Exhibitor booths bustling with business; product and educational presentations on multiple pavilion stages; a strong lineup of PGA Education Conference seminars; an impressive list of appearances by golf experts and celebrities; and numerous special events culminating with an upbeat Live Fashion Show marked a busy first day at the 71st PGA Show on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Golf’s global gathering at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) officially began with an upbeat opening ceremony that set the tone for an electric opening day, as PGA of America Golf Professionals, retailers and industry executives from 84 countries and all 50 states flooded the one million net square feet of exhibition space on the PGA Show floor to source the latest products from 1,000-plus companies, test the latest technology and innovations, and connect with colleagues to begin the 2024 business cycle.
The 2024 PGA Show teed off Wednesday morning with a special announcement during the opening ceremony in the central lobby of the OCCC. Embracing the “We Love This Game” campaign, PGA of America President John Lindert declared the 2024 PGA Show open for business after revealing that the Association has surpassed 30,000 members for the first time in its 100-plus year history.
“Our 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals are at the heart of our ‘We Love This Game’ campaign, and I can say 30,000 PGA Golf Professionals for the first time in history,” said Lindert. “The growth in the number of PGA Golf Professionals reflects the growth and popularity of the game.”
Added PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Seth Waugh: “The health of the game and the business of golf have never been better, which is evident by the miles and miles of products and innovations at the PGA Show this year. This is not your grandparents’ PGA Show.”
The first official day of exhibitions and special events at the PGA Show is always exciting, and an all-star lineup of celebrities and luminaries made the 2024 opening day as popular and eventful as the opening day of the Major League Baseball or NFL seasons.
“Opening day at the PGA Show is one of the special days on the sports calendar for me; it’s something I always look forward to,” said CBS Sports’ Jim Nantz, who emceed the Acushnet-Titleist Presentation Wednesday morning in the OCCC’s Linda W. Chapin Theater. Nantz, who was recently enshrined in the PGA of America Hall of Fame, conducted a fireside chat with 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman, who relived his first major championship at Royal Liverpool before walking the PGA Show floor.
“This is a crazy crowded, and I mean crazy in a good way,” said Harman, who three days ago was half a world away playing in the Dubai Classic on the DP World Tour. “I’ve never been to the PGA Show before – it just didn’t fit my schedule, but this shows how popular golf has become. It’s the hottest game in town, especially this week in Orlando.”
Five-time British Open champion Tom Watson was also part of opening day at the PGA Show Wednesday, appearing on a panel discussion focused on growing the game for junior golfers on the PGA of America Industry Stage presented by CapTech. Watson, a two-time Masters champion and the 1982 U.S. Open winner, is the founder of Watson Links, which is dedicated to mentoring young golfers and providing access to golf courses so youths can enjoy the “game of a lifetime.”
“It’s important that we do everything within our power to encourage kids to play golf, which includes taking three hours a week or a month to serve as a mentor,” said Watson. “In Kansas City where I grew up, we have a course called Wee Links with 30-yard holes and six-inch cups. You can put together a Wee Links on one acre of land, and it’s ideal for teaching kids how to play the game. When I was growing up, my dad took me to a course and we always played winter rules. If you hit the fairway, you could tee it up but if you missed the fairway you had to play it as it lies. It was great fun and taught me to enjoy the game.”
More than 30,000 golf industry professionals have registered for the 2024 PGA Show, and a vast majority of those registrants appeared to be in attendance on opening day Wednesday. In fact, the challenge on a busy opening day was making sure attendees were able to visit all the “hot spots” such as 10 specialty pavilions/areas on the PGA Show floor.
“It’s bigger, better and busier than ever this year,” proclaimed Pamela Storz, PGA, Head Golf Professional at The Landings Course at Lake Oconee Golf Club in Georgia. “Fortunately, I made several appointments in the apparel and headwear part of the Show. It’s great to see such a variety of vendors. I was able to find a lot of tournament gifts from companies that I had never seen before, which was great.”
“Golf is booming and so is the PGA Show based on what I experienced today,” judged PGA Life Member Ty Andersen of Lakeland, Florida, who is attending his 32nd PGA Show this week. “I’ve seen the PGA Show evolve over the years, but I don’t remember it being this big or this busy. It’s a great sign for golf.”
Dan Ladd, President of Cobra Puma Golf North America, was pleased with the traffic on opening day at the PGA Show and believes a busy PGA Show reflects a busy year for Cobra Puma and the golf industry.
“We’re building on a record year last year in golf, and the first day at the PGA Show again demonstrates how diverse the game is,” noted Ladd, who said Cobra completed 1,200 fittings at Demo Day on Tuesday and continued that momentum on Wednesday. “Every company in golf is always looking at their return on investment when they participate in the PGA Show, but we believe it is a great way to reach a maximum number of people interested in our products in a three- or four-day window. We make it a point to produce technologically advanced products for players at every level. We place the emphasis on having an enjoyable experience, and we never lose sight of that.”
Opening day at the PGA Show concluded with the annual PGA Show Live Fashion Show Wednesday evening, with the new concert lounge in Hall E of the convention center converted into a fashion runway for attendees to view the latest in apparel and accessories from leading designers and brands.