- Aug 20, 2005
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United States
Its that time of year again.
The entire golf world has descended up the Orange County Covent ion Center in Orlando, Florida for the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show. PGA Professionals, buyers, sellers, OEM's, media, and anyone who could find a way to get a ticket to pass through the show doors and onto the floor is here. For the next 3 days, we will become one on a floor that is longer than 3 football fields and loaded with just about any product or service that you could imagine for use in the golfing world.
Unfortunately, the numbers of attendees is significantly down from the past few years and I do not need to wait for the official numbers at the end of the week to tell you so. With the entire planet struggling with a downward trending global economy, show attendance and the number of vendors on the floor has tapered off. Late in the game before the show, the floor plan was revised to provide wider aisles on the show floor as enough vendors had pulled out that there was no need to pack everyone in as tight as a Tokyo subway as rush hour. While the wider aisles are welcome, there really was not a need for them this year. The number of show attendees is definitely down as there is a lot of clear space in the aisles regardless what time of day it is. In a day one first, I did not get run over or bumped into once all day today. Taking photos was easy as I did not have to fight groups of on lookers waiting to see the latest and greatest clubs. In some ways it is a harsh reminder of the state the country and the world is in right now. Golf is a luxury item in most households, and as more households suffer in the economy, golfing spending has been reigned in.
(The Opening of the doors. No where near the crowd it has been in the past few years)
Even with the lower turn out, there are some bright spots. Titleist has returned as a major vendor to the show for the first time in many years. Ping is celebrating their 50th anniversary by celebrating their past as they look to the future. Cleveland Srixon is back with the value price Launcher that is quickly finding its way into their tour players bags.
As the days go on, I will be adding more information into the Shottalk Forum for your viewing pleasure. Additionally, Sling created a 2009 PGA Merchandise Show Gallery in the Gallery section where there are already 40 pictures as of 8PM and that number will continue to grow as I download more images over the next week.
Enjoy,
ualtim
The entire golf world has descended up the Orange County Covent ion Center in Orlando, Florida for the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show. PGA Professionals, buyers, sellers, OEM's, media, and anyone who could find a way to get a ticket to pass through the show doors and onto the floor is here. For the next 3 days, we will become one on a floor that is longer than 3 football fields and loaded with just about any product or service that you could imagine for use in the golfing world.
Unfortunately, the numbers of attendees is significantly down from the past few years and I do not need to wait for the official numbers at the end of the week to tell you so. With the entire planet struggling with a downward trending global economy, show attendance and the number of vendors on the floor has tapered off. Late in the game before the show, the floor plan was revised to provide wider aisles on the show floor as enough vendors had pulled out that there was no need to pack everyone in as tight as a Tokyo subway as rush hour. While the wider aisles are welcome, there really was not a need for them this year. The number of show attendees is definitely down as there is a lot of clear space in the aisles regardless what time of day it is. In a day one first, I did not get run over or bumped into once all day today. Taking photos was easy as I did not have to fight groups of on lookers waiting to see the latest and greatest clubs. In some ways it is a harsh reminder of the state the country and the world is in right now. Golf is a luxury item in most households, and as more households suffer in the economy, golfing spending has been reigned in.
(The Opening of the doors. No where near the crowd it has been in the past few years)
Even with the lower turn out, there are some bright spots. Titleist has returned as a major vendor to the show for the first time in many years. Ping is celebrating their 50th anniversary by celebrating their past as they look to the future. Cleveland Srixon is back with the value price Launcher that is quickly finding its way into their tour players bags.
As the days go on, I will be adding more information into the Shottalk Forum for your viewing pleasure. Additionally, Sling created a 2009 PGA Merchandise Show Gallery in the Gallery section where there are already 40 pictures as of 8PM and that number will continue to grow as I download more images over the next week.
Enjoy,
ualtim
Get your priorities straight man! lol
