The 71st PGA Show – golf’s global gathering — begins in earnest Wednesday at the Orange County Convention Center with PGA of America Golf Professionals, retailers and industry executives from 84 countries and all 50 states converging in Orlando to chart the course for golf’s 2024 business cycle.
Things officially tee off Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. with a special opening ceremony in the central lobby of the Orange County Convention Center featuring PGA of America President John Lindert, PGA Chief Executive Officer Seth Waugh and other special guests focusing on the theme of the PGA’s new “We Love This Game” campaign. Host Lauren Thompson of NBC Sports Next will join Lindert and Waugh in discussing briefly the PGA’s rebranding and what PGA of America Golf Professionals and attendees can expect at the 2024 PGA Show.
Lindert will also make a special announcement regarding a PGA of America milestone, before welcoming everyone to the 71st PGA Show and throwing the doors open to the 1 million square feet of exhibition space that includes 10 specialty pavilions, five performance stages, and a leaderboard of more than 60 PGA Education seminars, special events, and networking opportunities during the next three days.
More than 7,000 PGA Golf Professionals and 900 VIP buyers representing some 660 golf facilities and mass merchandisers are attending the 2024 PGA Show to source products and services of 1,000 exhibiting companies and brands. VIP buyers attending the 2024 PGA Show represent approximately $800 million in purchasing power and nearly $2 billion in retail sales.
The PGA Show is the most significant business event for the global golf community each year,” notes Lindert.
The PGA of America Industry Stage presented by CapTech will be busy Wednesday, with Lindert joining PGA staff to discuss the new “We Love This Game” campaign and the PGA of America rebranding at 3 p.m., followed by the unveiling of the 2024 PGA National Award recipients at 4 p.m.
Other special events on Wednesday include the Acushnet Opening Presentation at 8:30 a.m. in the Linda W. Chapin Theatre featuring 2023 Open Champion-Titleist Ambassador Brian Harman and Jim Nantz of CBS Sports; a special appearance at the DeDwiz booth (1700) by World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam at 11 a.m.; and the popular PGA Show Live Fashion Show in the new Concert Hall E at OCCC at 5:30 p.m. The high-energy PGA Show Fashion Show will be preceded by a Fashion Show Industry Reception for PGA Show attendees at 5 p.m. in the new Concert Lounge.