3balls

What 3balls does

3balls is a US-based e-commerce retailer of golf equipment founded in 1998 and headquartered in Raleigh, NC, operating under the parent Worldwide Golf Shops LLC alongside its sibling brand GlobalGolf. The platform sells new, used, and certified pre-owned golf gear spanning clubs (drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, iron sets, wedges, putters, individual irons, club sets), apparel, shoes, balls, bags, accessories, golf technology (GPS, rangefinders, launch monitors), and training aids across major brands including TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, PING, Cobra, Mizuno, Cleveland, Wilson, and XXIO. The technology stack is a standard e-commerce site with selector and recommendation tools (golf ball selector, grip selector, USelect), and the company operates both as an online retailer and through physical store locations.

The business model combines direct product sales at unit pricing, a circular trade-in / Second Chance pre-owned program that acquires and resells used equipment, custom club fitting and re-gripping services, an Affirm-backed 0% APR financing option to lift average order value, and a UPerks loyalty rewards program. Distribution is omnichannel and global: DTC e-commerce with 70+ currency support and international shipping, plus US retail storefronts discoverable via store locator. Go-to-market is product-led with promotional discount codes (SAVE50, SAVE125), volume discounts, content marketing via the 'On the Range' blog, PGA professional advice through a Pro Tips program, affiliate partnerships, and event sponsorship (4 consecutive years as presenting sponsor of the Amateur Players Tour).

The customer base spans golf enthusiasts of all skill levels and demographics — men, women, juniors, and left-handed players — with no disclosed enterprise or B2B concentration. Differentiators center on the claim of the 'world's largest selection of used/pre-owned golf clubs' (300,000+ SKUs), the trade-in ecosystem that feeds that inventory, a 90-day 100% satisfaction guarantee, and broad brand coverage. No AI/ML capabilities, no public-company status, no disclosed funding, and no recent M&A are evidenced in the source material; the company appears to be a privately held, operationally mature vertical e-commerce retailer.

Name

3balls

Legal name

Worldwide Golf Shops LLC

Website

https://3balls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

3balls is a US golf equipment e-commerce retailer founded in 1998, operating under Worldwide Golf Shops LLC to sell new, used, and certified pre-owned clubs, apparel, shoes, balls, bags, and accessories to golfers of all skill levels through an omnichannel platform with international shipping and a circular trade-in program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Used Merchandise Retailers (4595)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Equipment, Apparel & Pro Shop Retail (CRAMABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Golf Clearance, Used & Trade-In Retail (CRAMAGAL), Golf Rangefinders, GPS & Wearable Tech Retail (CRAMAGAH), Golf Simulators, Nets & Practice Equipment Retail (CRAMAGAI), Golf Grips, Shafts & Components Retail (CRAMAGAJ), Golf Equipment & Accessories Distribution (CRAOAJAK)

Keywords

• Golf equipment retail
• Used golf clubs
• Golf ecommerce platform
• Golf apparel sales
• Pre-owned golf gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Primary revenue from direct sales of new, used, and certified pre-owned golf equipment including clubs, apparel, shoes, balls, bags, and accessories through e-commerce platform. Products sold at various price points from budget to premium.
2. Trade-In Program: Customers can trade in their used golf equipment for credit toward new purchases. Company acquires pre-owned inventory which is then resold at margins through the Second Chance program.
3. Financing Services: Partnership with Affirm provides 0% APR financing and pay-later options, enabling customers to make higher-ticket purchases. Company benefits from increased average order values.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

3balls.com is an online golf equipment retailer that sells new, used, and certified pre-owned golf clubs, apparel, shoes, balls, bags, accessories, and golf technology from leading brands. The platform also offers complementary services including a trade-in program for used equipment, custom club fitting, re-gripping, and the UPerks customer rewards program, supported by both an e-commerce storefront and physical retail locations.

Product overview

3balls operates as a golf equipment e-commerce platform (parented by Worldwide Golf Shops LLC) offering a comprehensive portfolio of golf products organized across multiple categories. The core offering consists of golf clubs (drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters), golf apparel (shirts, pants, shorts, outerwear from brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma), golf balls (Titleist ProV1, Callaway Chrome, TaylorMade TP5), golf shoes (FootJoy, Adidas, Nike), golf bags, golf accessories, and golf technology (GPS/range finders, launch monitors). The platform differentiates through its Second Chance pre-owned program for used equipment and trade-in services. Additional services include custom club fitting, re-gripping services, and the UPerks loyalty rewards program. The company operates both as an online retailer and has physical retail locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Second Chance: GlobalGolf's hub for keeping golf gear in play - offers pre-owned/second-chance golf equipment and apparel at discounted prices
• UPerks
• UTrade-In

