'No other experience ... like the PGA Merchandise Show'

During its 55 years, the PGA Merchandise Show has evolved into equal parts global golf reunion, convention, education conference, networking hub and the world's largest marketplace for buying and selling anything remotely related to the game of golf. Oh yeah, and anyone who's been says there's a pretty good time to be had in Orlando as well.

By Roger Graves, Special to PGA.com

Call it the PGA Merchandise Show Experience. This year, "the can't-miss experience" unfolds Jan. 16?19 in Orlando, Fla., when tradition merges with merchandising, marketing, innovation, education and governance to create a special "Show Week" unlike any other.

Its 55-year evolution has seen the PGA Merchandise Show become equal parts global golf reunion, convention, education conference, networking hub, and the world's largest marketplace for buying and selling golf products. It has become the world's largest stage for product testing, fashion shows, interactive exhibits, professional workshops and the exchange of business best practices.

During the past decade, PGA Professional Ken Morton Sr. and his son, Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) President Ken Morton Jr., have utilized the annual PGA Merchandise Show as a valuable training ground for their staff at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, Calif. In fact, Haggin Oaks sent 37 staff members to Orlando to "experience" the PGA Merchandise Show and its associated activities last year.

"There is no other experience in the golf industry like the PGA Merchandise Show; it's a great learning experience and a great teaching experience," says Morton Sr., the 1998 PGA Golf Professional of the Year and the founder of Morton Golf LLC, which operates Haggin Oaks Golf Complex, Bing Maloney Golf Complex, the Bartley Cavanaugh Golf Course, and the 60,000-square-foot Golf Super Shop at Haggin Oaks.

"The Show is a tremendous training ground for our employees -- from our PGA Professionals involved in teaching, clubfitting and facility management, to our many merchandising and sales professionals," says Morton Jr., who manages the massive Super Shop at Haggin Oaks.

"When I say the PGA Show is a great training ground, where else can you send your staff to interact with so many manufacturers to gain the knowledge and expertise necessary to properly present the thousands of products we sell to our retail customers? The Show is simply a unique experience, and an efficient way to prepare for the new calendar year and business cycle."

To underscore the magnitude of the PGA Merchandise Show experience for PGA Professionals in 2008, PGA members can earn up to 29 Member Service Requirement (MSR) hours by attending various functions, including the 91st PGA Annual Meeting, during PGA Show Week.

Since the annual PGA Merchandise Show is such a beneficial experience, PGA Professionals and their staffs should journey to Orlando with a good game plan if they hope to take advantage of the medley of opportunities. A game plan also will help PGA members navigate the 10 miles of exhibit aisles, the booths of 1,250 leading golf companies, and interact with 45,000 industry leaders at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC).

"Every other year, we bring our entire sales staff to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show, which demands a good coordination effort to be sure everyone accomplishes as much as possible," says Morton Jr.

"We usually break our staff up into three categories. Our buyers and PGA Professionals go back to Orlando for the entire window of the Show. Then, we divide our full-time sales staffs into two groups. The first group attends the first day and a half of the Show, and then they fly home. The second group attends the second day and a half of the Show. Each evening, we sit down and discuss new products and coordinate a follow-up with those companies. That's the thing -- we find new companies and new products every year at the Show."

The Mortons, who host one of The PGA of America's largest and most successful Play Golf America Days each year at Haggin Oaks in Sacramento, seldom have difficulty justifying the expense to send a small army of employees to the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando each year.

For example, Super Shop at Haggin Oaks sales associate Penny Christensen attended the Show for the first time last year. Later in the year, a customer came to Christensen to see if she knew of any company capable of producing 36 golf bags featuring gold lame, a material not usually used in golf bags. Christensen remembered meeting with a small company specializing in custom bags at the PGA Merchandise Show and gave them a call. The company produced the bags and Christensen made the sale for nearly $8,000.

"Only because Penny had been to the PGA Merchandise Show and had the conversation directly with a company we had never done business with before, were we able to fill the customer's request for the 36 golf bags," relates Morton Jr. "She wanted them for players in a tournament and was very happy when we were able to provide what she had in mind. Each bag cost about $200, so it was nearly an $8,000 sale.

