- Aug 20, 2005
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There will never be another PGA Merchandise show like your first one. You walk on to a floor just filled with miles and miles of equipment, training aids, golf course architecture, every conceivable golf fashion item, and then a plethora of other items that do not fall into any specific category. You run into to sellers that run the range from a 3 card monty dealer all they way to the Wall Street investor with a line of people just waiting to buy his or her wares. Every booth is trying to catch your eye or, more importantly, a moment of your time in a attempt to get you to pay attention to there product. Products from as lowly as a single golf tee, up to $10,000 USD Scotties, all they way to a souped up fleet of golf carts that will set you back six figures. Everything and anything that is remotely related to golf is there.
Last year was my rookie year at the show and I just about burned myself out trying to get a good look at just half of the floor over three days. This year I walked the floor with a little less lofty a goal. Its just too big to take in all at once.
The 2008 PGA Merchandise show was highlighted by a return of Ping who had been absent from the show for several years. Ping, along with Srixon and Callaway were among the key sponsors that highlighted the equipment area of the show and brought their latest weapons of grass destruction for all to view. Also on the show floor with increased presence this year were Bridgestone and Nickent with significantly larger display areas and each armed with just released equipment that will be shipping out to retail locations near you.
A hot topic at this year's show were the new releases of drivers designed to take advantage of the new club adjustability rules. Both Callaway and Nickent had pre-release versions of their drivers that will take advantage of the new rule. Each company claims that the swing weight remains identical to their standard offerings and will mimic their performance if shafted with a similar shaft. Ping is also on the verge of releasing their version of the quick change shaft concept, but at this time, it is only intended for club fitting purposes and will not be released to the consumer market at the present time. Callaway is marketing their system as a completely modular system. Choose the head (FT5 and FTi) and style (draw, neutral, fade) and mate it to several different shaft offerings. Nickent, on the other hand, is going to release their version in a multi shaft set up focusing on the UST V2 and UST V2 High Launch. Other shafts will be available, but the initial product offering is coming with both versions of the V2 in one box.
One of the most impressive aspects that I found changed from last year was the number of OEM's that are really putting a focus on set make up rather than trying to sell everyone a standard 3-PW set. Bridgestone is offering up its 3 versions of the new J36 irons as a mix and match set that allows the end consumer and club fitter to put the right mix of blades, pocket cavities, and cavity backs in their bags along with some hybrid options. Ping has taken their club fitting system and advanced it into the digital age. Their new nFlight software takes their current fitting information and combines it with launch monitor technology to get hyper accurate ball flight measurements and club to club gap data in order for their club fitter to get you into the right club styles and set make up.
Two of the most impressive come backs at the show this year are MacGregor and Wilson. 25 years ago, they were the top two brands on the planet and were dominating the professional tours. 10 years ago, they had both just about disappeared from the professional golf tours. This year, both are phoenix rising out of the ashes. For Wilson, this is their second year of promoting a new effort to get more tour pros and releasing relevant clubs for all levels of golfer. The fat shaft still remains in ultra game improvement models, but the new lines aimed at the low to mid handicappers are running top of the line shafts in standard tips which will allow a level of customization that those golfers demand. MacGregor's 2008 line up represents a quantum leap from their MacTec line up of the past few years. The 2008 MT line up are some of the nicest looking irons I have ever seen from the MT Muscle backs all the way to their super game improvement line of MT Oversize. Clean, beautiful lines with low key graphics. The look is timeless. Even the larger headed MT Mids or MT Oversize hide their offset well so it still looks like your playing with a golf club rather than a shovel. Simply breathtaking. MacGregor and Wilson just may have recaptured history and we may see their clubs sales jump as a result.
The 2008 PGA Merchandise show was loaded with surprises all around. Several OEM's have stepped up to the plate with incredible club offerings. Component companies such as Golfsmith and Geek are continually gaining ground in their market share, but the OEM's are starting to fight back with improved customization options. If you are to judge the up coming golf year based on the PGA Merchandise show, 2008 is going to be a year of change.
ualtim
Last year was my rookie year at the show and I just about burned myself out trying to get a good look at just half of the floor over three days. This year I walked the floor with a little less lofty a goal. Its just too big to take in all at once.
The 2008 PGA Merchandise show was highlighted by a return of Ping who had been absent from the show for several years. Ping, along with Srixon and Callaway were among the key sponsors that highlighted the equipment area of the show and brought their latest weapons of grass destruction for all to view. Also on the show floor with increased presence this year were Bridgestone and Nickent with significantly larger display areas and each armed with just released equipment that will be shipping out to retail locations near you.
A hot topic at this year's show were the new releases of drivers designed to take advantage of the new club adjustability rules. Both Callaway and Nickent had pre-release versions of their drivers that will take advantage of the new rule. Each company claims that the swing weight remains identical to their standard offerings and will mimic their performance if shafted with a similar shaft. Ping is also on the verge of releasing their version of the quick change shaft concept, but at this time, it is only intended for club fitting purposes and will not be released to the consumer market at the present time. Callaway is marketing their system as a completely modular system. Choose the head (FT5 and FTi) and style (draw, neutral, fade) and mate it to several different shaft offerings. Nickent, on the other hand, is going to release their version in a multi shaft set up focusing on the UST V2 and UST V2 High Launch. Other shafts will be available, but the initial product offering is coming with both versions of the V2 in one box.
One of the most impressive aspects that I found changed from last year was the number of OEM's that are really putting a focus on set make up rather than trying to sell everyone a standard 3-PW set. Bridgestone is offering up its 3 versions of the new J36 irons as a mix and match set that allows the end consumer and club fitter to put the right mix of blades, pocket cavities, and cavity backs in their bags along with some hybrid options. Ping has taken their club fitting system and advanced it into the digital age. Their new nFlight software takes their current fitting information and combines it with launch monitor technology to get hyper accurate ball flight measurements and club to club gap data in order for their club fitter to get you into the right club styles and set make up.
Two of the most impressive come backs at the show this year are MacGregor and Wilson. 25 years ago, they were the top two brands on the planet and were dominating the professional tours. 10 years ago, they had both just about disappeared from the professional golf tours. This year, both are phoenix rising out of the ashes. For Wilson, this is their second year of promoting a new effort to get more tour pros and releasing relevant clubs for all levels of golfer. The fat shaft still remains in ultra game improvement models, but the new lines aimed at the low to mid handicappers are running top of the line shafts in standard tips which will allow a level of customization that those golfers demand. MacGregor's 2008 line up represents a quantum leap from their MacTec line up of the past few years. The 2008 MT line up are some of the nicest looking irons I have ever seen from the MT Muscle backs all the way to their super game improvement line of MT Oversize. Clean, beautiful lines with low key graphics. The look is timeless. Even the larger headed MT Mids or MT Oversize hide their offset well so it still looks like your playing with a golf club rather than a shovel. Simply breathtaking. MacGregor and Wilson just may have recaptured history and we may see their clubs sales jump as a result.
The 2008 PGA Merchandise show was loaded with surprises all around. Several OEM's have stepped up to the plate with incredible club offerings. Component companies such as Golfsmith and Geek are continually gaining ground in their market share, but the OEM's are starting to fight back with improved customization options. If you are to judge the up coming golf year based on the PGA Merchandise show, 2008 is going to be a year of change.
ualtim