1997 PGA Merchandise Show

January 24, 1997

Orlando, Florida

I knew the PGA Merchandise Show would be different from any show that I have ever attended. ... I didn't know my departure from D/FW Airport also would be.

Cruising up to the booth to pick up my parking ticket, I was surprised to be stopped by the attendant, who got out of his tiny box, and looked over my car. He proceeded to write down my license plate and vehicle registration number, before returning to his box. "Security reasons," was his only explanation. Oh.

Then, while attempting to board the plane, I handed the attendant my ticket. What do you know, he held up the mob of overbooked, impatient passengers until a manager came over to examine my ticket. Only after successfully showing him my drivers license, did I get a chance to safely board the plane, without any explanation.

Of course, as luck would have it, the elderly couple behind me during the investigation happened to be seated next to me on the plane. It took about an hour before I think they finally realized that I was ok, and neither a VIP, or a very dangerous person.

Leaving the Orlando airport, I saw my first sign of how big this show might be. The first billboard out of the airport was for Cleveland Golf - be sure to see us at booth ##. Wow, a billboard for a booth.

Waking up a little late the next morning after not receiving my wake-up call, I turned on the TV, only to find the Golf Show being broadcast live over the local cable channel. Hey, visit the golf show from your hotel room. Or better yet, tape it and go see Mickey Mouse. Your employer would never know the difference.

Later that evening, after returning from the show and dinner, I flipped on the TV to see, you guessed it, the PGA show replay.

On to the show...

I never realized how big 1 million square feet is. Over 1300 exhibitors. 30% larger than last years. I didn't come close to seeing it all. It must be 20 times larger than the biggest show I had previously attended, the Dallas Golf show at Infomart.

The layout is row after row of golf merchandise, some with 2 story high-tech displays. Everything imaginable is here and more. After a while it became a blur. It's too much to comprehend. I never knew how many different types of irons, drivers, and putters there are. Of course, I began playing in the era of Hogans, Wilson, and MacGregor, with a newcomer Ping emerging, but it wasn't really that long ago.

I saw titanium everything, shafts in neon that looked like ski poles, and heads in all colors, including hunter green, tarheel blue, and bright lemonade pink. Maybe if your game doesn't scare your opponent, your clubs can. Especially if they didn't bring their sunglasses.

One trend that seemed to show up frequently was equipment to help with alignment. There were alignment balls, alignment putters, and alignment irons. All promising to take 3 to 6 strokes off your score. With this in mind, I figured purchasing the irons, putters and balls would take 9 to 18 strokes off my game. Hey, Tiger Woods watch out. I am Alignment Man.

I saw Chi Chi and Brad Faxon walking the aisles. Butch Harmon packed the Cobra booth with his lessons, which were broadcast by about a dozen TVs, for those that couldn't see the stage. I think Sam Snead will be there tomorrow, but I don't remember when or where.

There were waiting lines to see reps with the big manufacturers, who have set up those little clear booths, that look alarmingly like what you see at car dealers. Do the golf salesman have to go see their managers to check on prices, and let you sit there for 20 minutes? I hope not, but there was no time to find out.

Surprisingly, I avoided the anticipated Tigermania today, but I am sure I must have been in the wrong places. Nike and Titleist await for tomorrow.

I like to check out the little guys, on the rise with exciting new ideas and concepts, most of which will probably fail. Do we really need about 25 different golf shop management software packages? Who dreamed up these crazy swing trainers, most of which look like a recipe for back trouble?

Two of my favorites --- the golf ball retrieverabout the size of a ruler that extends to approximately 30 feet. And Dr. Bert's Squirt. Being one who doesn't like the greasy, oily residue that often remains after applying lotion sunscreen, I think the Squirt sunblock has potential. The non-aerosol bottle also claims to have a natural herbal blend solution that doesn't attract bugs. Sounds like a winner to me.

Watch for it, and about a thousand other new products in your golf shops this spring.

Tomorrow, the amazing Denny Dent and his unique painting style, and a live cybercast from the show on the Internet at www.pga.com.

Golf in the SouthWest - www.golfsw.com