"There are smaller versions of that example that happen every day at our golf shop and at our golf facilities. We want our people to know about every product available, and the only way to do that is to attend the PGA Merchandise Show."

New Show Attractions for 2008

While PGA members and industry professionals enjoy discovering new companies and new products at the PGA Merchandise Show each year, The PGA of America and PGA Golf Exhibitions are constantly updating the Show and offering new programs and activities to bolster business and careers in golf.

"Every year, we sit down with PGA Professionals and key officials after the Show to evaluate what worked, what didn't work, and to gather feedback on how we can improve the Show," says Ed Several, PGA Golf Exhibitions vice president and general manager. "Based on this feedback, we introduce new programs and events at every PGA Merchandise Show. That has helped the Show evolve into what we have today, which basically provides something educational and useful for everyone. We're very excited about the new events and activities we have planned for the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show."

What's new at the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show? Here is a sneak preview (for even more, log on to www.pgashow.com):

91st PGA Annual Meeting

For the first time in PGA history, the PGA Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with the PGA Merchandise Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 15?16. PGA members are encouraged to attend the General Session on Wednesday, beginning at 8 a.m. ET. Emphasizing open governance and professional enhancement, the 91st PGA Annual Meeting will be conducted in the Orange County Convention Center Auditorium. Transportation will be provided from the OCCC to Demo Day at the conclusion of the General Session on Jan. 16.

An Expanded Demo Day

More hitting bays, new golf equipment manufacturers, new contests and a new emphasis on training aids, performance wear and golf accessory companies headline Demo Day on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla. More than 80 top companies will staff 100-plus hitting bays, practice greens and the vendor village at the 42-acre practice facility. PGA Professionals, media and invited VIP retailers will participate in the industry's largest demo event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Longtime sponsor Aldila is joined in 2008 by Cocona and RSM McGladrey as event co-sponsors. The Top-Flite Freak golf ball is the official ball of Demo Day and Rife Putters will be sponsoring a hat giveaway.

Demo Day parking at Orange County National will be restricted, but complimentary shuttles will run every 20 minutes from the OCCC. For a detailed list of participating companies, visit www.pgashow.com/demoday.

PGA/AGM Product Preview & Buyers Reception

The PGA of America and Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) are collaborating to host a Product Preview & Buyers Reception on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 5:30 p.m. ET. in Hall F of the OCCC. The new event for PGA Professionals and golf buyers will provide a preview of fashion and accessories on the Show floor and an industry reception by AGM vendor partners. The evening will also include a fashion show and special entertainment presented by Puma.

U.S. Golf Economy Forum

What is golf's economic impact on your state? When federal assistance was denied to most golf facilities on the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina because the economic impact of those golf courses on the state economy had not been quantified, it underscored the need to develop an economic impact statement for golf in each state.

This forum on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. ET on the PGA Equipment Forum stage will present The PGA's 2008 U.S. Economic Impact Study.

PGA Mentor Lunches

PGA assistant professionals, apprentices and PGM students are invited to a special future leaders series of free career workshops and the new PGA Mentor Lunches held Thursday and Friday, Jan. 16 and 17, from 11:45 a.m.?12:45 p.m. ET in Room 414C at the OCCC.

Fashion Designer Panels

Immediately following fashion shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Jan. 17?19) at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. (there is no 3 p.m. fashion show on Saturday) at the fashion fairway on the Show floor, daily panel presentations will feature the hottest designers in golf apparel offering exclusive insight into specific performance attributes and merchandising techniques for the trendiest collections. Designers of some of the most popular golf fashions will participate.

Adjustable Club Symposium

Experts representing the USGA, major manufacturers and top retailers will discuss the ramifications and answer questions pertaining to the recent ruling allowing the use of adjustable golf clubs. The insightful symposium is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 18, at 2:30 a.m. ET on the PGA Equipment Forum stage.

