The newly-opened ClubstoHire.com shop at Malaga airportThe 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy is said to be worth significant value in commercial terms to Paul McGinley, but the Dubliner also has his eyes on another prize – as an investor in ClubstoHire.com.

The Dublin-based golf club rental operation that he helped set up online two years ago has seen sales grow by 100% each year and it now operates from 14 locations popular with travelling golfers across Europe. Sets of the latest clubs from brands like TaylorMade, Callaway, Wilson and MD Golf can be hired at airports across the Mediterranean from as little as €35 per set per person.

More than 30,000 sets were rented out last year and the company claims to have saved golfers close to €1.2m in additional airline baggage charges in the process. A new ClubstoHire shop has just opened in the main arrivals hall at Malaga airport, one of Europe’s busiest tourist destinations.

This week, ClubstoHire.com features on the shortlist for the prestigious Irish Times business awards* under the ‘Best Service’ category. It won a similar accolade from Germany’s Golf Magazin last year.

“Paul’s profile and business acumen have been major factors in our rapid growth and nomination for awards,” said Chief Executive Tony Judge. “We’re delighted that he’s been appointed Ryder Cup captain and believe he’ll do as great a job for European golf as he has for us.”   

Every golfer who books clubs from the ClubstoHire.com service gets a personal email from McGinley around five days after their trip and hundreds of golfers can now boast to have received a message from Ireland’s first Ryder Cup captain since his appointment on 15 January.

ClubstoHire locations include Faro, Lisbon; Murcia; Alicante; La Linea/Gibraltar; Palma, Majorca; Tenerife; Gran Canaria; as well as Edinburgh and Dublin.

*The Irish Times Inter-Trade Ireland Innovation Awards ceremony will be held at the Titanic Belfast in March.