This is my favorite week of the golf year — well, maybe second to Masters Week; a darn close second. It’s the PGA Show in Orlando, Fla.
This is where every golf equipment manufacturer, golf apparel maker, golf gadget and do-hickey producer, green cutter, tee marker, trophy maker, golf guru and PGA professional come out to support and celebrate the greatest game played: golf.
The PGA Show marked its 60th anniversary and there was great buzz and excitement for the golf industry for 2013.
I started my trek to Orlando on the red-eye flight so I could get to Florida while the sun was still shining, in desperate need to hit golf balls. I was playing in an event on the Tuesday and hadn’t hit off grass since October. It was amazing to actually make a divot and feel clean crisp contact. The smell of fresh-cut grass wafted by and owned this green-starved Canadian.
Tuesday was the ACCRA Golf Shaft tournament. It was a day-long affair with product knowledge on new goodies coming to market and the majority of attendees were club builders.
It was so exciting to see the growth of business of club builders. Players are starting to realize that it is not just the pros that can be fitted for equipment. Golfers are seeing that clubs off the shelf can easily be tweaked, bent and/or re-shafted to fit every player’s swing and size, effectively helping people drop their scores and play better golf.
It was also great seeing fellow long driver, countryman and two-time World Champion Jamie Sadlowski there bombing some 400-plus-yard drives. The long-drive community does feel like a family where the seniors, open and women’s divisions are all very supportive of each other.
Wednesday was Demo Day; packed as usual. There is a driving range in the shape of a circle with over a 400-yard circumference. Every major club manufacturer, shaft company and many swing aides show their wares and give patrons an opportunity to hit and see the latest and greatest from their company.
Each year it seems to get bigger and better. Celebrity appearances offer glitter and included sports stars such as Ken Griffey, Jr., and Alonzo Mourning at Nike, as well as Ian Poulter, Jesper Parnevik and Lexi Thompson at Cobra Puma Golf.
I ran into some long-drive brethren including World Champions Bobby Wilson, Mike Dobbyn and reigning champ Ryan Winther. Winther was on hand to break the world record for ball speed formerly 214 mph he smashed it and recorded 217.1 mph with a club head speed of 149.7 mph with a 4.5 lofted head. Yowzers!
You can hear music blaring, flags waving, contests going on throughout the day and instruction. It is an excellent opportunity to test new equipment and see what is new and hot all in one venue.
I was fitted at Nike for my competition driver which will be the Covert. It is the first cavity-back driver allowed by the R&A and the USGA. I was thrilled to get to talk to inventor Tom Stites, who was quite giddy about the product. That is what is great about the PGA Show. The designers, presidents and CEOs are all on hand to answer any questions you may have. It is a golfer’s dream.
Thursday through Saturday the show rolls on at Orange Country Convention Center and features booths in over 1 million square feet of space. You need to plan your route carefully, or your feet will never make it through the day. I was checking out some of the new products for 2013 and spoke to companies like Kikkor Golf, maker of street shoes, and owner James Lepp of Big Break fame; Fore! Axel and Hudson, a unique children’s golf clothing company; Tin Cup, a unique ball marking tool; and Kentwool, who claim to have the world’s best socks — to name a few.
The best part of the show floor is walking up and down the aisles and running into people. I happened to run into Eddie Pelz and his dad Dave. We had dinner with a group from Ireland a few years back and it was so fun to catch up.
It was also great checking out the Back9Network booth. I got to meet my editor Ryan Ballengee (editor’s note: that’s me!) and meet wonderful people involved with the show. It was also a treat the hear television’s “The Voice” winner Javier Colon, who was on hand several nights at The Peabody during radio broadcasts to entertain and delight show goers.
I am already counting down the days to next year’s show which will actually start a day earlier. The 2014 PGA Show will run Tuesday to Friday testing out a new schedule. This just means taking the red eye a day sooner! Can’t wait!
Until next week, go long!