Indoor Demo Days

The Indoor Demo Days at the Equipment Test Center, located on the PGA Merchandise Show floor, will feature a scalloped configuration during regular Show hours Jan. 17?19. The 45 hitting bays, a putting green and a PGA Short-Game Challenge Area provide hands-on testing of the newest equipment and the latest advances in technology and design from leading golf manufacturers. Bridgestone Golf is the official ball of the ETC and the Top-Flite Freak golf ball is the official ball of the putting green. For a detailed list of companies participating in the sold-out Indoor Demo Days, visit www.pgashow.com/indoordemodays.

Merchandisers of the Year Roundtable

National PGA Merchandisers of the Year will share best practices in merchandising and retailing on Friday, Jan. 18, at 10:45 a.m. ET on the PGA Equipment Forum Stage. The roundtable format will allow questions from the audience, as PGA Professionals share their success formulas and problem-solving skills.

PGA Best Practices: Clubfitting Areas

Ping staff members and PGA Professionals will share their clubfitting expertise with PGA members during the traditional Demo Day on Wednesday, Jan. 16, and on the Show floor Jan. 17?19 at special areas known as "PGA Best Practices: Clubfitting Presented by Ping." Ping will feature 12 clubfitting stations at the annual Demo Day at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge to offer the latest in clubfitting services for PGA Professionals. Show attendees will be able to experience Ping's comprehensive clubfitting ideas and test the company's latest golf equipment at each "PGA Best Practices: Clubfitting Presented by Ping" area. Accusport, Aldila and CoverShots will be joining Ping in participating in this first of its kind PGA experience.

Show Offers Multiple Benefits

PGA Professional Dan Dempsey and his wife, Melissa, who was named the 2006 AGM Top Retailer and Retail Manager, have made the PGA Merchandise Show a "must stop" each year in January. Dan tests as much equipment as possible at Demo Day and at the indoor Equipment Test Center, while Melissa scouts for new vendors and new products while laying the groundwork for her buying season. Together, the husband-wife team at Stow Acres Country Club in Stow, Mass., exchange best practices with other PGA Professionals and use Show Week as a golden opportunity to mix business with pleasure.

"We always go to the PGA Show with an open mind to see what's new in the industry," says Dan Dempsey, PGA head professional at Stow Acres. "We divide up the responsibilities, and the owner of our facility, Walter Lankau, and his wife also go down to Orlando every year for the Show. Between the four of us, we're able to accomplish everything we need to while preparing for the next golf season. It's always a nice getaway, too. It's business during the day and we have some fun at night in Orlando with all of the functions after the Show floor closes."

Dempsey believes the PGA Merchandise Show provides a unique opportunity to compare vendors and products under one roof. He also likes the opportunity this year to attend the PGA Annual Meeting and to interact with national representatives of major companies and participate in their special seminars while in Orlando during Show Week.

"There are so many benefits in attending the PGA Show," explains Dempsey. "It's a great opportunity to pick up a lot of MSR (Member Service Requirement) hours, plus I've always wanted to attend the PGA Annual Meeting, which is much easier to do when it's held right there in Orlando prior to the Show. Of course, the Show is great because you can see everyone's new products, test those products, and compare those products all at once. For example, if you're looking for a GPS system for your golf cars, you can visit with reps from all of those companies in one place and compare the features of each product."

Dempsey also looks forward to familiarizing himself with the newest equipment from major manufacturers and learning how to utilize those new products.

"The Show will give me a chance to meet with major hard-goods manufacturers like Nike, Ping and Cleveland Golf," continues Dempsey. "Nike is coming out with a new fitting cart, and we have been a good Nike club seller for years. To qualify to get the fitting cart, you have to attend a seminar on how to use the cart, and the most convenient time for me to attend that seminar is in Orlando when it is offered at the PGA Show.

"We also do a lot of clubfitting with Ping, so it's nice to hear they will be offering clubfitting workshops at the Show. That will give me an opportunity to ask some questions and see what's new in the Ping line. The thing I like about Ping is you can fit a club member on Monday, send in the specs and receive the custom-fit clubs on Friday.

"Cleveland is going to introduce its new driver at the Show, too, so you can see I'll be busy."

