PGA Merchandise Show closes on upbeat note
02/02/2009
The 56th Professional Golf Association (PGA) Merchandise Show concluded on an upbeat, positive note on January 31 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
With an estimated 40,000-plus attendees marking the beginning of the 2009 business cycle, PGA professionals and industry leaders spent the final day of the show detailing best practices to thrive and survive in a challenging economy, sharing strategies on building club memberships, and placing final equipment, apparel and accessories orders for the coming year.
“People are concerned about the economy, but this was the most efficient way for us to see the companies we needed to see, see new products, and plan our merchandising strategy for the coming year. It was extremely beneficial for us,” said Greg Bray, PGA professional at Terradyne Country Club in Andover, Kansas. “There is no substitute for being able to see a product, touch it, feel it and try it under one roof. We accomplished all of our goals in three days.”
With 1,100 exhibitors reporting steady traffic on the closing day, the organisers claimed that the event demonstrated the resiliency of the golf industry, while setting the tone for a positive year despite the economic challenges that lie ahead.
“The PGA Merchandise Show is an important writing show for us, and it looks like our people will write the same amount of business as we did last year, which is encouraging,” said John Kawaja, executive vice-president for TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company. “The people who are here are here to do business, which is the reason we had a good show.”
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