Relationships are key to any up-and-coming business. Yet not many start with the age-old partnership of marriage like Seamus Golf.
As Co-Founder & Matriarch Megan tells it, the growth of Seamus—now into its fifth year of operation—has felt natural. "I've always sewed, my whole life," she said, describing how after graduating from design school she went to work on the design floor of renowned PNW clothing designer Pendleton. While there, a bit of serendipity led her to fixing one of Akbar's favorite head covers—a classic sock from Royal Troon—with Pendleton scrap fabric and something clicked, "I realized this was something I could improve."
From there, Megan began making head covers as a hobby. Akbar would use them in tournaments or they would give them to friends as gifts, and eventually people at their favorite courses took notice. Working out of their garage in Beaverton, Megan led a team of family and friends in crafting their first official order headed to Bandon Dunes.
Megan shortly quit her job at Pendleton and along with Akbar began heading up Seamus Golf full time. "At that time in 2011, drivers kept getting bigger and bigger, more complex. We wanted to bring golf back to a simpler place," she said. "At Pendleton, I became familiar with tartan clan names and the stories they told. We were inspired by the tartans. How the colors reflect the geography and beliefs of a clan. It kept quality constantly at the top of our minds."
That same eye toward history and camaraderie still fuels the Seamus Golf vision. Megan firmly believes that "starting in our house was an excellent way to start" because it set the tone for step-by-step growth and allowed them to hold onto their high standard of quality while continuing to grow year after year. "We get to create a unique feeling in every shop and have the ability to make it special," she said, adding that in her mind this all amounts to "enjoyable work."
"When we started this, we didn't have a business plan. We just wanted the products we love to get to the people who will appreciate them."
But what Megan is most proud of is the team her and Akbar have been able to build, regarding them as family rather than employees. "Finding partnerships is important and we're proud of the ones we've made. Our blacksmith Lyle is a perfect example. He's an artist we can collaborate with." At Seamus, artistry and dedication has always come first and, according to Megan, will continue to be a paramount concern regardless of how much more they grow in the next five years.