Products and services

• Golf Clubs Drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, iron sets, wedges, putters, individual irons, and complete club sets from brands including TaylorMade, Callaway, PING, Titleist, Cobra, Mizuno, Cleveland Golf, Wilson, and XXIO. Available in new, mint, used, and certified pre-owned condition tiers.
• Golf Apparel Apparel including base layer, belts, hats, pants, shirts, shorts, socks, outerwear, rainwear, and sweaters from brands including Adidas, Nike, Oakley, Puma, Under Armour, Greg Norman, FootJoy, Johnnie-O, and Columbia.
• Golf Balls Golf balls including personalized and alignment-stamped options from brands such as Titleist (ProV1), Callaway (Chrome Family), TaylorMade (TP5/TP5 Pix 3.0), Bridgestone (Tour B), Wilson (Tour), and Srixon.
• Golf Shoes Golf footwear including spiked, spikeless, sneakers, sandals, and casual styles from brands including FootJoy, Adidas, Nike, Puma, New Balance, ECCO, and Skechers.
• Golf Bags Golf bags including carry bags, cart bags, staff bags, stand bags, and travel bags from brands including TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, Callaway, Sun Mountain, Mizuno, Bag Boy, Club Glove, and Ogio.
• Golf Accessories Golf accessories including coolers, gloves, GPS/range finders, headcovers, luggage, portable speakers, sunglasses, tees, tools/wrenches, and club heads, shafts, and grips.
• Training Aids Training equipment including mats, nets, putting aids, and swing trainers/analyzers to help golfers improve their game.
• Second Chance (Pre-Owned Program) Pre-owned and certified pre-owned golf equipment program allowing customers to buy and sell used golf gear, positioned around sustainability messaging ('lighter on the planet and lighter on your wallet').
• Custom Clubs (Custom Fitting Service) Custom golf club fitting and configuration service allowing customers to customize clubs with specific shaft and grip options.
• Trade-In Program Golf club and equipment trade-in program allowing customers to receive value for their used gear toward the purchase of new equipment.
• Re-Gripping Service Professional re-gripping service with a grip selector tool to help customers choose the right grips for their clubs.
• UPerks Rewards Customer rewards program offering benefits and discounts to returning customers.
• Financing via Affirm 0% APR financing and pay-later options through a partnership with Affirm, enabling customers to make higher-ticket purchases with no money down.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-day 100% satisfaction guarantee on all purchases

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Amateur Players Tour (APT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the fastest-growing amateur golf tour in America for 4 consecutive years. Partnership enables brand visibility among serious amateur golfers and tournament competition enthusiasts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Golf Galaxy: Specialty golf retail banner of Dick's Sporting Goods operating stores and e-commerce. Carries similar new equipment brands and offers club fitting, competing with GlobalGolf's custom and fitting services.
• Dick's Sporting Goods: Major sporting goods retailer carrying golf equipment, apparel, and accessories as part of a broad assortment. Competes with GlobalGolf on golf category within a larger general sporting goods context.
• PGA Tour Superstore: Large specialty golf retailer owned by AMB Sports + Entertainment with extensive physical store footprint and growing e-commerce presence. Overlaps with GlobalGolf in product assortment but competes via in-store fitting and lessons.

Emerging players

• Callaway Golf Pre-Owned: Manufacturer-affiliated pre-owned program operated by Callaway. Competes directly with GlobalGolf's Second Chance trade-in and used club business but limited to one brand.

Others

• TaylorMade Golf: Leading golf equipment manufacturer with direct-to-consumer online store and trade-in program. Key supplier to GlobalGolf but also a competitor in DTC channels for new clubs and trade-ins.
• Titleist (Acushnet) ProV1 Outlet: Major golf equipment manufacturer with growing direct-to-consumer pre-owned and outlet channels. Relevant as both a supplier and a potential disintermediation risk to GlobalGolf.

Direct peers

• Rock Bottom Golf: Online golf retailer specializing in discounted new equipment from major brands. Competes with GlobalGolf on price and selection across clubs, balls, apparel, and accessories.
• 2nd Swing Golf: Direct competitor in new and pre-owned golf club e-commerce with trade-in program and large used inventory. Highly comparable business model and target customer base to GlobalGolf.
• Edwin Watts Golf: Golf specialty retailer with both retail stores and online presence focused on equipment, apparel, and accessories. Closely comparable mid-market competitor with overlap in trade-in and used equipment.

Regional players

• Golfers Warehouse: Northeast US-focused golf retailer with store and e-commerce presence. Sells new and used equipment similar to GlobalGolf but with regional concentration rather than national shipping focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3ballsgolf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/globalgolf
• Facebookfacebook.com/globalgolf
• Instagraminstagram.com/globalgolf_com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3balls.com-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3balls