Edited by Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
There will be new event programming in health and wellness, custom club fitting and golf range operations at the PGA Show in Orlando this month. A new health & wellness center, PGA club fitting center and golf range interactive programs will complement the traditional hands-on testing of the latest equipment and technology.
PGA of America Golf Professionals and industry experts will engage with more than 70 golf manufacturers who will offer hands-on testing of their newest innovations at the expansive circular range and 42-acre practice facility at Orange County National Golf Center (OCN). In fact, this year’s PGA Show Demo Day combines hands-on testing with interactive programming across several significant growth sectors in golf. Additionally, this immersive day will once again feature coaching workshops and live demonstrations led by top PGA of America Coaches and PGA TOUR professionals.
PGA of America Golf Professionals and journalists have exclusive access to Demo Day from 9 a.m. to noon, with other PGA Show registered industry professionals joining the event through 5 p.m. As always, PGA Show Demo Day will be outdoors and will offer unique experiential spaces, more than 100 hitting bays, multiple practice greens and short game testing areas, a golf cart test track and a large vendor village known as the Discovery Zone. It also includes the Demo Day stage for industry presentations and numerous areas for peer networking including “The Turn” presented by Bar Convent Brooklyn, a new range-side terrace featuring a live band, local breweries and food trucks.
PGA Show Demo Day, organized by PGA Golf Exhibitions and PGA Magazine, is presented by Antigua, Clubhouse Events, E-Z-GO, FlagD, Oakley, Uneekor and Wittek Golf, along with Registration partners FlightScope and Shade Headwear.
“With industry trends and attendee feedback at the forefront of our planning, we are pleased to build on the value of PGA Show Demo Day to offer additional programming to address growing sectors impacting the business of golf,” said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “This year’s Demo Day truly has something for everyone to improve their expertise, insights and business when they return to their facilities.”
Here are some further details on each of the unique engagement opportunities offered at PGA Show Demo Day:
Hands-On Equipment & Technology Testing
Golf’s most recognizable equipment and technology brands, including Bridgestone Golf, Callaway Golf, COBRA Golf, FlightScope, Full Swing Golf, Mizuno, PING, Srixon/Cleveland Golf, Toptracer, Titleist, XXIO and many others will be among more than 70 companies offering education, demonstrations and testing of their latest products.
Health & Wellness Center presented by the Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA)
The GFAA will present an interactive experience on various health and wellness topics to enhance and extend the golfer’s overall well-being and performance. We will have speakers and golf fitness experts to educate the day’s guests and inspire all to further their knowledge of health and wellness in golf.
- Share Your Journey – Jeehae Lee, Founder & CEO, Sportsbox AI; LPGA Tour Veteran Andrea
Doddato, Founder, Shape and Sport, Golf Digest Top Fitness Professional; GFAA Industry Leader
Suzy Whaley, PGA Master Professional, President, Golf Nation, LPGA Tour Veteran, PGA of
America Past President (2018–2020) – 10:00 – 10:30 AM - 3D Functional Movement and Functional Golf Coach Certification – Dr. Gary Gray, CEO & CCO, Gray Institute, Dr. David Tiberio, Dean, Gray Institute – 10:45 – 11:15 AM
- The Journey to Increasing Clubhead Speed – Gavin Parker, PGA, CEO, Jr. Golf, Golf Digest Best Young Teachers – 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
- How Champions Use Data: Bryson DeChambeau Case Study – Jeehae Lee, Founder & CEO, Sportsbox AI, LPGA Tour Veteran – 1:00 – 1:45 PM
- Golf and Fitness after Fifty: Exercises and Drills to Maintain Distance and Stamina – Randy Chang, PGA, Founder, Randy Chang Golf School – 2:00 – 2:45 PM
Club Fitting Center
Leading PGA of America club fitting experts will be available at the “Club Fitting Genius Bar” to share best practices on ball and club fitting, with practical applications demonstrated at dedicated hitting bays.
Golf Range Best Practices presented by the Golf Range Association of America (GRAA)
The GRAA will share best practices on range operations and new entertainment activations for range operators while GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals and GRAA award-winning range professionals from Top Private, Public and Stand-Alone Facilities will be present to answer range-related questions throughout the day.
Coaching Workshops
PGA of America Coaching Workshops return to the Orange County National range-side classroom and will include:
- Match Play Practice for Stroke Play Success by PGA Master Professional Joe Hallett – 9:30 -10:30 AM
- Live Lessons with PGA Master Professional Joe Plecker – 11:00 AM – Noon
- Control the Low Point for Solid Pitching and Chipping by PGA Master Professional Todd Sones – 12:30 – 1:30 PM
- Applied Golf Psychology Tools for Building a Better Mental Game by PGA Master & LPGA Professional Dr. Alison Curdt – 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Remember that PGA of America Golf Professionals can earn up to five PDR credits for workshop participation and event attendance. The workshops, which are part of the PGA Show Education Program, are detailed at PGAShow.com. Registration for the instructional workshops is available during event registration or can be added following PGA Show registration.
Additional Interactive Spaces
This year’s Demo Day also offers a large vendor village called the Discovery Zone, a Demo Day test track for golf cart and vehicle testing and the Demo Day stage for industry presentations.
The Turn presented by Bar Convent Brooklyn
The Turn presented by Bar Convent Brooklyn is a new range-side terrace for industry peers to gather in a vibrant space with live music, local breweries, food trucks with ample seating to meet up with friends and recharge for a return to Demo Day experiences.
