The new Show format features unique daily programs, special events and seminars focusing on a central business theme. While Show days are lengthened, the Show week is shortened with a revised exhibition hall schedule – Thursday to Saturday, Jan. 25-27 and no Sunday exhibition hours. One hour is added to each day, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and so are new exclusive floor hours where no conferences or off-floor exhibit activities will take place.
Beginning with the “warm up” to what many consider to be golf’s most important round of business, the 5th annual Demo Day will open the redesigned Show on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge. Exclusively for PGA members, key retailers and media, this year’s event at Demo Day again will feature more than 80 top golf equipment, training aids, performance wear and golf accessory companies. Manufacturer demonstrations, club-fitting workshops and teach-the-teacher clinics will be staged throughout the day. PGA Members can come one-hour early at 9:00 a.m. for an exclusive PGA member early opening.
The new daily themes are:
Day 1, January 25 – Emerging Global Trends & New Product Introductions
Day 1 programs will focus on the introduction of new products, the discovery of new companies and an education on the latest trends to help generate incremental profit. More than 1,200 exhibitors will present a bevy of new product introductions on Day 1. More than 400 companies new to the PGA Show will try to garner the attention of retailers looking for fresh, new merchandise and this year those new companies will be easier to find in the “New Company Discovery Zone”. Finally, Day 1 may be best known for finding the latest gear, however, learning the latest industry trends will be front and centre with a host of apparel, equipment and golf business trend presentations staged throughout the day on the Show floor, in the new PGA Equipment Forum and in the new “By the Professionals for the Professionals” education conference.
Day 2, January 26 – Retail Sell-Through, Merchandising & Career Advancement
Once the latest product and industry trends are uncovered on Day 1, Day 2 brings on programs to help PGA professionals and retailers with product sell-through, merchandising, marketing and career advancement on Friday. An assembly of some 30 years of PGA Merchandisers of the Year will gather to present the PGA Merchandisers of the Year Best Practices Forum on multiple stages. Retailing programs also will be plentiful on the Show floor at interactive pavilions such as the PGA Equipment Forum, PGA Golf Shop: Merchandising and Design Center, the PGA Experience, fashion shows and more. Off the show floor, and outside the exclusive buying hours, the “By the Professionals for the Professionals” education conference will tout the latest retailing solutions to build profit once attendees return home. To cap off a rather full day of retailing sell-through, merchandising and marketing programs, the PGA Employment Center will host events, programs and clinics designed to advance careers and enhance employer-employee relations.
Day 3, January 27 – Play Golf America and Growing Your Teaching Business
Appropriately, the final day of the PGA Show, Day 3, will offer PGA professionals and industry leaders a roadmap to drive consumer participation, rounds and a successful PGA teaching business in the year ahead. The PGA Play Golf America Conference returns on Saturday featuring best practice presentations by PGA professionals, PGA Section leaders and corporate executives. The business of teaching steps to center stage with a new Business of Teaching Summit, programs within the Teaching and Training Aids pavilion and the return of the popular “Teach-the-Teacher” clinics.
A complete list of exhibitors to date, PGA Show programs and online registration is available at www.pgashow.com. The PGA Merchandise Show is a trade industry only event. Consumers will have an exclusive preview of the latest products, companies and golf business leaders on live streaming video at PGA.com, on two hours of live programming each Show day on The Golf Channel and during spring 2007 on the CBS Network.
PGA Merchandise Show www.pgashow.com