointe Blvd., which will lead to pro shop and parking lot. -- Length: Back tees - 6,862 yards; middle - 6,024 yards; front - 4,842 yards. -- Fees (18 holes): Monday through Thursday - $35. Friday through Sunday and holidays - $40. (Tee times available five days in advance.) -- Rating/slope: Middle tees - 70.8/135; front tees - 68.5/125. -- Comment: Selected best new public course in America by the editors of Golf Digest magazine for 1991. -- Head pro: Mark Rhodes.