Heard at the PGA Show (All)

  • “It’s great to see so many companies launching new products at the PGA Show this year. That’s the way it should be – introducing new products at the PGA Show so PGA Professionals can try them and take the information back to their club members. This is ideal.” —Andy Mickelson, PGA, Director of Golf, Mistwood Golf Club, Romeoville, Illinois
  • “It’s always busy on opening day at the PGA Show, but the first two days of he Show seems busier than busy this year. I came down early this week for the PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit, and it was the largest ever we were told. That has carried over to the PGA Show floor, which reflects how golf has grown on all levels the past few years.”
    —Joseph Dingledine, PGA, Head Professional, Country Club of Barre (Vermont)
  • “This is my first PGA Show, and I spent Wednesday morning at several education sessions that were extremely informative. Walking the PGA Show floor is out of this world – so many great products and new ideas. There are a bunch of companies here who we never see in Kansas City, so it’s a great chance to order new products.” —Ben Johnson, PGA Head Golf Professional at Fred Arbanas Golf Course in Kansas City, Missouri
  • “It seems like the PGA Show keeps growing by leaps and bounds, especially since the pandemic. It’s just like the good ol’ days, although it might be more crowded. This is really something.”—David Labinski, PGA, Head Professional, Dretzka Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • “Networking with partners is our main focus here – meeting with regional sales managers and marketing teams from multiple vendors in one location is huge. We’re looking for new accessory items and training aids, in addition to potential display ideas. The close proximity of all the vendors makes it easy here.” —Daren MacKinnon, PGA, Assistant Golf Professional and Director of Club Fitting, Pine Oaks Golf Course, South Eaton, Massachusetts
  • “What excites me the most about coming here is taking time to walk through each aisle, looking for small booths that provide unique items I might only encounter here. Discovering these special finds is one of the most important aspects of the Show for me.” —Ian Ziska, PGA, Head Golf Professional, American Dunes Golf Club, Grand Haven, Michigan
  • “This year, we are looking for men’s and women’s member-guest tournament gifts, as well as new hat applications and possibly a women’s clothing vendor. I’m impressed by what I’ve seen the first two days of the Show.” —John Fields, PGA, Director of Golf, Belmont (Massachusetts) Country Club 
  • “Each year I supplement my meetings on the Show floor with time to look for diamonds in the rough. The product assortment here is outstanding this year.” —Mike Adkins, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, Owings Mills, Maryland
  • “I’ve come to the PGA Show for at least 20 years, and every year I come I find something new and exciting for our golf shop. I like to keep our inventory fresh for our members, and the best way to do that is to walk the aisles of the PGA Show and see everything that’s out there. Today, I found headcovers I can customize for our member-guest event and to sell in the shop.” —Justin Japour, PGA, Director of Golf, Sunset Hills Country Club, Carrollton, Georgia
  • “It’s always interesting to talk to people during the first two days of the PGA Show to get their input and perspective on our new Callaway golf balls and new Elyte equipment. Sometimes I just listen and learn from their perspectives. The energy and enthusiasm at the Show the first two days and the Demo Day have been off the charts. The new Callaway Chrome Soft Tour Triple Diamond won’t be released officially until Jan. 31, but it’s already the talk of the Show in our booth.” —Mike Brennan, Senior Manager, Golf Balls, Callaway Golf 
  • “There is only one way to stay abreast of the newest technologies in clubs and golf equipment, and that’s coming to the PGA Show, where all the companies are under one roof. It has almost become a situation where if you have last year’s driver, you have a VHS tape from 15 years ago. You’re behind the times. The future is now at the PGA Show.”
    —Chris Sheffield, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Yocha Dehe Golf Club, Brooks, California 
  • “The variety of apparel companies at the PGA Show this year is dynamite – everybody has new offerings. I also got in a couple of PGA Education sessions, which were fabulous. That’s the beauty of the PGA Show – there are so many things to do and companies to see, but only nine hours or so every day to accomplish everything.” —Chris Champagne, PGA, Head Professional at The Preserve Golf Club, Biloxi, Mississippi 
  • “It’s a great time to be a PGA Professional, and Demo Day is still the greatest opportunity in the world to see all the new equipment – despite the weather.” —Thomas Moore, PGA, Director of Golf, The Hills Country Club, Austin, Texas“The Cobra people were having a lot of fun and their new drivers are some of the longest I have hit.” —Megan Leineweber, PGA, Head Professional, Stonewall Links, Elverson, Pennsylvania 
  • “This is my 38th PGA Show and for at least the last 20 years, Demo Day is always my first stop of the week.” —James Hilton, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Ould Newbury Golf Club, Newbury, Massachusett
  • “This is an absolutely fabulous opportunity to see and hit for ourselves so many high-tech clubs in one place.” —Joanne Mills, International PGA Professional and Club Manager, Goulburn (Australia) Golf Club 
  • “Even with the rain, we have had a lot of people hitting balls and literally seeing how our clubs perform for themselves. The response to our new DS-Adapt drivers with 33 different hosel settings has been phenomenal.” —Doug Roberts, Senior Director, Club Design and R&D, Cobra Puma Golf 
  • “My biggest goal this year is to network with some of the courses and look for product in the $75 to $95 range. We’re coming off a COVID high, where shops that used to carry one $120 brand are now carrying five or six of those brands. People are traveling more and there’s only so much they’re going to spend at one place.” — Laura Robinson, Director of Retail, Pinehurst (North Carolina) Resort