The PGA Show- Was it Worth It?

This year marked our first experience of the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida.  I was one of the 35,000 golf industry professionals that gathered in the Orlando Convention Centre for a celebration of all things new and innovative in the golfing world . After a 9 hour flight from Dublin(and one or two mandatory Guinness on the way), we were hit by the Floridian humidity which was a welcome surprise at this time of year. Excitement was building for the weekend ahead.

I must say, before we dive into my experience, in a world where almost everything is done online, there was something so refreshing about attending an in-person event. The PGA Show provides an incredible excuse for all those involved in the game to gather in one place to connect, share experiences,  and potentially create lifelong connections within the game. I for one am certainly a fan of an in-person event.

One of the things that truly stood out to me during the week at the PGA  was how open golf software companies are to collaboration with other brands. It was particularly interesting to see how the industry giants we spoke to like Golf Genius, Jonas, and Club Systems, all emphasizing the importance of integrating seamlessly with other software systems to improve the overall user experience. Also, to my surprise, in many cases CEO’s of the company were in attendance to represent their brand. It was my assumption that it would be only employees at the stands. Because of this, it provided an exceptional opportunity for us to pick the brains of some of the most creative minds in golf about their products and future plans! If you’re a bit of a golf nerd like me , the PGA Show will be a paradise for you.

However ,it wasn't just the software companies that I was taken back by. At the Range Servant stand( Swedish driving range equipment), we had the pleasure of speaking with our friend Steven McDaniel, who told us about their partnership with a group of students from Sweden to develop a robotic range picker to add to their portfolio of products. As the week progressed, it became clear to me that strategic collaboration between golf technology brands was in many cases pivotal to the end product and experience.

Of course, all of this technology is designed to enhance the experience of playing golf for golfers like us . However, whilst golf is now seeing all-time highest in terms of participation, with over 66 Million registered golfers according to the R&A’s latest reports, it’s important that we keep our foot on the gas. In recent times, a significant portion of golf technology companies have been focusing on the gamification of the game of golf, with technology creating fun experiences that can then be a gateway for casual driving range goers to becoming regular club golfers.

At the show, we talked to the team Inrange, a South African born company who are aiming to build the ultimate gamified experience at the driving range. In viewing these products, it struck me that driving ranges have the potential to become the new “bowling alley”, with all members of the family coming for fun and not strictly to practice. Although, I’m not sure adding bumpers to a driving range would be a great idea!

There were a few other products that really stood out to me during my time in Florida, each one innovating in an entirely different space, but equally bringing their own value into the golfing world.The first product that caught my attention was Caddysplash, a unique club cleaner that is the brainchild of three young entrepreneurs from California. These guys have not only developed an innovative product, but they have also nailed the marketing game online, amassing a serious following on TikTok through making fun videos about their product. It demonstrated to me that companies selling to golfers have a fantastic opportunity to differentiate themselves through content online. Building a story around the brand seems to be even more important now in a time of almost infinite competition. 

I was also thoroughly impressed by How Many Strokes, founded by Frederik Knudsen of Denmark. Frederik is aiming to solve the problem of messy boards in clubs filled with conversion tables and competition results by building a digital handicap conversion table. This is one of those innovations where you think “ That’s such a great idea , why has nobody ever thought of this”? However , the impressive part was in fact their  business model. By replacing paper sheets hung up on golf club walls with screens, How Many Strokes is creating an opportunity for golf clubs to generate additional revenue through advertisements on their screens. Genius!

Catching up with our friend Frederik from How Many Strokes

Finally, one of the most exciting pieces of technology I saw at the PGA Show was the augmented reality putting guide from Puttview, currently used by Irish phenom Leona Maguire to sharpen her putting. This device helps golfers visualize the line to the hole, and while it's certainly not cheap, it's definitely one of the coolest pieces of golf tech I've ever seen. I have spoken to a few innovators in the golf VR space recently, however through actually using the product you can get a real sense of what a great piece of kit it is .

The PGA Show also provided me with the opportunity to catch up with many friends from the industry and meet them face to face for the first time in after hours events.We had many laughs and made new connections from Ireland, Sweden, Canada and the US.  We also snuck a bit of golf in, playing the National course at Champions Gate, spending most of my time looking over my shoulders to spot any crocodiles lurking in the Florida swamps! Growing up in Ireland, I certainly have space in my life for rounds of golf where the wind speeds are below 30 and the temperature is above 10!

Finally, one of the most exciting pieces of technology I saw at the PGA Show was the augmented reality putting guide from Puttview, currently used by Irish phenom Leona Maguire to sharpen her putting. This device helps golfers visualize the line to the hole, and while it's certainly not cheap, it's definitely one of the coolest pieces of golf tech I've ever seen.   Ihave spoken to a few innovators in the golf VR space recently, however through actually using the product you can get a real sense of what a great piece of kit it is .

The PGA Show also provided me with the opportunity to catch up with many friends from the industry and meet them face to face for the first time in after hours events.We had many laughs and made new connections from Ireland, Sweden, Canada and the US.  We also snuck a bit of golf in, playing the National course at Champions Gate, spending most of my time looking over my shoulders to spot any crocodiles lurking in the Florida swamps! Growing up in Ireland, I certainly have space in my life for rounds of golf where the wind speeds are below 30 and the temperature is above 10!

Enjoying a round in the Florida sun at Champions Gate

Overall, attending the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida for the first time this year was a wholeheartedly worthwhile experience.. From the cutting-edge products and technologies on display, to the new connections I have made in the industry, the event has left me feeling optimistic and excited about the future of golf tech. I may have walked 30,000 steps a day, but it was worth every single one of them! As for my next blog, I'm fairly sure I'll be writing about how to survive the PGA Show without needing a foot transplant…