In 2023, the PGA Merchandise2022 PGA Merchandise Show Highlights and Lowlights Show had a significant bounce back! The 2021 PGA Show was entirely virtual, and the 2022 PGA Show was the weakest in history as most name-brand manufacturers stayed home due to lingering concerns around COVID-19.
I’ve been writing this article for five years now. At the end of each PGA Show, I sit down on Friday night, review my notes, poll my peers, and put my fingers on the keyboard. Every PGA Show has a theme. The 2023 PGA Merchandise Show will be known as the Year of the Golf Car.
I thought I was at an auto show for the first hour I entered the convention floor. If you’re in the market for a golf car, 2023 is your year! Oh yeah, I’m saying “golf car” and not “golf cart” on purpose. These aren’t your Dad’s golf carts. These things are super high-tech and go way beyond just a golf cart.
I went back and counted. There were 12 different golf car manufacturers at the show. It felt like a hundred because they were all in the same zone of the show floor. Exhibitors included Club Car, 14 STX Scooters, E-Z-GO, EV Titan, Evolution, INNODESIGN, Kandi, PilotCar, Star EV, Tomberlin, Vivid EV, and Yamaha.
Almost all the golf cars at the show looked fantastic and left me dreaming about upgrading our existing 2018 Yamaha Drive 2 golf car (Hint hint….). One of the show’s favorites was the autonomous self-driving PilotCar. Technology is getting crazy, that’s right, a self-driving golf car. Don’t get too excited. These aren’t designed for the golf course yet, but for resorts looking for an autonomous mode of transportation to shuttle guests.
INNODESIGN has an intriguing concept geared towards the single golfer that wants to ride as a single. That’s right. This golf car only seats one. Called INNO-F1, this car was built from the ground up to serve players who may prefer to ride by themselves—billed as being easier on the golf course. Less weight leads to less wear and tear on the golf course. Time will tell if this concept catches on. I guess it’s better than being stuck with an A-hole in your cart.
Things We’re Excited To Try This Year!
Bridgestone Golf Balls – e9 The LONG BALL!!!!
Bridgestone, the biggest name at the 2022 PGA Show, was back at it again and had the convention floor buzzing about their newest golf ball, the e9. Not available in stores until March, the Golf Aficionado crew was able to secure several dozen to test these bad boys out. I’ll have enough to get through at least one full round of golf.
The new e9, the Official Ball of World Long Drive, will be used in all WLD competitions and is the longest ball in the Bridgestone Golf portfolio. The new ball, aimed at players looking for maximum carry and ultimate distance, features a two-piece construction with injection molded seamless Surlyn cover and Bridgestone’s Tour-proven 330 dimple pattern. An extreme gradational core (softer in the center, firmer toward the exterior) promotes extreme ball speed and lower long-game spin. The uniquely-designed e9 Long Drive also offers higher launch, more carry, and better efficiency.
Talk to me on Monday, and I’ll tell you what I think after playing 36 holes.
KGolf
There are always a ton of golf simulators at the PGA Show, but I found one I want this year. KGolf, based in Seoul, Korea, impressed me with its sleek hardware design and the simulator’s overall performance. For $20,000, you get all the necessary equipment, including a kiosk, a ceiling-mounted sensor to track the ball flight, and a 4k projector.
After each swing, you got all the stats you would ever want and a replay video from both a side view and the line view. It was magical how smoothly and in real-time all the feedback and video worked. You need a room about 9×9 with 9-foot ceilings to make it work as designed. If you have the space and an extra $20,000, KGolf is a great way to spend it!
Pro Golf African Safaris
Nothing gets me more excited than destination golf, especially on a continent I have yet to visit! We sat down with the owner and couldn’t believe the quality and luxury of the trip packages they put together. If you want an adventurous golf trip, Pro Golf African Safaris might be for you.
Caddie S.A.K Tactical Golf Cart Carryall
In the market for a badass golf cart carryall organizer? If you answered yes, I found the product for you! So far, I’m super impressed by this new product from All-Pro Tactical. I already set it up on our Yamaha golf car and can’t wait to show it off at the club this weekend.
