Sticks & Styx: Outdoor Demo Day, concert kick off '09 Show

Thousands of PGA Professionals, VIP retailers and media enjoyed a sneak preview of 2009 golf equipment on Wednesday during the seventh annual Outdoor Demo Day, which signaled the opening of the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. Later in the day, that same group got to rocking and rolling to the sounds of Dennis DeYoung performing the music of legendary rock band Styx.

ORLANDO -- The opening bell rang on the 56th PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando on Wednesday, with an air of optimism and two major special events serving as upbeat preludes to the opening of the 2009 Show on Thursday morning at the Orange County Convention Center.

Billed as the ultimate "Try Before You Buy" opportunity and the largest "Test Fest" in North America, the 7th Annual Outdoor Demo Day officially teed off PGA Merchandise Show Week Wednesday at the 42-acre practice facility in the round at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla.

Thousands of PGA Professionals, VIP retailers and media enjoyed a sneak preview of 2009 golf equipment, training aids, performance wear and golf accessories while testing the latest innovations of more than 90 companies. On a breezy but beautiful day, attendees utilized 100 hitting bays and three putting-chipping greens while sampling a litany of new products and services during the daylong Outdoor Demo Day.

The 2009 "Test Fest" was presented by PGA Golf Exhibitions and PGA Magazine, with Aldila, Bionic Gloves and Cocona serving as official sponsors.

"The Outdoor Demo Day provides a great platform to become acquainted with and test the latest technology while enjoying the opportunity to evaluate performance in a real golf environment," observed PGA of America President Jim Remy, one of some 40,000 attendees who are using the PGA Merchandise Show to initiate the 2009 business cycle and prepare for the coming year. "It's unusual to be able to test so many products in a one-stop-shopping situation like this, so it is extremely beneficial to see what's new and learn about the technology."

The PGA of America and the Association of Golf Merchandisers also provided a well-attended sneak preview of top apparel products and fashions Wednesday night at the 2nd Annual Product Preview & Buyers' Reception at the Orange County Convention Center.

The product preview by AGM vendor partners featured an industry reception that included Golf World's 100 Best Golf Shops Award Celebration. The festive event, which honored the best in retail, was hosted by Golf Digest/Golf World Fashion Editor Marty Hackel. The 100 Best Golf Shops Award & PGA/AGM reception was followed by a concert featuring Dennis DeYoung performing the music of Styx sponsored by Elations. DeYoung had the crowd tapping their feet and rockin' and rollin' crowd with Styx golden hits such as "Babe," "Come Sail Away," "Lady" and "Mr. Roboto."

The 2009 Outdoor Demo Day featured an electric atmosphere, with Callaway Golf, Titleist, Ping, Cleveland, Srixon, Nike Golf, Tour Edge, Bridgestone, Wilson, Mizuno, Adams Golf, Nickent, Champ Spikes, Maruman, a Who's Who of golf shaft manufacturers, and many other market leaders introducing new equipment lines and inviting attendees to experience performance characteristics of the latest golf clubs and accessories.

Trevor Immelman of South Africa, the 2008 Masters champion, and LPGA standout Suzann Petterssen headlined a clinic and special presentation by Nike Golf to add to the aura of the day, while attendees flocked to the first New Product Preview at Demo Day for a one-stop examination of everything new. Pukka Headwear distributed hats and Bionic Gloves provided golf gloves near the entrance to those in attendance.

After PGA President Remy spoke about challenges facing the golf industry amid the economic downturn and his long affiliation with Nike Golf as a staff professional, touring professionals Immelman and Pettersen talked about their careers, answered questions, and gave an informative clinic at Nike Golf's tent village on the practice tee at Orange County National.

"Last year was a breakout season for me, and I owe much of my success to the Nike equipment I have been fortunate to be involved with since 1999," said Immelman, who credited Nike's STR8FIT technology, which allows interchangeable clubheads and shafts to change the performance characteristics of his driver in 60-90 seconds.

