Interview: Ernest Performance
Nick has been chasing a golf dream in some form for as long as he can remember. His love of the sport and realisation that going pro was unlikely led to Ernest Performance – a custom club fitting business that gives a tour level experience, for all golfers. He’s since expanded what EP looks like (next year is a big one!) and a very clear direction, understanding of his audience has meant the EP evolution so far has been a result of clever, informed decision making. Read on to learn more about Nick’s experience as a business owner so far.
Why golf? How did you go from loving the sport to becoming a business owner?
In a tale as old as time, I wanted to go pro but realised that no matter how hard I worked it may never eventuate. In the pursuit of that dream, I figured out that my equipment was one variable in golf that I could control – so that’s the path I went down. I discovered a passion for helping other golfers in the same way and knew it was what I wanted to pursue as a career.
After gaining experience in the industry, I learnt the ropes and realised that the gap lay in helping golfers longer term rather than the one-off fitting appointments that most are accustomed to. I love to see their improvement as they work on their game and have now created a facility to track that progress, where we can make sure their practice and equipment matches their game as it evolves.
Give us the Ernest Performance elevator pitch: what do you do, who is it for and what makes you different?
We have traditionally done custom golf clubs and are about to open a performance orientated practice facility. It’s for golfers who want to improve their game, at any skill level.
One of our key differences is that we’re brand agnostic. Traditionally, a golf shop will be aligned with a particular brand or brands and so their offering is limited in that sense. We work with clubs from the bigger brands like Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade but also specialise in brands like Miura and L.A.B golf and many more less commonly known brands too. We offer a tour level fitting experience with a true custom suite of clubs – we don’t use fitting kits. We want to give you all the best options without any limitations.
In early 2026, our eight bay simulator facility will open and we’ll offer memberships for those wanting to come and actively improve their game. Under the Ernest Performance umbrella sits the club fitting, coaching and membership branches. Golfers can make use of one or all of these services – our aim is to be a golf facility that has every aspect of your game covered.
What’s been the hardest thing about being in business so far? And the biggest lesson learnt?
The biggest challenge has been learning all the ropes there are to learn when starting and then running a business! Another challenge is knowing that we have a really good product, but then getting the right message out to the right client is another thing altogether.
The golf industry is going through a growth phase and keeping up with the latest tech is something that adds a layer of complexity – we’re constantly striving to have the best possible club fitting experience we can offer so this is a real focus area.
A lesson learnt the hard way: contracts are very important! That’s a mistake I didn’t have to make twice. Another one was that you don’t have to do it all alone. Trying to be a jack of all trades doesn’t work – there are professional services for a reason! Getting in the right people when you can makes a world of difference. ‘Go together go further’ definitely rings true.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering business ownership, what would it be?
Pay yourself first. As the business grows, outsource professional services like bookkeeping, accountancy, marketing and skilled trades as soon as you can. It saves you time and you can focus on what you do best.
The regulatory aspects of business are so important and you want to know they’re being handled properly (tax compliance, for instance). Accounting in particular really informs future decisions and having the right team to support you (like Future Advisory does) has really helped us plan and decision make, based on numbers. We’ve been able to focus on growing in the right way rather than constantly chasing our tails to catch up.
What has been key to E.P’s success so far?
Building long term relationships by doing the right thing for our clients. Providing an excellent service and being genuinely invested in their golfing game makes all the difference. People can tell when you truly love what you do and I think that’s an irreplaceable factor in business success longer term.
Any future business goals or plans you’d like to share?
Next year is set to be a big one for the business as we open our first membership facility in Prahran. Our overarching goal is to be Australia’s home of golf performance and I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. We’ve got the best club fitting and coaching and our members will be able to come and practice with intent, when suits them.
Now back to golf… what’s the biggest mistake you see aspiring golfers making?
People tend to either get golf lessons and ignore their clubs, or buy good clubs and ignore the lessons. The two go hand-in-hand, you really need both! Set yourself up with good quality equipment first that we then can adapt for you as your golf progresses. Also the quality of your golf matters. Getting out there and enjoying the game is key, if you want to get better you need to know why you do what you do and thats where we come in!
