My Biz: Toddler’s love of golf inspires family business

Tyler Johnson’s 3-year-old son, Charlie, loves to golf with his dad.

He loves it so much that his dad, Tyler Johnson, created a toddler-size golf bag so Charlie could carry his clubs like the big guys. Charlie’s grandfather, Doug Johnson, made the toddler-size golf clubs for Charlie.

Charlie loves the golf bag, too, and his dad used that endorsement to found a family business — Charles Golf Co. — last November. Johnson spread word about the bags on social media. Some of the posts went viral.

On April 10, the golf pro tour wives at the Master’s Par 3 family tournament gave a shoutout to Johnson and ordered a few bags for their toddlers.

Then heartwarming photos began showing up online from Augusta, Ga., of small kids, golfing with their parents, carting and carrying Johnson’s tiny golf bags.

At this point, the Charlie Golf Co. has a very long wait-list — 7,500 at last count.

‘Love of the game’

Johnson lives in Mason City and grew up in Belle Plaine in Benton County. He was on the golf team at the University of Northern Iowa.

He said he was thrilled to see his toddler golf bags at the Masters. His idea has been featured in Forbes, on the “Michigan Live” podcast and in golf and newsletter publications.

Johnson, who has a software management job, said he created the bag in response to his son’s pint-sized need to carry his toddler clubs.

“We needed to keep it simple and not too complex for a toddler,” he said. “Plus it had to be a lightweight carry style.”

He also hopes the little golf bags spark a love of the game in youngsters.

As for Charlie, he already loves all things golf-related — playing in the sand bunkers, riding in and cleaning the carts, Johnson said. His younger sister, Alivia, loves running around the driving range and course, plus pulling her brother’s clubs out of his golf bag.

Family business

  Buy Photo

Johnson’s wife, Jolene, and his parents, aunts, sister, and brother-in-law all help inspect and package the toddler golf bags before shipment.

“The wait-list determines demand,” Johnson said. “After the October tweet went viral, I knew we wouldn’t have enough bags, so I asked how many we could get before the holidays. We ordered 100 more and sold out.”

The family once sold 400 of the bags in eight minutes after announcing to the wait-list the bags were in stock.

Johnson designed the bags for use by 2- to 5-year-olds. They are lightweight waxed canvas with an adjustable leather strap, one pocket and one top opening divider.

The bags come in blue, purple, pink, green and gray and sell for $88.

The manufacturer also offers a set of four properly weighted golf clubs — selling for $188 — for kids under 45 inches tall and alignment sticks — $24 — that align a child’s feet so they can better aim the ball.

“Our first customers were a few friends and family, but mostly random people who found us on X (Twitter) and Instagram,” Johnson said.

“It’s a bootstrap venture,” he added. “Now we place about one order per month. We have sold 1,500 to 1,600, so I am ordering consistently to keep up with demand.”

He is now exploring ways to offer embroidery and logos on the bags.

Besides providing a legacy for his son, Johnson said he’s enjoyed figuring out how to create a golf brand.

After all, he has golfed since childhood because his father — the one who made Charlie’s clubs and who has long built and repaired clubs for a hobby — was the golf course superintendent of the Belle Plaine Country Club.

Also, Johnson said the first 150 kid golf bags he ordered were funded by stocks he inherited from his grandfather “Birdie,” also a dedicated golfer.

That’s four generations on the links, now with a toddler golf bag in tow.

Know a business that should be considered for a “My Biz” feature? Let us know by emailing mary.sharp@thegazette.com.