NORWALK, Conn. -- Long regarded as the preeminent annual business gathering for golf industry insiders, the new 2006 PGA Merchandise Show... & Convention is now taking steps to grow rounds, while preserving the trade-only business atmosphere of the international event.
The 2006 PGA Merchandise Show, Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 26-29, 2006, in Orlando, Fla., is featuring several programs to boost interest among golfers, including a new GolfWeek Golfest consumer golf demo weekend, the first PGA/USA TODAY 12-hour golf equipment hotline, live and prime-time coverage by The Golf Channel and the inaugural Play Golf America player development conference.
"Once exclusively organized for the golf community, the PGA Merchandise Show & Convention has evolved to join an industry-wide initiative to encourage participation and enjoyment of the game," said Roger Warren, president, The PGA of America. "PGA Professionals are at the heart of this initiative and again the centerpiece for programs at the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show further demonstrating their commitment and passion for growing the game."
"Growing the game and growing the business are shared goals by the more than 1,200 exhibiting companies and 40,000-plus attending industry professionals of the PGA Merchandise Show & Convention," said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President and Show Manager Ed Several. "We are especially pleased to partner with industry organizations to expand the Show's platform, to support the growth of the game initiative and showcase what makes golf so special."
Golfweek's Golfest, the three year-old consumer festival developed by the weekly golf magazine, becomes an official part of golf's largest industry gathering in 2006. Thousands of consumers will have the opportunity, Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 21-22, 2006, at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla., to try and buy the latest equipment from major golf brands; improve their skills in free golf clinics; meet golf celebrities and Tour players; watch long-drive demonstrations; participate in games, contests and drawings; and preview other products and services, including resorts and golf communities, instructional aids, golf accessories and more.
During the first PGA/USA TODAY Golf Equipment Hotline, golfers nationwide will be able to call on PGA Professionals, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST, for sound advice on topics such as club fitting, equipment, maintenance, training aids and selecting the right equipment to improve their game. The PGA/USA TODAY Golf Equipment Hotline will feature approximately 120 PGA Professionals answering calls from around the nation at the PGA Member Business Center in the Orange County Convention Center. The hotline toll-free number will be published in USA TODAY on Jan. 26, 2006.
Golf enthusiasts from around the country will get an exclusive inside look into golf's latest merchandise, trends and newsmakers by The Golf Channel, with two hours of live coverage daily, 1 p.m. -3 p.m. EST, and a prime-time highlight show each evening, 10:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. EST, Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 26-28, 2006. In addition to roving reporters, The Golf Channel will broadcast from a 15-foot tower on the Show floor, surrounded by more than 1,200 golf companies and some 40,000 industry professionals. PGA Merchandise Show & Convention coverage will conclude with a marathon replay of programming, 12 p.m.-3 p.m EST, on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006.
The highly successful Play Golf America campaign, the industry-wide initiative to encourage more adults to play golf and current golfers to play more rounds, will officially kickoff its third year during the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show & Convention. PGA Section Leaders, PGA Professionals and employers nationwide will convene in the Orange County Convention Center at the inaugural Play Golf America Conference, Friday, Jan. 27, 2006, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. The Conference features panel discussions, player development presentations, highlights of successful "best practices" in player development, plus an opportunity for all attendees to network and share ideas.
The PGA Merchandise Show...& Convention, Jan. 26-29, 2006, in Orlando, Fla., is the world's most influential gathering of PGA Professionals, retailers, golf manufacturers and industry leaders. Attendees travel from more than 70 countries to test the latest products, find the hottest trends, learn cutting-edge business techniques and grow participation in the game. More than 1,200 golf-related manufacturers showcase their newest products and services within more than 500,000 net square feet of exhibit space in the Orange County Convention Center. GolfWeek's Golfest, a consumer demo weekend, kicks off Show week, Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 21-22, 2006. Demo Day, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006, marks the official opening of the Show for thousands of PGA Professionals, key retailers and media, as they test the products of some 80 participating manufacturers at the 42-acre practice facility of the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Fla.
Buyers and media can register online, plus make hotel and travel reservations at www.pgaexpo.com or by calling (800) PGA-EXPO. The PGA Merchandise Show offers airfare discounts and shuttle bus service from 32 official hotels.
The PGA Merchandise Show, organized in partnership with The PGA of America, is one of four leading golf trade shows in PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions' golf portfolio, including the PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas; the Ontario PGA Golf Merchandise Show in Toronto, Canada; and the PGA Merchandise Show of Australia in Queensland.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2006, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf, while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.
