Guarded Optimism Emerges from PGA Show
For those in the golf industry, there was much to be optimistic about at this year’s PGA Merchandise Show.
More than 1,000 companies and brands were on hand, many of them introducing new equipment, apparel, accessories and services, and more than 41,000 PGA club professionals, buyers and industry leaders were on hand — including eight staffers from Golfballs.com.
Registrations among club pros were up, as was attendance at educational and seminar sessions — the most notable one, ironically, shouting a warning about the declining number of golf participants — and there was unprecedented television coverage courtesy of the Golf Channel.
For the Golfballs.com staff, it was a hugely successful event.
“I don’t think there was the volume of traffic on the floor that you’ve seen in the past,” said Golfballs.com president and CEO Tom Cox. “But for us, with the number of meetings we were able to have with the top companies and manufacturers, and the items we were able to see and evaluate first-hand, it was a very successful trip for us.
“Now, our job it to pass on what we’ve worked on and what we’ve learned to our customers.”
There was no shortage of wares on display. The Show floor at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando covered a million square feet and the biggest brand names in golf — Titleist, PING, Callaway, TaylorMade, adidas Golf, Cobra Puma, Nike, FootJoy, Bridgestone and many more — showcased the latest technology, trends and service solutions.
The catch was finding items that Golfballs.com customers would find interesting and appealing, and that’s why the staff spent hours upon hours, walking miles of aisles, seeking out both equipment from their traditional vendors and the new and unique items that the golf consumer may enjoy.
Some of those will become available on the site soon. Others will come later in the year as manufacturers roll out new products. Although it’s impossible to keep up with the thousands of items available through the PGA Show, Golfballs.com will strive to be the best source for information and availability.
Some of the 41,000 attendees on the show floor during the 61st PGA Merchandise Show, held at the Orange County Covention Center in Orlando.
