Just returned from the big party in Orlando, Florida, known as the PGA Merchandise Show which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. She looks pretty damn good after all these years.
It was really nice to see lots of folks walking around the huge showroom floor and even nicer to see lots of buyers spending some money. There seemed to be a buzz this year which I think was prompted by vendors returning to this year’s show after been MIA for a few years. Lots of club making companies along with dozens and dozens of clothing manufacturers showing off the latest in colors and materials to help make today’s golfer look as well as feel good. there were some new lines of clothing that were very cool but you needed to have the type of body to get into such garb. All sorts of golf hats for both men and women along with every type of golf gadget known to man were being displayed.
One of the many things I was impressed with was the way that range finder technology has advanced. You could find devises that would simply tell you yardages to front, middle and back or devises that would do everything but hit the shot for you. If you wanted the latter, you could expect to pay big bucks for it. Head covers galore along with golf gloves galore and shoes….let’s not forget about shoes. Very cool looking, great color combinations and a bit of a sticker shock, to say the least.
I like the show for several reasons. I get to see old friends and catch up with them. I get to make new friends and talk about the business and I get to chat with the smaller “mom and pop” vendors that are trying to catch a foothold in the business of golf. Some of them have great ideas; others not so great. Golf merchandise is a very competitive business where truly only the strong survive. The people at Reed Expo, who run the show, again did a fine job in concert with the PGA of America.
Now I’m looking forward to the PGA Fall Show here in Las Vegas. I wish that the Orlando show could somehow come here to Vegas. After all, the whole damn city is a Disney World!
