5 thoughts from the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show
30 Jan 2013
by Benjamin Larsen of AmateurGolf.com
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The Titleist tee was packed on Demo Day at
the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show
ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2013) -- Each year, the annual PGA Merchandise Show is sure to impress. The largest trade show in the business is a massive get-together of PGA pros, tour players, industry insiders and media members.
Oh, and of course, there's plenty of golf products and companies on display, too.
The show is a good sign of things to come for the upcoming year as manufacturers show off their newest models and technology. It's also a chance for golf enthusiasts and industry insiders to see which companies are poised for a revival and also, which companies are on the right track to make a splash.
Without further adieu, here are my 5 thoughts from this year's PGA Show and Demo Day:
1.) Titleist remains above the fold: A trip around Demo Day at Orange County National revealed many things. First and foremost, however, was that there are tons of exciting new golf clubs on the market for 2013. With that said, the understated, refined and golf-focused presence of Titleist was as impressive as ever. The leading manufacturer displayed its new 913 drivers, fairways and hybrids on the range and unveiled the new and improved Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls Thursday morning to kick off the show. A rousing week to say the least for Titleist.
2.) Callaway is back: It could've been a slogan for the week. But it's very well true. From its awesome display at OC National to its even-better display --- social wall included --- inside the Orange County Convention Center, it's clear that Callaway is again back on track. The Razr Fit Xtreme, X Hot Pro and X Hot were three of the more excellent driver models showcased at the entire event.
3.) TaylorMade-Adidas sure likes to party: What a display TMAG put forth this past week? For those that missed it, TaylorMade, Adidas and the other brands associated with the group had the most impressive presence of the week. The TaylorMade area at Demo Day was extremely packed and wonderfully organized and inside the show, the group cornered off an entire end of the convention center! TaylorMade continues to rise and it showed at the PGA Show.
4.) Minimalistic shoes continue to drop: It started a few years back and now, the minimalistic and spikeless golf shoe fad has turned into a market. There are "old" faithfuls like ECCO and TRUE Linkswear but now, with companies like Footjoy, which launched its new M:Project, minimalistic and spikeless shoes continue to be the norm when it comes to golfing shoes. Keep an eye out for Vibram, which is breaking from the success of its five-finger running models and into the golf sector.
5.) Tech continues to rule: It's all about the technology, no matter the product. Club companies are using the latest and greatest technologies available to improve their sticks and technology companies are using the latest technology to help improve the game of golf. In particular, we met with partners GolfSense, the bluetooth-linked swing analyzer and educational tool. While they didn't showcase at the convention center, we're expecting big things from the recently-launched company!