More than 40,000 Golf Industry Professionals from Around the World Will Travel to Orlando for the 66th PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 22-25, 2019
ORLANDO, Fla. (January 21, 2019) – The 66th PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Jan. 22-25, 2019, is welcoming more than 40,000 golf industry professionals from around the world to discover the newest trends and technology from some 1,000 exhibiting golf companies and brands. The industry’s annual “MAJOR of Golf Business” features a packed four-day schedule beginning with PGA Show Demo Day, Jan. 22, at Orange County National Golf Center (OCN), and continuing at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) for PGA Show exhibits, industry presentations, education seminars and special events, Jan. 23-25. (PGA Show events are not open to the public.)
Tuesday, Jan. 22
PGA Show Demo Day, Orange County National Golf Center (OCN)
The global golf gathering begins on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at PGA Show Demo Day, where thousands of PGA Professionals and golf retailers will preview and personally test the newest equipment, training aids and accessories from more than 100 top golf companies, utilizing 200 hitting bays, multiple putting greens, a golf cart testing track and a vendor village at the 42-acre OCN practice facility. PGA Show Demo Day, the world’s largest professional golf demo event, is open exclusively to PGA/LPGA Professionals and media, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., and open to additional industry professionals registered for the PGA Show, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Global Golf Innovation Competition, Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)
The inaugural Global Golf Innovation Competition, a new “Shark Tank”-style competition for golf startups, will showcase up-and-coming innovators and cutting-edge technology in golf to an esteemed panel of judges on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the OCCC. HYPE Sports Innovation, an established global platform facilitating connections and investments among the sports innovation ecosystem, is hosting the competition in cooperation with PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions. The competition is open to PGA Show attendees and will begin at 2 p.m. with a keynote session on the start-up landscape in golf and be immediately followed by the golf start-up presentations.
PGA Show Education Conference, OCN & OCCC
The 2019 PGA Show Education Conference, featuring more than 50 educational programs over four days, will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 22, with outdoor Teaching & Coaching workshops offered during PGA Show Demo Day at OCN and classroom sessions focused on Executive Management and Golf Operations at the OCCC. Education sessions will continue on PGA Show Days, Jan. 23-25, beginning at 7:30 a.m., and concluding by 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 23-24); and by noon on Friday (Jan. 25), to allow attendees to make the most of their time exploring the newest merchandise on the PGA Show Floor.
AGM Product Preview, OCCC
On the eve of the PGA Show opening, Jan. 22, the Association of Golf Merchandisers will host their annual Product Preview & Reception featuring a product preview by AGM vendor partners and an industry reception. The event is open to PGA Professionals and retailers registered for the PGA Show, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., in the Lower Level Lobby of Hall A in the OCCC.
Wednesday – Friday, Jan. 23
OCCC
Opening Ceremony:
During the PGA Show Opening Ceremony, PGA President Suzy Whaley and PGA CEO Seth Waugh pay tribute to PGA HOPE, military veterans, and the PGA’s 2018 Patriot Award Winner, Ken Juhn, as they help officially open the 66th PGA Merchandise Show on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 8:15 a.m. from the OCCC Central Lobby. The BBKings All-Star Band will be live beginning at 7 a.m. from the Central Lobby.
Exhibits
Following the opening ceremony, the PGA Show floor exhibit doors will open to some nearly 10 miles of Show aisles filled with more than 1,000 top golf manufacturers and brands, from today’s golf market leaders to emerging companies, to create the world’s largest business-to-business golf event. The very best names in golf, along with more than 150 companies new to the PGA Show, are introducing thousands of new products to drive golf retail in 2019.
Attendees
The PGA Merchandise Show annually attracts more than 40,000 PGA Professionals, golf retailers and industry leaders from nearly 90 countries. More than 1,000 media attend and report on the news of PGA Show Week, including the live, onsite broadcast of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive and more than 50 hours of live and recorded programming by SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio Network.
Additionally, many exhibiting companies will host renowned PGA teachers, PGA and LPGA touring professionals and celebrities at the PGA Show. In 2019, popular figures are making special appearances, such as Brad Faxon, Luke Donald, Blair O’Neal, John Daly, Paula Creamer, Greg Norman, Karrie Webb, Nancy Lopez, Troy Mullins, Jim Nantz, Brooke Henderson, and top teachers such as Michael Breed, Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Jim McLean, Mike Malaska, Gary Gilchrist, Mike Bender, Mike Schy and Stan Utley.
