Plenty buzz surrounds PGA Merchandise Show

As the golf industry gathers this week for the 54th annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., attendees will find an expo vastly changed from the basic trade event of years past.

Back then, the presentations consisted mostly of “just show new products and write orders.” Under the management of Reed Expo, the PGA Show has grown to incorporate a demo day, a huge indoor test area, a bevy of interactive exhibitions, an issues forum and a global gathering of club pros, manufacturers, sales reps, association officials and vendors of all sorts of products.

This year’s show, which opens with an outdoor demo day on Jan. 24 and continues Jan. 25-27 indoors at the cavernous Orange County Convention Center, is expected to draw more than 40,000 trade personnel. The show is not open to the public.

“This is a much different show than years ago,” said Ed Several, the former Spalding exec who is overseeing his third exposition as PGA Show director. “This is the best opportunity for the golf industry to source their needs for the coming year, in addition to serving as a worldwide gathering focused on how to foster and increase business.”

Several has segmented the show with three theme lines: “Earn, learn and grow the game.”

Each day of the main show will feature special highlights. Day One is devoted to global golf trends and new product intros; Day Two focuses on retail merchandise and sell-through; Day Three is for Play Golf America and growing the business of teaching golf.

“We’ve got to find ways to both get new golfers interested in the sport and ways to retain any new and existing golfers,” said Several.

A few noted hard goods (clubs, balls) manufacturers won’t be at the show, having decided the costs -- which can run into the millions for the week -- would be better applied elsewhere. Among the absentees are Titleist, Cobra, Cleveland/Never Compromise and Ping. However, corporate parent Acushnet will have a display for its Titleist Performance Institute, while Ping will have its apparel collection on the show floor, as will Cleveland with its Fidra division.

The 54th annual PGA Merchandise Show is expected to draw more than 40,000 trade personnel.

“A lot of that growth [in apparel] is due to the explosion in technologies and the crossover in categories,” explained Several. “Clothing, and even headwear, is not just a fashion item any longer. The growth in ‘performance’ materials has opened opportunities for a lot of different companies to enter the golf business.”

Under Armour, for example, is an athletic performance apparel label that is now in the golf game. Others touting their performance attributes include Nike, adidas, Greg Norman Collection, Dunning and Bobby Jones Golf.

One notable returnee to the show this year is TaylorMade Golf, which had taken a three-year hiatus. TaylorMade has several major launches to unveil. Companies looking to relaunch their names and products include Nancy Lopez Golf and, in apparel, the Nicklaus Collection.

Among the most popular and entertaining special features at the show are the daily fashion shows, supplemented by a Fashion Collection Review. Among the companies making runway presentations are adidas, Como Sport, Lija, Nike, Puma, Nick Price Collection and Tail. Companies signing multiyear participation agreements include Tehama/Izod G and Gear For Sport.

The show has a 200,000 square foot indoor Equipment Test Center.

Fashion also takes the spotlight in a new Retail Apparel Roundtable, which is a panel discussion on Friday afternoon designed to present apparel as a primary growth segment for golf pros and retailers.

Another new activity is the PGA Equipment Forum, highlighting the latest in technology, clubfitting services and company incentives.

Other agenda items include: a PGA Global Economic Summit, featuring a blue-ribbon collection of international golf leaders; PGA Merchandisers of the Year best-practices roundtable; PGA Golf Shop merchandising and design center; PGA Awards Night; PGA short game testing center, in addition to the 200,000 square foot indoor Equipment Test Center; and, a Business of Teaching series.

Golf Channel plans two hours of live coverage daily from the show floor.