From the Trunks of Cars in 1954 to Global Industry Event Featuring Multiple New Programs in 2013
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – The PGA Merchandise Show will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2013 and mark the occasion with a nod to its rich history while introducing multiple new business programs and events, Jan. 23-26, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. Registration for PGA Professionals, golf buyers and industry leaders is now available online at www.pgashow.com.
An industry institution since 1954 when a parking lot and the trunks of cars were the collective showcase for a handful of golf merchandisers, the PGA Merchandise Show has grown to host more than 40,000 influential PGA Professionals, manufacturing executives, VIP retailers, industry leaders and top decision-makers from around the world at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) within nearly one million square feet of interactive exhibit, product demonstration and industry presentation space.
Proven, successful programs such as the PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day, the PGA Forum Stage, New Product Zone and others will return along with a host of new industry resources highlighted by an expanded PGA Education Program offering a three-hour Fast Track Industry Course, Instructional Workshops at Demo Day and a redesigned Education Conference focusing on three core topic tracks. Additionally, the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show will feature a new FIT to W.I.N. Pavilion sponsored by the Titleist Performance Institute and a new Fashion Showcase and Networking Lounge in the Apparel Hall.
“The PGA Merchandise Show has a rich history of helping our industry move the business of golf forward,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “Since its founding, the Show has been a much-anticipated yearly gathering of influential leaders and peers, a launch pad for game-changing products and a resource to help us all do our jobs better. It has evolved into a global business platform unlike any other featuring extensive product displays, hands-on equipment testing, unparalleled education opportunities, collaborative presentations by leading golf organizations, and multiple business resources across a variety of industry sectors.”
2013 PGA Merchandise Show
New in 2013 ~ PGA Education Program
PGA Education Conference ~ The traditional PGA Merchandise Show Education Conference is streamlined for PGA Professionals and industry leaders to focus on three core subject matters – instruction, leadership and player development – and will be presented by the industry’s foremost experts on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 24 & 25, at the OCCC. (1 PGA Education MSR credit per seminar)
Fast Track Golf Industry Course ~ This condensed three-hour morning course on Friday, Jan. 25, at the OCCC, will provide critical information on current industry conditions, golf business trends and career planning led by the industry’s leading employers for PGA Professionals and industry executives. (3 MSR credits)
Demo Day Instructional Workshops ~ The industry’s leading golf instructors will provide insight into becoming a world class teacher, instructor, and coach to today’s consumers. Hands-on skill instruction will be provided at the Orange County National Golf Center, on Wednesday, Jan. 23, during the PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day. (3 MSR credits)
New in 2013 ~ FIT to W.I.N. Pavilion ~ The new FIT to W.I.N. pavilion sponsored by the Titleist Performance Institute will focus on health benefits of golf along with the programs and products that aid in increasing performance. Additional specialty exhibitor pavilions include: Golf Travel; New Exhibitor Discovery Zone; PGA Sponsors & Licensees; and International Exhibitors.
New in 2013 ~ Fashion Showcase & Networking Lounge ~ An apparel buyers lounge featuring a display of the latest apparel designs and new apparel accessory companies.
PGA Merchandise Show Product Presentations ~ More than 1,000 top golf companies and brands within nearly one million gross square feet of interactive exhibit, demonstration and presentation space create the world’s largest business-to-business golf event, Jan. 24-26. Leading companies include Titleist, FootJoy, Callaway Golf, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, PING, Cobra Puma Golf, Bridgestone Golf, Ashworth, Adams, Ahead, Cutter & Buck, PGA Authentic, Greg Norman Collection, E.P. Pro, Bobby Jones, Nike Golf, Antigua, Peter Millar, Linksoul, Mizuno, Carnoustie, Fairway & Greene, Polo, Gear for Sports, Sunice, Wilson Golf, Under Armour, Yonex and many more.
PGA Forum Stage ~ The PGA of America and industry leaders address the game’s most pressing topics, player development initiatives, new equipment introductions, golf employment, teaching best practices, merchandising ideas and more at the PGA Forum Stage, anchoring the Equipment Hall.
PGA Show Equipment Test Center ~ Indoor Demo Days comes inside the OCCC to the country’s largest indoor golf range and equipment test center. The PGA Show ETC allows attendees to experience hands-on testing of the newest equipment and the latest advances in technology and design from leading golf companies. The ETC features a scalloped layout of some 47 hitting bays, a putting green and a PGA Short Game Challenge Area.
New Product Zone ~ The popular “New Product Zone,” a Show floor destination that some 87 percent of attendees visit, will showcase hundreds of the newest equipment, apparel, products and accessories in one convenient setting.
Inventor’s Spotlight ~ The United Inventors Association (UIA) and Invention Home are co-hosting the Inventor’s Spotlight, a specialty area for innovative new products or services not in the marketplace.
PGA Show Week Special Events
PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day ~ Open exclusively to PGA Professionals and invited retailers, the 11th Annual PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day, organized by PGA Golf Exhibitions and PGA Magazine, features nearly 100 top golf companies within 200+ hitting bays, practice greens and the vendor village of the 42-acre Orange County National Golf Center on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
AGM Product Preview & Buyers’ Reception, Jan. 23 ~ After a full day of hands-on equipment testing at the PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day and on the eve of the Show opening, the Association of Golf Merchandisers hosts the 6th Annual Product Preview & Buyers’ Reception now open to all Show attendees and conveniently located in the Central Lobby of the OCCC.
PGA Awards Night ~ The PGA of America presents their most prestigious national awards at PGA Awards Night, Jan. 24, at the OCCC Chapin Theater. Award presentations include PGA Professional of the Year, PGA Teacher of the Year, PGA Junior Golf Leader, Bill Strausbaugh Award, Horton Smith Award and the PGA Player Development Award.
13th PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit, Jan. 21 & 22 ~ The PGA of America’s largest educational event attracts international teaching professionals from around the world to its biennial teaching symposium held this year at the Orange County Convention Center prior to the opening of the 60th PGA Merchandise Show.
Pro-Pro Tournaments, presented by PGA Magazine ~ The Pro-Pro Tournaments feature PGA Professionals going head to head with purses ranging up to $5,000 per event based on a full field. The tournaments, Jan. 22 & 23, feature more than 100 players and are located at top golf courses in the Orlando area.
Registration
The PGA Merchandise Show is organized in partnership by PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions, a division of Reed Exhibitions, and The PGA of America. Registration is now open online at www.pgashow.com and is free for all PGA Professionals and allied golf association members. Unaffiliated industry professionals registering before December 1, 2012, may register at no charge. After December 1, 2012, unaffiliated industry professionals may register for a fee of $30. Attendees who are not members of The PGA of America or an allied golf organization will be asked to provide proof of golf industry affiliation upon registering. A portion of the registration proceeds benefit the WE ARE GOLF Foundation.
About the 60th PGA Merchandise Show
The 60th PGA Merchandise Show, held January 24-26, 2013, in Orlando, Fla., will welcome some 1,000 top golf companies and brands and more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to the industry’s annual global summit for the business of golf. The PGA Show Outdoor Demo Day, the world’s largest professional golf testing event, will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the Orange County National Golf Center. During Show days, PGA Professionals, retailers and industry leaders will uncover the latest trends, source the newest golf merchandise, test the latest equipment, learn proven business best practices, network among peers and move forward the business of the game. Organized in partnership with The PGA of America as a trade-only event, the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show will be held in the Orange County Convention Center ~ 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Jan. 24-25; and 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 26. For more information, visit www.pgashow.com.