The annual PGA Show LIVE Fashion Show, on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 5:45 p.m. will bring to life next season’s apparel and accessory collections in a high-energy fashion show on the runway of the PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA. The PGA Show Fashion Show will be emceed by Golf Channel Reporter Bailey Mosier, and includes fashiontrends and insights from What to Wear Next fashion journalists Greg Monteforte and Roberta Miceli. A Happy Hour and Industry Reception will immediately follow, providing a special opportunity to network with designers and brands one-on-one.
PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA
LPGA, PGA TOUR, World Golf Foundation and WE ARE GOLF join PGA of America leaders, industry executives, popular social media influencers, touring players and top PGA Teachers as featured speakers and hosts during a comprehensive schedule of industry presentations on the PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA, Jan. 23-25.
Golf Fitness, Wellness & Instruction Stage, presented in partnership with TPI
Three days of fitness, medical, health, wellness and instructional presentations build a robust programming schedule at the PGA Show Golf Fitness, Wellness & Instruction Stage, presented in partnership with TPI, and located right on the PGA Show Floor. Expert speakers, such as Trevor Anderson, Milo Bryant, KC Craichy, Dave Herman, Lynn Marriott, Dr. Bhrett McCabe, Pia Nilsson and many more, will cover a variety of subjects to help golf instructors better integrate health, wellness and fitness into their grassroots programs.
PGA Show Floor Featured Areas
Attendees will experience a dynamic PGA Show Floor, featuring interactive exhibits, hundreds of vendor show specials and promotions and multiple specialty pavilions and displays.
· Equipment Test Center sponsored by Insane Impact – featuring 50 hitting bays, a multitude of equipment demonstrations and a nearby putting green.
· NEW Golf Facility Innovation Center, featuring PepsiCo – a 2,500-square foot exhibit highlighting the latest technologies, trends, innovations and solutions that can be implemented today to impact customer experience, drive more revenue and position a facility for the future.
· New Product Zone sponsored by Chippo Golf – a popular showcase of hundreds of the newest equipment, apparel, products and accessories in one convenient Show Floor location. The New Product Zone has been redesigned in 2019, and features a daily product demo schedule. Buyers will vote on the top three new products, with awards presented on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m.
· Inventors Spotlight organized in partnership with the United Inventors Association (UIA) – featuring new golf and golf lifestyle-related products developed by independent inventors. The UIA will judge inventions and present three awards – Most Innovative Concept, Best Marketing Effort and the Pinnacle Award (Best in Show). The awards presentation will take place Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 1 p.m.
· PGA Show Travel Pavilion – featuring popular golf destinations, resorts and travel services, and joined for the first time by the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) to spotlight key golf tourism suppliers. Attendees will learn about golf related travel to destinations such as Ireland, Scotland, France, Morocco, Australia, South Africa, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, among others.
· Adaptive Golf Center – featuring exhibits and complimentary workshops to deliver best practices for teaching individuals with adaptive needs.
· Golf Channel Morning Drive LIVE – Each PGA Show morning, Golf Channel’s Morning Drive will broadcast live, 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., on Jan. 23 and 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 24-25 from the PGA Show Floor. Additionally, Morning Drive will be live from PGA Show Demo Day, Jan. 22, 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at Tee #4, at OCN.
· SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio Network LIVE – SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio Network will broadcast live and record special programming each PGA Show Day for a total of more than 50+ hours from the 2019 PGA Show and PGA Show Demo Day.
· Co-Location of the Inaugural Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference & Show Preview – The 2019 Racquet & Paddle Sports Conference, Jan. 23-25 in Hall E/F of the OCCC, will include a pavilion of curated racquet, paddle and tennis vendors and organizations and have two demonstration courts for a variety of racquet sports including tennis, pickleball, POP Tennis, platform tennis, badminton, Cardio Tennis and padel. Additionally, a hands-on demo and industry welcome party will take place at USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, on Wednesday, Jan. 23, from 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
· Co-Location of the Performance Textile Fair – The PGA Show Performance Textile Fair offers special access to a curated group of fabric mills and factories specializing in athletic and golf-related apparel and features the latest innovations in athletic performance fabrics, along with information on duty-free factory resources.
Golf Enthusiasts & PGA Show Week
While the PGA Show is open only to golf industry professionals and not open to the public, golf enthusiasts also can follow the exciting product introductions and all the news of PGA Show Week on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive and Golf Central programs, on the Sirius XM PGA TOUR Radio Network, at CBSSports.com, and on multiple golf digital media, and by following #PGAShow in social media.
Learn more at PGAShow.com and engage with us at: 
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Media Contacts:
PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions/Media: Sherry Major, (305) 318-5208, smajor@reedexpo.com
PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions/Exhibitor: Mike Choma, (203) 840-5356, mchoma@reedexpo.com
PGA of America/Media: Michael Abramowitz, (561) 389-4647, mabramowitz@pgahq.com
