Davis Love III, John Daly, Greg Norman, Lou Holtz, Ron Jaworski, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Jim McLean, Larry Rinker, Bailey Mosier, Matt Adams, Michael Breed and Debbie Doniger join
PGA of America leaders, industry executives and other top PGA Teachers as featured speakers and hosts
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (January 17, 2018) – The PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA at the 65th PGA Merchandise Show will offer a full schedule of compelling speakers and diverse programming for thousands of attending PGA Professionals and industry leaders at the annual “MAJOR of Golf Business,” Jan. 24-26, in Orlando, Fla.
Presentations will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 24, with the event’s keynote program, “100th PGA Championship Celebration” – a panel discussion featuring past PGA Champions Davis Love III and John Daly who will share memorable moments from their major championship victories and announce the PGA’s plans for the upcoming 100th PGA Championship, Aug. 9-12, at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. Additional first-day programming highlights include the Sirius XM Teachers Town Hall featuring Michael Breed, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Jim McLean and Larry Rinker, and programming on technology in golf, environmental initiatives and employment opportunities.
Days 2 and 3 presentations on the PGA Forum Stage, presented by OMEGA, cover a diverse array of topics including golf facility management, industry diversity, growth-of-the-game programs, employment, technology, teaching and a new live fashion show.
“The 2018 PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA covers a wide scope of meaningful presentations designed to inspire important dialogue that will help move forward the careers of our PGA Professionals, their businesses, the golf industry and growth of the game,” said PGA of America President Paul Levy. “It’s great to see so many industry leaders utilize this platform to connect with so many PGA Professionals, buyers and golf executives gathering in Orlando.”
Organized by the PGA of America, the PGA Forum Stage was introduced in 2007, to provide the game’s leaders with an unprecedented opportunity to reach the more than 40,000 attending international industry professionals on key matters that impact the business of golf. Those in attendance will roam nearly 10 miles of PGA Show aisles, featuring more than 1,000 exhibiting companies and brands displaying a wide range of products and services.
2018 Schedule – PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA
(subject to change, schedule as of 1/16/18)
Wednesday, Jan. 24
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. 100th PGA Championship Celebration & Panel Discussion – Past PGA Champions panel discussion featuring Davis Love III and John Daly, moderated by PGA of America Senior Director, Public Awareness and External Relations Julius Mason.
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. The Digital and Communication Landscape in Golf – Panel discussion on advances in communicating with consumers throughout their golf experiences using technology, featuring Greg Norman and the latest insights from the Shark Experience. The panel also features Mark Wagner, President of Club Car and Michael Toto, Global Product Executive at Verizon, moderated by PGA of America Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Price.
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Sirius XM Teacher Town Hall – Learn from some of the top PGA of America teachers in the game including Michael Breed, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Jim McLean and Larry Rinker, moderated by Debbie Doniger.
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Building Your Teaching & Coaching Business with Michael Breed – Former PGA of America Teacher of the Year and golf television personality Michael Breed hosts PGA Professionals Ray Cutright, Tyrus York, Warren Bottke and Jason Guss to share best practices on building a teaching career and business.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Greening the Greens: Improving Golf’s Environmental Footprint – Panel discussion revolving around energy efficiency, environmental impact and best practices featuring various experts in the field. Guests include NFL personality and multi-golf course owner Ron Jaworski; Justin Zuelner, Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance; Andrew Singer, Vice President of Retail Power at Constellation; and Honorary PGA President and current General Manager of TPC Sawgrass, Derek Sprague. The discussion is moderated by Matt Adams of Golf Channel and SiriusXM.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. New Career Opportunities in Golf – Panel discussion featuring insights from top employers in the golf industry, featuring Joe Assell, CEO of GOLFTEC, Craig Kessler, COO of Topgolf and Barb McAuliffe, consultant for Denehy Club Thinking Partners. The discussion is moderated by John Easterbrook, PGA of America Chief Membership Officer.
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. US Kids Top 50 Awards Ceremony & Reception
Thursday, Jan. 25
9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Golf USA Tee Time Coalition Presentation and Panel Discussion – Golf Facility Operator “Bill of Rights” presented by National Golf Course Owners Association CEO Jay Karen. Yield Management best practices presented by Priswing. The discussion is moderated by PGA Past President M.G. Orender.
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Workforce 2028: Mission Critical – A panel discussion focused on diversifying the golf industry workforce, with an ultimate goal of increasing diversification among golfers nationwide. Panel guests include Porter Braswell, CEO of Jopwell; Dave Cavossa, CEO of CaddieNow; Rachel Mabee of PGA REACH; Steve Schloss, Chief People Officer of the USGA; and Renee Tirado, VP Talent and Head of Diversity of Inclusion at Major League Baseball. The discussion is moderated by PGA of America Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion Sandy Cross.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. SiriusXM State of the Game with PGA of America CEO, Pete Bevacqua – Featuring special guest co-host, Lou Holtz and engaging interviews with special guests including Hal Sutton, PGA; Dave Stockton, PGA; Ron Jaworski, NFL personality and multi-golf course owner; and Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director and CEO.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Fostering a Culture of Innovation, Technology and Enhanced Guest Experiences at Topgolf – Featuring insights from Topgolf Executive Chairman, Erik Anderson; Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Macaulay; CMO, Brian Radics; and COO, Craig Kessler.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Data and Technology – The Future of Teaching & Coaching In Golf – Panel discussion featuring leaders in technology, data collection and golf. Panelists include Rick Clemmer, CEO of NXP Semiconductors; Martin Manniche, former CEO and CTO of Greenwave; John McGuire, CEO of GAMEGOLF; Jeff Whitt, PGA, Executive Vice President of Century Golf and Dave Phillips, PGA Co-Founder of TPI. The discussion is moderated by Matt Adams of Golf Channel and SiriusXM.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Industry Trends Impacting Your Career – Panel discussion featuring insights from top employers in the golf industry featuring Michael Leemhuis, PGA, CCM at Ocean Reef Club; Tom Wallace of Kopplin, Keebler, Wallace; and Jay Karen CEO of the NGCOA. The discussion is moderated by Scott Kmiec, Senior Director PGA Career Services.
5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PGA Show Live Fashion Show – More than a dozen apparel and accessory companies will showcase their newest collections in a high-energy fashion show, emceed by Golf Channel’s Bailey Mosier. A PGA Show Fashion Show Happy Hour Reception, sponsored by SwingDish, immediately follows.
Friday, Jan. 26
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. David Leadbetter Golf and Steve Yellin Present Fluid Motion Factor – Presentation of a revolutionary training program that allows athletes to be more consistent by Steve Yellin, who has worked with athletes covering seven professional sports, including MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, and both male and female professional golfers.
About the PGA Merchandise Show
The 65th PGA Merchandise Show, held Jan. 23-26, 2018, in Orlando, 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 MAJOR of Golf Business. The PGA Show Demo Day, the world’s largest professional golf testing event, will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Orange County National Golf Center. During PGA Show days, Jan. 24-26, at the Orange County Convention Center, 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.
Attendance at the 65th PGA Merchandise Show is restricted to PGA Professionals and golf industry personnel. Attendance and registration guidelines are available at PGAShow2018.com/guidelines.
Learn more at PGAShow.com
Contact:
PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions/Media: Sherry Major, (716) 662-3855, smajor@reedexpo.com
PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions/Exhibitor: Mike Choma, (203) 840-5356, mchoma@reedexpo.com
PGA of America/Media: Michael Abramowitz, (561) 624-8458, mabramowitz@pgahq.com