While husband Dan is focusing on hard goods, Melissa Dempsey will be looking for that diamond in the rough among apparel exhibitors, enjoying the fashion shows, attending educational seminars, and networking with vendors and her AGM colleagues while mapping out her buying strategy for 2008.

"I like to walk from booth to booth and see what catches my eye," admits Melissa Dempsey, the retail manager at Stow Acres Country Club, who will be attending her eighth consecutive PGA Merchandise Show. "One day I will focus on apparel and then I'll spend another day on accessories. I never make appointments in advance because I want to remain flexible, and I like to participate in some educational seminars.

"One of the most important benefits of attending the Show is to keep in touch with all the new trends and to see what's new in the industry. There are a lot of companies whose reps do not visit us in Massachusetts, so the Show is our only chance to see what those companies have to offer and test their products."

PGA Professional Bill Forrest of Troon Country Club in Arizona says he learns something at every PGA Merchandise Show.

"Some of the liveliest discussions have grown out of the education seminars held in conjunction with the PGA Show," assures Forrest, the 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year. "You can learn a lot about operations, about marketing, about merchandising, about trends in the industry and you can learn about all types of new products. I come away from the Show every year with new ideas to grow the game and grow my business. You learn things and see things you aren't going to see anywhere else."

Adds Fabian McIntyre, PGA head Professional at Falcon's Fire Golf Club in Kissimmee, Fla., and The PGA's 2005 Merchandiser of the Year for public facilities: "The golf business is highly competitive, and the Show helps you stay ahead of the curve. I heard a young professional say he couldn't afford to attend the PGA Merchandise Show, but I would say you can't afford to miss the opportunity to positively impact your bottom line. There is so much to be accomplished at the Show, and the opportunities continue to multiply every year.

"If a PGA member can only make one business trip a year, it should be to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show."

The 2008 Show will be the 18th straight for PGA member Stephen Cryan, who serves as director of retail for Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C.

"It never ceases to amaze me how the PGA Merchandise Show remains relevant by introducing so many new things each year," says Cryan, the 1998 PGA Merchandiser of the Year for resort facilities. "As a PGA member and buyer, I like to look ahead and put together our summer and fall buying plan at the PGA Show in January. It allows my team and me a chance to see the latest trends in the golf business and a chance to sit down and talk to some companies that we're not familiar with. We always have a strong sense of what type of products we're looking for when we go to Orlando, but we always find something new that we weren't aware of in advance. So it's always a useful experience."

If you doubt the PGA Merchandise Show has become a "global" golf gathering, simply consider that representatives from more than 80 countries will be in attendance at the 2008 Show. One of those international visitors will be Paul Burley, a European PGA Professional who serves as the director of golf at Turnberry Resort in Scotland.

"The Orlando PGA exhibition always gives me amazing new ideas, but more important, it helps me keep in touch with golf issues and trends from around the world," says Burley. "I'm amazed by the number of international companies who have begun coming to Orlando every year. Each year I have come, I have discovered new companies and new products that have worked quite nicely at our Turnberry facility, and the Show gives us an opportunity to tell people in the States about Turnberry. I have had several new friends I have met at the Show visit us at Turnberry the past year. The opportunity to share best practices at the Show has been invaluable to our future success."

Cathy Harbin, PGA general manager of The Slammer & Squire and The King & Bear courses at World Golf Village, uses the PGA Merchandise Show to increase brand awareness for her facility in St. Augustine, Fla.

"We tell a lot of industry insiders about our facility and use the opportunity to build awareness for our courses and our company," says Harbin. "The PGA Show is the only opportunity of its kind to network with so many vendors, peers and industry leaders in a single setting. As the focus on the business side of golf has increased over the past several years, it has been nice to see the PGA Show keep pace by offering so many best practices and educational seminars designed to build our businesses. Today, vendors are offering suggestions to help you sell their products. They're not just asking you to buy their products without any marketing or merchandising support."

Companies Have Many Reasons to Attend

For the 1,250 golf companies exhibiting, the PGA Merchandise Show is the most effective platform for reaching and interacting with the greatest number of PGA Professionals, buyers, retailers and media members in a single setting. Some 400 new companies have registered for a position on the Show floor in 2008, and highly respected golf companies such as Ping and Cleveland Golf are returning to the Show in varying capacities.

Then, of course, there are golf industry stalwarts such as Callaway Golf, Nike Golf, adidas, Srixon, Bridgestone, Ashworth, Fairway & Greene, EP Pro, Tehama, Puma, Bobby Jones, Ahead, Antigua, Club Car, E-Z-GO, Cutter & Buck, Polo Golf, Imperial, the Titleist Performance Institute, Wilson, MacGregor, Mizuno, Gear For Sports, the Greg Norman Collection, Harry Vardon, Forefront Golf, and hundreds of other top companies.

The 2008 PGA Merchandise Show marks Callaway Golf's 25th consecutive year at the Show, and the company founded by Ely Callaway in 1982 will have the largest footprint on the Show floor. In addition to its multiple lines of golf equipment and balls, Callaway Golf Apparel, Callaway Golf Eyewear, Callaway Timepieces and Callaway Travel Gear will showcase their wares at the 2008 Show.

"Over the years, Callaway Golf has used the PGA Merchandise Show to introduce tremendous technology and new products to the industry," says PGA Golf Exhibitions' Several. "Callaway has been supportive of The PGA of America and all of the programs associated with the PGA Merchandise Show for 25 years, which is truly a milestone. As a founding partner of the PGA Equipment Forum, Callaway Golf has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to PGA Professionals and to the Show."

For the 1,250 leading golf companies exhibiting at the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show, the benefits are numerous. Companies can interact face-to-face with thousands of golf-industry professionals from around the world; develop profitable relationships with new retail partners; reconnect with current customers, dealers and reps; introduce new products and services to 45,000 attendees; gain greater visibility and build brand awareness for their companies; increase market share; launch new programs and promotions, and can use the Show as an opportunity to educate industry professionals on new technologies and trends.

Nancy Haley, the co-founder and CEO of Tehama and Izod G, not only uses the PGA Merchandise Show to launch new products and styles, but thanks her companies' loyal customers by sponsoring a concert each year during PGA Show Week.

"There is no larger or more significant gathering of golf-industry professionals each year than at the PGA Merchandise Show, so we have always taken an enthusiastic approach to supporting the Show with a large booth and some fun events," admits Haley, the 2007 recipient of the PGA Ernie Sabayrac Award for lifetime contributions to the golf industry.

"The PGA of America and its 28,000-plus PGA Professionals have been instrumental in helping us develop the niche we enjoy at Tehama and Izod G by supporting our products. So we think it's important to reciprocate and support PGA Professionals at the PGA Merchandise Show by providing some entertainment."

Haley can remember being on the waiting list for the 1987 PGA (Fall) Expo, the first PGA Show she attended. "I convinced the Show manager that I could take any space, so they put me in a corner with a two-foot wide entrance," she recalls. "Presenting at that Show was the launching pad for Sport Haley (which was later replaced by the Tehama brand when Nancy joined forces with Clint Eastwood). I have always been a big proponent of the PGA Merchandise Show, because it's the ideal venue to conduct business and mix in some fun. Where else do you find 45,000 of the most influential people in golf under one roof?"

Srixon Golf USA has established a good business relationship with PGA members by participating as a PGA of America Product Demonstration Partner, a sponsor of the PGA Tournament Series, and by participating in the PGA's Golf Retirement Plus program. Srixon has a major presence at the PGA Merchandise Show to reinforce its commitment to PGA Professionals and to update PGA members and green-grass accounts on the company's latest products and technological advances.

"We place a huge emphasis on growing our green-grass business as we know that is the best way for us to establish and grow a premium golf ball brand," says Mike Pai, executive director of marketing for Srixon. "By being able to see and speak with all of the PGA members in attendance, it reinforces our commitment to them and to The PGA."

Like other sponsors of the PGA Equipment Forum at the Show, Srixon will provide product demonstrations and discuss technology. It will also use the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show as a launching pad to introduce new products. "We use the Show every year as well to generate new relationships with PGA members who may not know that much about us and to solidify the current relationships we already have," adds Pai.

