Inside Look at This Year's PGA Show
Tori and Ashley are taking us on a quick tour live from the 2024 PGA Show in Orlando to get an exciting insider view of what to expect this year in golf.
Setting the Scene
Tori and Ashley have just arrived in Orlando for a whirlwind 24 hour trip to the PGA Show. They grab a quick dinner before settling into their hotel to record an intro episode teasing what's to come at the show.
Last Minute Travel Drama
Their travel to Orlando was not without some 11th hour drama. Tori had booked bulkhead seats months ago for their flight, but the airline took those seats away at the last minute and didn't inform them. They arrived at the airport to find they had no seat assignments. Luckily there was space for them on the fully booked flight, but they got stuck in the very last row. As Tori says:
“We were on the back of the bus.”
No time to dwell on the travel woes. They have a jam-packed 24 hours ahead...
Optimistic Expectations
While Tori has attended the PGA Show several times before, this is Ashley's first time. She expects the attendee ratio to be about 90% men to 10% women. Tori has set their goals for the short trip:
- Make new vendor connections
- Find some unique products
- Strengthen partnerships with existing vendors
They expect to be very busy over the next 24 hours meeting those goals!
Vendor Perspectives
The next day Tori and Ashley head out bright and early to walk the PGA Show floor and connect with some of their vendor partners about what to expect in the world of golf this year.
The Booth Business
First up is Tara from TJ Sport, a women's golf apparel company. Tara gives an inside look at the 6 month process of getting a booth ready for the big show:
- Reserve your booth space nearly a year in advance
- Work with a company to design and build your custom booth
- Pay fees for electricity, carpet, vacuum cleaning (!), etc.
- Ship your booth materials and samples to the convention center
- Confirm it has arrived safely and set up properly
- Schedule as many appointments as possible in advance
It's clear a huge amount of planning goes into having a presence at the PGA Show. For TJ Sport, it's all about making connections with new accounts and expanding their reach, not their existing customers. The Midwest and Northeast are big targets for them this year.
Customization is Key
Tori and Ashley also chat with Scott from Desert Fox Golf who sells customized accessories like phone caddies, golf carts, and cigar holders. Scott shares that being located in the New Product Zone, he sees a lot of corporate event planners and pro shop reps looking for unique items to use at tournaments and then sell in their pro shops later.
As Scott says:
“It’s not necessarily always about equipment, it’s about the things that you use and complement what you do whenever you’re playing the game.”
So, customization is crucial in his line of work.
Small Brand Spotlight
In the accessory area with Scott, Tori highlights some lesser-known small businesses at the PGA Show that offer products beyond just apparel and equipment:
- Golf ball baskets
- Golf carts
- Tournament gift items
- And much more!
She chats with Heather from Bergy Bags who founded her company in Scottsdale to create fashionable yet functional insulated bags to keep items cool on hot golf days. Heather shares that after successful grassroots marketing at events like the Desert Classic, this is her first time exhibiting at the PGA Show.
Key takeaways from Heather:
- Getting a booth through a small business council helps smaller brands have a presence
- Self-funded startups have to be wise where they spend their marketing dollars
- Her goal is to get orders for member/guest gift bags and tournament swag
- Already seeing great interest and writing orders!
Exciting times for small businesses in golf!
Growing the Game
Tori wraps up day one by noting the optimism amongst exhibitors this year:
“Everyone we asked said it was a record year. They’ve had the best year yet. So, I guess golf is still growing.”
With continued expansion of events and products aimed at women, juniors, diverse communities, and more - the industry does seem poised for growth.
Best of the Rest
To close out day one, Tori and Ashley make two more vendor stops for a quick update:
Golftini
- Premier women's golf loungewear & performance wear brand
- Getting requests for longer skirts this year from buyers
- Launched a men's line here with navys and pinks in classic Golftini fun style
- Giving back more proceeds to breast cancer research
- Wildly busy booth with lots of existing brand fans stopping by
And with that, day one is a wrap!
Day Two Debrief
After a short night's sleep, Tori and Ashley are back at the Orlando airport ready to recap the experience on their way home.
Some key takeaways from their lightning fast, 24-hour PGA Show trip:
- One day was plenty - by day two they'd be ready to head home
- Massive showcase of ALL facets of golf industry all under one roof
- Need better organization and planning for meetings and orders for their upcoming events
- Tight security around biggest brands' booth spaces
- Consistent vendor success and optimism points to a growing industry
They leave excited about new connections made and motivated to start planning for 2024 and beyond!
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