"I had my green jacket on last night, and I was letting some of the guys try it on. Since you get to keep your green jacket for a year after you win The Masters, I'm starting to wear it more and more and more, and I‘m looking forward to defending my title at Augusta in April. Those of us on Tour rely on our equipment every day of the year, and my relationship with Nike has given me the confidence to play my best. That same technology is available to all golfers, which is very important in today's competitive world."

Pettersen, who won five times on the European and LPGA Tour in 2007, is a Nike Golf staffer from head-to-toe, meaning she wears Nike apparel, shoes, hats, and plays Nike clubs and its ball.

"Nike's commitment to excellence and its commitment to its athletes makes it a perfect fit for me as I continue to improve and advance many career," noted Pettersen, who won twice in 2008 in Europe. "Nike looks at its golfers as athletes, which is important to Trevor and myself, since we share the same fitness coach and we approach the game with the same commitment that Nike brings to golf and all sports. It's nice to be all ‘Swooshed Up', as I like to call it."

The welcome mat was out at some 100 hitting bays at Wednesday's Outdoor Demo Day, and a big "Welcome Back" mat was out at the Titleist and Cobra hitting areas.

"It's great to see companies like Titleist and Cobra back at Demo Day and back at the PGA Merchandise Show," observed James Doyle, PGA Professional at Orange County Golf Club in Middletown, N.Y., echoing the sentiments of an estimated 40,000 2009 PGA Merchandise Show attendees. "Their return to the Show is very important. It sends a clear message that they are supporting the game and PGA Professionals, and now it gives us the opportunity to see the newest equipment and put it into action in one place."

"This Demo Day gives us the opportunity to test and try every equipment line in a single day, which is an extraordinary opportunity," noted Bruce Cotton, director of golf at the Escondido Club in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. "It's rare that you can hit so many products, compare those products, and find just the right grip, shaft and head to fit your swing in a matter of minutes. This gives us a chance to really test and evaluate equipment before making our buying decisions."

Large crowds were lined up at all equipment hitting bays to test the latest innovations. Padraig Harrington's 2008 victories in the British Open and PGA Championship attracted a steady stream of "testers" to the Wilson Staff hitting areas at the Outdoor Demo Day.

"It's amazing what happens when one of your staff players like Padraig wins a couple of majors playing your equipment," noted Tim Clarke, general manager of Wilson Golf. "We were fortunate that Padraig trusted our equipment to re-sign with us after his two major championships last year. He truly believes that he has a competitive advantage when he tees it up with our equipment and his performance last year certainly justified our emphasis on R&D that we have put into Wilson Staff equipment the past three years."

"The Demo Day is as important to us as the actual PGA Merchandise Show," noted Harris MacNeill, president of Champ Spikes. "As in any equipment you buy today, the ability to test it first is priceless. Nothing is as satisfying as watching the crowds search us out at Demo Day to change out their spikes and give us feedback on our product."

The Outdoor Demo Day served as a springboard to three days of buying, selling, education and networking at the 56th PGA Merchandise Show, which begins Thursday and runs through Sunday at the spacious Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. More than 1,100 leading golf manufacturers will show off their latest, greatest products and innovations over 10 miles of Show aisles and 1.1 million square feet of interactive exhibition space during the next three days (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET daily) in the world's largest golf supermarket.

More than 70 Education Conference seminars will focus on the challenging economy and other golf-industry issues Thursday through Saturday. Meanwhile, the Show floor and the PGA Equipment Forum will be bursting at the seams with the newest golf products. Participating PGA Merchandise Show exhibitors include golf's top market leaders such as adidas, Ahead, Antigua, Bridgestone Golf, Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Cutter & Buck, EP Pro, Fairway & Greene, Gear For Sports, Greg Norman Collection, Nike Golf, PING, PUMA, Tehama, Titleist, Under Armour, Zero Restriction, plus some 400 companies new to the Show.

Many companies will host celebrity appearances at the Show by PGA and LPGA stars such as Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, Boo Weekley, Paula Creamer, Ian Poulter, Nancy Lopez, Morgan Pressel and many more.