By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
When the doors of the Orange County Convention Center opened in Orlando last month, the 2026 PGA Show wasn’t simply about what’s new in the industry — it was about what’s next. As golf continues to evolve from a sport into a broader lifestyle business, the industry’s biggest annual gathering shone a light on a future that will be defined by smarter technology, refined performance and experiences that extend far beyond the golfer’s scorecard.
The PGA Show is a must-attend for golf professionals, retailers, equipment manufacturers, facility leaders and media. It’s where the business of golf kicks off for the year, with thousands of industry pros and more than 1,000 exhibiting brands converging to debut products, explore trends, build partnerships and share best practices.
PGA Show Demo Day
Jan. 20, 2026 – Demo Day at Orange County National Golf Center is the world’s largest professional outdoor golf demo. With a glorious sun above and a slight chill in the air, attendees tested equipment, participated in on-course sessions and enjoyed the new Drive For Show LIVE skills challenge. The PGA Show’s “Drive For Show LIVE” was a new, exciting skills challenge that debuted at the 2026 PGA Show Demo Day and featured celebrities, influencers and coaches in a high-energy, media-focused competition with timed long drives and short game tests. It was hosted by Michael Collins and Hally Leadbetter.
The Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA) presented several complimentary health and wellness sessions to enhance and extend the golfer’s overall well-being and performance at the Health & Wellness Center Outdoor Stage.
Presenters included:
- Lauren McMillen (Yoga for Golf Podcast) highlighted the benefits of yoga on golf performance
- Nicole Hage (GolfForever) discussed golf rotational power and mobility
- Jason Meisch, Patrick McGuire, Lisa Deel and McAulay Renfro (Peak Golf Institute) shared insights on the “Peak Process.”
In addition, there was a special LPGA panel, consisting of Kelly Stenzel, Karen Palacios-Jansen, Joanne Foreman, Kelley Brooke and Kuniko Tasahara Tischler. Moderated by Christie Quinn, this group addressed “The LPGA Way: Building Better Lessons, Stronger Relationships and Happier Golfers.”
The Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) hosted two stellar presentations.
Monique Throresz (pictured above), the 2024 Metropolitan PGA Section Teacher of the Year and a five-time GRAA Growth of the Game Teaching Professional, motivated her vast audience to be as prepared as possible and to dream big. She said that failure is part of success and “going for it” means saying yes to the small things, because that leads to saying yes to the big ones!
Following Monique was Scott Hassee, a 2025 GRAA Elite Growth of the Game Teaching Professional. Scott presented on the benefits of offering free coaching, noting that it builds trust, attracts potential paid clients who might not have otherwise come in and is simply the heart of teaching. As a coach who has had immense success offering free ladies clinics, understanding that they lead to multiple new paid students, I felt Scott’s talk was a vital call to coaches and teachers to develop a community around their teaching business.
What Was New at the 2026 PGA Show?
Refreshed Branding & Expanded Scope: The 2026 Show had a modernized brand identity and broader focus that embraced golf’s evolving business landscape.
The Range: An upgraded on-floor play and tech experience with full-swing and short-game bays, contests and product demos.
Golf Travel Pavilion: In partnership with the International Golf Travel Market, this space highlighted golf tourism and travel opportunities.
Fitness, Health & Wellness Pavilion: Expanded offerings in golf fitness and athlete performance.
Racquet Sports at the PGA Show: This show-within-a-show spotlighted pickleball, padel and tennis gear, reflecting how multi-sport facilities are reshaping club business models.
Functional Fabric Fair – Winter Edition: Co-located sourcing event that showcased sustainable performance textiles.
The Big Picture Theme for 2026
The unifying message of the 2026 PGA Show was:
“Smarter golf, fewer barriers, better experiences.”
Products aren’t just about distance anymore — they’re about:
- Confidence
- Consistency
- Convenience
- And helping businesses keep golfers engaged year-round
A Greater Focus on Health and Wellness
In addition to the Demo Day lineup already mentioned, Dr. Steven Lorick, the President of the Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA), shared his extensive expertise at the 2026 Golfzon Leadbetter Coaching Summit at Academy World HQ in Reunion, Florida. Dr. Lorick was joined by David Leadbetter and Trevor Anderson.
Dr. Lorick also spoke at the LPGA Professionals Education Series on Thursday of PGA Show week, kicking off an exciting new partnership between the GFAA and LPGA.
Fitness, Health and Wellness Pavilion
The GFAA also partnered with the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), the global leader in golf-specific fitness, movement and performance education, and FIBO, an international fitness and wellness platform, to present the Fitness, Health & Wellness Pavilion. This newly expanded area on the main exhibit floor brought together leading fitness, wellness, performance and coaching resources specifically for golf professionals, coaches, facility operators and industry attendees. This feature of the 2026 PGA Show was part of a broader initiative to integrate health-focused offerings into the golf business ecosystem. The collaboration between the three organizations was designed to elevate not just golf-specific conditioning and injury prevention, but also general fitness and wellness strategies that can benefit golfers and help facilities expand service offerings.
GRAA Best Practices and More
Our very own Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) was relevant in highlighting operational best practices that can drive revenue, increase engagement and promote innovation at clubs across the country. Many of our stellar GRAA award winners were on hand to share insights and answer range-related questions throughout the day.
PGA Magazine as a Leader at the PGA Show
PGA Magazine was again a huge focus of many PGA of America Golf Professionals attending the 2026 PGA Show. Whether picking up their GRAA or GFAA awards, recording video Best Practices that will be shared across the PGA membership in the coming months, attending our networking breakfasts and lunches or taking in a presentation that reflects the innovation and forward thinking of the PGA Magazine team, individuals from all corners of the golf world left the 2026 PGA Show more enlightened, better connected and highly motivated for a successful 2026.
Here’s What Some GRAA Award Winners Have To Say
“The PGA Show reenergizes my passion to work in the business of golf and allows me to see best practices from top coaches throughout the country for future implementation that year.” – John Dipollina – Lyman Orchards Golf Center
“For me, the PGA Show is primarily about networking, collaborating with colleagues from around the country on a variety of topics, speaking and presenting to other professionals about coaching and other matters and attending educational events. The ability to see so many people in my professional orbit who are normally spread out across the country in one week is incredible.” – Monique Thoresz – Quaker Ridge Golf Club
“I return to the PGA Show year after year to play golf in the PGA Magazine tournament on Monday and spend all day with our club’s young professional staff, introducing them to industry professionals and escorting them for their first experience at Demo Day on Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday and Thursday, I attend scheduled meetings, give golf instruction presentations, search for new golf instruction teaching aids, network with fellow professionals and pick up my GRAA Elite Growth of the Game Teaching Professional Award.” – Adam Smith – Country Club of Virginia
“This was my 41st year attending, and I have only missed three or four shows in over four decades. This year, my son, Ricky, and my son-in-law, Steven, attended with me. We bring that excitement back to our facility and share it with our team. This energy translates to our customers, helping us grow both our business and the game.” – Rick Kline – Sittler Golf Center
