Editor’s Note: Brickyard Crossing PGA Head Professional Jeff Schroeder is attending the 55th PGA Merchandise Show from Jan. 17-19 in Orlando, Fla., a huge gathering of PGA Golf Professionals to preview new merchandise for the upcoming season. Schroeder will share his impressions through this series of blogs.
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What do golf professionals do in the offseason if your course is covered with snow and the temperatures are below freezing? Some of us come down to Orlando, Fla., for four days to see what the latest and greatest new technologies are in the golf industry.
The 2008 PGA Merchandise Show began Thursday Jan. 17 and will run through Saturday, Jan. 19. The “Show,” as I like to call it, is 10 miles of show aisles and more than 500,000 square feet of interactive exhibition space.
The show is attended by thousands of PGA professionals and more than 1,250 leading golf marketing and manufacturing companies. There are 80 countries represented at the show and more than 45,000 golf-industry professionals.
My day Thursday started at 8 a.m. with our Nike apparel rep, who showed their line for 2008. The main thing about golf apparel these days is that every company is promoting what they call tech fabrics. Tech fabrics basically wick away the moisture from your body to keep you cool while you play.
Other new innovations introduced Thursday are companies are now starting to produce garments that are recyclable. Ashworth apparel company even has an Organic line of clothing.
My next appointment took me to our good friends at Bridgestone Golf. Bridgestone introduced three new models of irons called the J36 iron. It is a forged iron that is available in a blade model and two cavity back models. Their four models of golf balls also are on the Hot List of golf products tested. Check back on our Web site - www.brickyardcrossing.com - for future announcements concerning Bridgestone and Brickyard Crossing.
Another neat thing about the “Show” is that many companies have their Tour players make appearances at their booths to sign autographs. Other well-known celebrities also appear. Today’s lineup included: Jim Furyk, Charles Howell III, Brandt Snedeker (PGA Tour Rookie of the Year), Fuzzy Zoeller, Justin Rose, Annika Sorenstam, David Leadbetter and baseball great Johnny Damon. Check in Saturday, and I will let you know who we spotted Friday.
Well, that’s it for today. Check back with us Saturday, Jan. 19 for more from the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing