REPORT FROM THE 2008 PGA SHOW:

A seismic shift in information from golf industry to the consumer has happened at the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show held this past week in Orlando, Florida.

I have attended 23 consecutive PGA Shows and the lead story lines each and every year have been about the “Head” story; blade, cavity-back, midsize, oversize, titanium, shallow-faced, bigger is better, COR, MOI, 460CC, hybrids, etc., etc. But, the USGA, for better or worse, has put the major companies into an ever confining box. There are now limits on the size, shape, face, and length of the golf club. Along with these restrictions comes the new rule allowing a golf club to have head/shaft adjustability legal for play. The result is a strong promotion by the equipment companies of technology, shafts, and fitting.

After so many years of the OEMs informing us of the dire need to play their head, it was very odd to see a representative from the Ping Company on the main PGA stage preaching the benefits of their new N FLIGHT FITTING SOFTWARE. In fairness to the Ping Company, they have carried the “fitting” banner longer and stronger than most anyone, but never have I seen a presentation from a club manufacturer where they did not have one of their heads on stage during their presentation.

The lead attraction of the show was the Mega-Demo Day held a the massive Orange County National Golf Range. Thousands of Golf Professionals and Shop Owners spent the day testing most every new golf club and golf shaft on the market for 2008.

 

 Nippon Shaft booth at the 2008 PGA Show Demo Day

-Special Products and Services seen at the Show-

TRACKMAN- With all the play they have been receiving on the Golf Channel’s PGA Tour telecasts, this booth was busy, busy. Every golfer should make a pilgrimage to a clubfitter that has a TRACkMAN system and a bunch of test clubs and see the difference head/shaft combinations can make in their performance.

SCIENCE and MOTION - SAM PUTT LAB - The Trackman of the Putting Green- used by a certain #1 ranked player- gives a lot of data- the more knowledgeable the fitter, the better the Sam Putt Lab data.

The most crowded booth was often Table Rock Classics with SCOTTY CAMERON appearing and signing autographs.

Shaft Companies MITSUBISHI RAYON, GRAPHITE DESIGN, and FUJIKURA COMPOSITES all showing new models for 2008. NIPPON SHAFT introduced their new 950 steel hybrid shaft models and their high performance, ultra sleek, Ion Plated NS PRO 999GH iron shaft series.

NICKENT offering driver head in a box in combination with low launch and hi launch shafts.

CALLAWAY introducing their I-MIX adjustable head/shaft combos.

SST PURE, now in their 11th year and with 60+ licensees around the globe produced a DVD with ball flight data showing why so many players on the PGA Tour use their process.

BRIDGESTONE had their ball flight systems geared up at their booth recommending the optimal performing golf ball.

SRIXON, SONARTEC, BRIDGESTONE, ADAMS, and MACGREGOR offering head only sales to qualifying clubmaking centers. 

MACGREGOR returning to its roots and offering beautiful “modern classics” golf equipment.

Another plug for NIPPON SHAFT- most every major OEM around the world now offers a Nippon Shaft model.

Japanese Clubmaker FOURTEEN now offering their premium irons and wedges in the U.S. market.

LAMKIN grips introducing their new STING-FREE shock absorbing kevlar layered grip.

RIFE and YES putters offering new models. Both of these companies are making sales advances seemingly because of their face geometry, but most likely due to their efficient loft angles and modern head weighting.