Random observations from the 2024 PGA Show
Bigger. Busier, Taller.
Those were my initial thoughts when I hit the floor at the Orange County Convention Center for the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show.
Bigger for sure. Reports from the Show indicate the number of exhibitors was up at least 25% from last year, with over 1,000 brands on display. Almost all of the floor space was occupied with real booths, unlike some previous years when fake grass, benches and tables were used to fill space. The larger OEMs not only had huge stands with all their product but many also had substantial putting greens to try their latest and greatest.
Busier? That one is easy. The Show reports 31,000 attendees. Aisles were jammed, the pace was hectic, and some exhibitors even had line-ups. It wasn’t just in the first few hours either. Wednesday was packed until late in the day. Traffic slowed a bit on Thursday but that’s not abnormal on the second day of a show. Besides it was sunny and 28 degrees outside. At least a few would-be attendees were playing golf. Can’t say what happened on Friday. Sometimes golf writers play golf too.
Taller? What the heck is he talking about, you may ask? Maybe it was the particular set of doors I used to get into the Equipment Hall but upon entering all I could see in some directions were massive 2-storey walls that obscured any further view. Some were the usual big name club makers but even more of the walls belonged to simulator companies with multiple hitting locations. Many of them had line-ups. I had no idea there were so many companies in this sector.
If there was a common theme for the Show this year, it had to be technology, actually even more technology. Obviously in things like simulators, range finders, watches and GPS tools. Brilliant new apps to gather info on your swing and ball flight just scratch the surface on where this can go.
Technology is touted in nearly every club manufactured, every fabric presented, even in the way shoes are built and perform. Artificial Intelligence too. I saw a chip you can put in your shoe that helps you read putts. Another product billed itself as “the world’s first AI inspired, smart putting green”. Then there was Noonan, a gizmo that recorded and stored your hitting data so it could tell you what to hit in future situations.
Following are some of the products and exhibits that caught my attention:
Biggest Surprise: Pickleball
There were two pickleball courts on the Show floor with professional pickleball players, celebrities and golfers demonstrating the fastest growing sport in America. In adjoining aisles were any number of exhibitors showcasing pickleball paddles, shoes, sunglasses, balls and apparel. Some of this was crossover product from golf but much of it was dedicated solely to pickleball. When you think about it, pickleball isn’t really out of place at a golf show as it now represents one of the most desired amenities for private clubs and resorts. I spoke to one General Manager who indicated they had ripped up half their tennis courts and replaced them with pickleball courts, which got way more play. According to most reports, pickleball is easier to play, more social and more fun than tennis, especially for aging memberships.
Gizmos and Gadgets
As someone once said, there’s no OFF switch on Genius. Whether they’re developed in the minds of crazy mad scientists or just frustrated golfers, each year the PGA Show introduces a number of new products designed to help in some regard. Many of these inventors unfortunately bet the farm on a grand introduction and are never heard from again. Others gain traction at the Show and become must-have pieces of equipment. Here’s two that really stood out for their creative ingenuity.
DeWiz is a swing analyzer that combines a lot of functions into an app and a wristband. Basically, deWiz measures what your body is doing during the swing and uses that data to chart your progress to an improved swing. DeWiz can be used to add more distance, hit the ball straighter or hit it more consistently.
The BRK70 is a piece of artificial intelligence on a chip that fits into your shoe and helps you read putts. It communicates via an app on your phone and measures everything underneath your feet such as the exact slope of the green or distance to the hole. It’s illegal to use in tournaments but is great for practice rounds or casual play.
Golf Shoes
We have a Spring feature on golf shoes coming soon, so I spent considerable time at the Show talking to some very informative shoe people. Anybody that still thinks a shoe is just a shoe, needs to think again. The technology that goes into a golf shoe is impressive and can have a significant impact on your performance, not to mention comfort and fashion. Brilliant new product this year from ECCO, TRUE, Payntr, Duca del Cosma, Boxto, Carl Haan and UnderArmour are worth a look.
Training Aids
When it comes to playing better golf, I’m a firm believer that a new driver is way down the list of solutions. As proof, I recently asked my playing partner to hit a few shots on the range with my current driver. He bombed them 30-40 yards further than I do. So, there’s obviously nothing wrong with my driver. If I want more distance that’s going to be achieved by developing a better, faster swing and the Show was full of training aids to help in both matters.
The Power Shift Board helps you train your weight shift. The board tips when you’ve loaded weight on your trail leg and then tips forward as you move your weight to your leading leg. It even has an audio signal.
Sure-Golf’s Tour-Feel is a strap that you loop onto your lead shoulder and connect to your lead hand. It helps you feel and maintain the proper width you should have in your swing.
The Orange Whip Swing Trainer has been around for a while and works well to help you groove your swing. The Orange Whip LightSpeed Trainer is designed to help you increase speed. Something I definitely need to add to my arsenal of training tools.
The Canadian Connection
It’s always fun to see what’s happening at Dormie Workshop, the Halifax-based custom headcover company. Not only are there lots of new designs to see, but the booth is also something of a hangout for Canadians in the industry too. Dormie is celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year and will kick off the celebrations in mid February with some exciting new products.
As someone who used to shag golf balls as a kid, I’m intrigued by Oshawa-based Korechi’s automated range picker. Watching the Pik’R haul a three-gang ball picker around the artificial turf brought back memories of ducking, dodging and chasing shots on hot summer afternoons trying to keep the range’s ball supply replenished. This little robot does it faster and more efficiently and probably doesn’t get hit near as often as the kid on the tractor.
Using a golf cart to get around at the cottage or on a rural property is pretty normal but the idea of converting the cart into an off-road vehicle is out-of-the-box thinking. But that’s exactly what Waterloo-based SilverWolf has done with their DIY 4×4 motor kit that converts your golf cart to a fully capable all-terrain vehicle. I’m looking forward to a test drive when I get back to Canada.
Equipment
It’s impossible to attend the PGA Show and not see something you’d like. My interests lean towards drivers and putters, but I tried to see everything. I’ll go into more detail with some individual product reviews and collections in the coming weeks but specifically what grabbed my attention were the following: Cobra Darkspeed driver, PING G430 MAX 10K driver, Callaway Paradym AI Smoke driver, Vokey SM10 wedges, just about every putter on the Show floor, especially the return of Never Compromise, and Titleist AVX balls.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Stay tuned.