Guess what? You don’t need to own a golf cart to want a Caddie S.A.K. This beauty rolls up into a tactical bag and allows you to keep everything you need in one spot. The Caddie S.A.K. is guaranteed to fit no matter what golf cart you use.
PuttView X
Puttview X is an Augmented Reality system that can bring every green in the world to life through its pioneering glasses. PuttView X visualizes all aspects of a putt, including the ideal path of the ball and the aiming line. Voice commands and hand gestures enable the user to move around the green freely, set any hole or ball location, and adjust the green speed depending on the current conditions.
Several people I ran into at the show couldn’t stop talking about Puttview X. As a training tool, the goal is to help golfers learn how to read greens better and become better putters. It’s a Rodney Dangerfield gadget. Too bad it’s not legal to use in competitive play!
Honorable Mentions
BN3TH
What’s one thing every man can use? A new pair of underwear! There were lots of vendors doing just that, showing off the latest innovations in underwear design. I spent some time with BN3TH and took home a few samples I can’t wait to try.
Personal Speakers
A new trend? Several vendors featured “personal speakers” designed just for the golf course. As music becomes more mainstream on the golf course, these personal speakers are starting to pop up. We ended up taking home a sample from TecTecTec! The speaker is loud enough for you to hear, but not everyone else. I’m skeptical, but we’ll see where this heads.
Crazy Golf Apparel
Wild prints remain a prominent theme in golf apparel. Several vendors had stuff I had never seen and probably would never wear, but Pins and Aces stood out with some of their designs. Just the right amount of crazy for me. We stopped by and talked to the Waggle Golf team; their new hat designs for 2023 are sure to impress.
Environmentally Friendly Golf Apparel
Several exhibitors in the apparel area were making wild claims about the sustainability of their new designs, featuring only recycled plastics. Radmor Golf, one of our favorite apparel brands, was on-site with new designs for 2023. They continue to be the leader in environmentally friendly apparel.
Needing Further Review
Sometimes, you come across things at the show, and you don’t know. They might be the best thing since sliced bread or a worthless gimmick. One thing that caught my eye right away was the Margin Tee from Margin Golf. At first, I thought this product had a great chance of ending up in our Not So Hot section. However, after further review, I find myself intrigued. This product is designed to solve one of golf’s biggest problems—something we have all seen or had to deal with ourselves.
The goal is to prevent the dreaded. “I hit my last or only tee 10 yards down the driving range.” Do I risk my life and run out after it, hoping nobody clocks me with a ball? Margin Tee features a base that anchors in the ground and a flexible tee insert designed to end the frustration of constantly having to tee up at the range. Would it be easier to keep a few tees in your pockets? Probably, but I’m going to try this baby out anyway.
Another new product at the PGA Show was EyePromise. Marketing their Vizual Edge Pro vitamins, this eye-healthy performance supplement has long been used in baseball and is an official product of the Boston Red Sox.
Padrick Harrington and Colin Montgomerie are brand ambassadors and use the product daily to protect their eyesight in hopes of having a better contrast to help read the green. I picked up a 30-day supply and have taken the product for two days straight. If there is any merit, you’ll be hearing more about EyePromise.
Not So Hot!
OK, we saw a few foolish things, but the top one among them had to be the all-new T-UP Assist! I feel bad for these folks, having traveled from Australia to show off their invention. Their sales pitch. Thinking of quitting golf as teeing up has become too hard? Finally, a free-standing product that easily places the tee in the ground (at your preferred height) and the ball on the tee!
First off, this thing is a monstrosity. It looks like a device Dr. Evil built to pull your brain out through your nostrils. Don’t worry. You can easily cram it into your golf back once you collapse the sider legs. Good luck picking up the tee after you hit the golf ball. Please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m a big fan of adaptive golf, but this is designed for non-adaptive golfers and, as such, is the silliest thing I saw at the show.
In Closing
The PGA Show is back! It took two years to recover from COVID fully, but the PGA Show is officially back. It felt like the PRE-COVID days. Let’s hope I don’t get sick now. The incredible COVID boom has continued for the golf industry. More people are coming to the game on and off the golf. I can’t wait to see what the 2024 PGA Show will bring.