Cleveland Golf plans to celebrate its return to the PGA Merchandise Show in 2008 by introducing a series of innovative new equipment, including a new business-to-business Web site where customers can place orders, check order status and manage their accounts.

"Cleveland Golf has three main objectives for the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show," says Randy Romberg, Cleveland Golf vice president of marketing. "We plan to launch many new products, write orders, especially at golf-course accounts, and we plan to convey our new strength via our new parent company, SRI Sports. We believe the golf industry needs a place to gather each year, and the PGA Merchandise Show is it. We think a lot more golf-course buyers will be there, since The PGA has moved its Annual Meeting to Orlando right before the Show."

Ping plans to take an interactive approach to its participation in to the PGA Merchandise Show by hosting clubfitting areas known as "PGA Best Practices: Clubfitting Presented by Ping." Ping will feature 12 clubfitting stations at the annual Demo Day on Jan. 16 to offer the latest in club- fitting services for PGA Professionals, and will occupy a specially designed area on the Show floor during the Jan. 17?19 event at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

"The PGA Show is the ideal venue to further educate PGA Professionals on the benefits of properly fit golf clubs," says John Solheim, Ping's chairman and CEO. "We'll be introducing some exciting new fitting tools that will enable PGA Professionals to elevate the Ping Fitting experience while providing golfers the latest innovations to help lower their scores."

While Bobby Jones Sportswear will unveil a kaleidoscope of new colors and styles for summer and fall apparel from their new booth at the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show, Bridgestone Golf will introduce a litany of new products and use the Show to share new technologies and marketing strategies with PGA Professionals and clients.

"The PGA Merchandise Show provides the ideal situation to introduce new products to PGA Professionals and retail buyers in an environment that allows for greater one-on-one interaction to study and demo those new products," says Stacy Propes, marketing manager for Bridgestone Golf, Inc.

"In addition, the Show gives us an opportunity to educate on new technology and share our company direction, message and new marketing and promotional programs with PGA Professionals, which is critical to our success. We will highlight several programs at the Show to promote sell-through, such as our Bridgestone Golf Ball Fitting Challenge program that helps educates golf-facility customers and provides a unique individual retail experience at their facility."

The Titleist Performance Institute, a technologically advanced golf evaluation facility that focuses on swing efficiency, conditioning and custom equipment fitting, was a big hit at its first PGA Merchandise Show in 2007. The TPI returns to Orlando in 2008 with industry-leading experts, state-of-the-art technology and world-class facilities dedicated to enhancing the performance and fitness of golfers of all skill levels.

"Given the numerous marketing initiatives we have planned at the Show, we're very excited about communicating the many positive attributes of our premier brands, all of which are leaders in the respective categories," says Terry Andre, senior vice president of marketing for ForeFront. "Our hope is that our trade customers have the opportunity to hear our brand messages while attending the Show.

"The PGA Merchandise Show provides a company of our size the opportunity to meet with customers our sales force cannot reach in the field, which translates into sales opportunities. With a limited marketing budget, this marketing opportunity is important."

For a large company such as ForeFront Group, Inc., the PGA Merchandise Show is the most efficient way to showcase products from its many brands -- Burton Golf, Datrek, Devant Sport Towels, Miller Golf and Sir Christopher Hatton. ForeFront and its subsidiaries have been designing, manufacturing, decorating and marketing premium quality golf accessory products since 1907.

"The PGA Merchandise Show is a great opportunity to tell our story and share our vision to help PGA Professionals and retailers enhance business," says Rick Olesyk, ForeFront Group president and chief operating officer. "Our licensing and distribution agreements with the NCAA, NFL, PGA Tour, Champions Tour, LPGA, Nationwide Tour, Ryder Cup and Top of the World Headwear allow us to do things that other accessory companies are unable to do. The PGA Show always delivers new customers when they see the variety of golf bags and accessories we can produce with custom colors and custom team logos."

As is evident, the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show also provides a can't-miss experience for participating companies. Just call it the Show Experience.

This story appears courtesy of PGA Magazine.