Tour professionals carefully analyze each golf course hole and formulate a plan of attack prior to playing in a major golf championship. Likewise, PGA of America Golf Professionals are meticulously mapping the PGA Show floor in advance and scheduling their time carefully to take full advantage of all the features associated with the 72nd PGA Show on Jan. 21–24 in Orlando, Florida.
Just as a major golf tournament requires four rounds of preparation, the 2025 PGA Show mandates planning for four full days to allow the efficient navigation of more than 1,000 exhibiting golf companies and brands over 12 miles of exhibition aisles and 1.1 million square feet of exhibition and demonstration space. Equally important is the careful scheduling of more than 70 PGA Show Education sessions, a series of industry presentations on five PGA Show floor stages, and a number of special events that stretch into the evening hours each day.
Last year, more than 30,000 golf industry professionals, including 7,000-plus PGA of America, LPGA and international PGA Professionals, representing 89 countries and all 50 states and 41 PGA of America Sections, attended Golf’s Global Gathering, with similar or greater numbers anticipated in 2025. And with a long list of special events and presentations scheduled – including PGA Show Demo Day on Tuesday (Jan. 21), the welcome reception presented by johnnie-O and Fashion Show on Wednesday (Jan. 22), and the second PGA Show Winter Jam concert featuring THIRD EYE BLIND on Thursday (Jan. 23) – preparation and planning are paramount to ensure a successful PGA Show experience.
Start of New Business Cycle
As per tradition, the PGA Show marks the start of the new golf business year while serving as the largest annual global golf reunion with an emphasis on education, merchandising, new products, innovations, networking and career development. As an engine that drives the $102 billion golf industry, the PGA Show also serves as a barometer for golf, with the 72nd edition reflecting the record growth of the sport with an expanded PGA Show floor and more exhibiting companies.
“The PGA Show is our largest annual gathering of PGA of America Golf Professionals and a stimulus in driving new business for the global golf industry,” says PGA of America President Don Rea Jr. “The PGA Show is one of my favorite times of year, as it feels like a family reunion. I get to meet with my fellow PGA of America Members, as well as network and develop new relationships.
“Our Association unites the professional golf community at the PGA Show to drive the continued growth of recreational golf, which has never been healthier than it is today. PGA Professionals and golf facilities will experience unparalleled access to game innovations, educational opportunities and peer best practices that will leave them better equipped for the 2025 season and beyond.”
As the popularity of golf and the number of players has grown exponentially the past few years, the PGA Show has also evolved and expanded to reflect industry needs.
“The continued growth of golf has translated into early enthusiasm and massive engagement from the global golf business community for the 2025 PGA Show,” says PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon. “Brands are activating in exciting new ways and industry leaders are making plans to participate across multiple Show platforms and special events. Education, business, career and peer networking programs, plus opportunities to connect and unwind together during evening events, are central aspects of a packed PGA Show Week that help to recharge professional growth and build the business of golf.”
Like Father, Like Son
PGA Master Professional Ken Morton Jr. learned the importance of proper planning for the PGA Show from his father, Ken Morton Sr., who has attended some 50 PGA Shows as the founder and president of Morton Golf, LLC in Sacramento, Calif. Ken Jr. has logged 37 PGA Shows and will be bringing a team of 10-12 staff members to Orlando.
“At a million square feet, and with so many different activities and presentations going on almost non-stop, it’s impossible to see everything and do everything you need to do without proper planning,” notes the younger Morton, PGA of America Vice President of Retail & Marketing for Morton Golf, which manages Haggin Oaks, Bing Maloney, Bartley Cavanaugh and William Land Golf Courses in the Sacramento area, while also operating the Morton Golf Superstores.
“There are so many opportunities to sharpen the toolset at the PGA Show — networking, idea gathering, business development, product discovery, educational opportunities and much more.
“There is no better training tool for our staff than to be able to walk the PGA Show floor and see the scope of vendors available to them in person. We have rewarded our most productive golf professionals or salespeople with the trip to Orlando over the years, which is a nice incentive.”
Multiple Education Opportunities
Morton likes his team members to take advantage of the multiple education opportunities and makes it a point to have a full complement of professionals attend the Association of Golf Merchandisers Conference on Tuesday of PGA Show Week to set the table for a busy week. Once the PGA Show floor opens on Wednesday (Jan. 22) with more than 1,000 leading golf companies and brands, Morton divides up his team with specific assignments to interact with as many vendors as possible.
“We always take a big team to the AGM Conference. For the team, that golf-specific retail education opportunity and the other education sessions have been a key component of growing our business and creating a massive influx of ideas to bring home for implementation,” adds Morton.
“Once the PGA Show opens, our team is divided into their area of specialties and we each have six to 10 appointments every day to meet with new and existing vendors,” says Morton. “We discuss ideas on how to mutually grow our business together for the following year. Our team is armed with scorecards on how each vendor did the prior year compared to their competitors and we talk through how to make improvements in the new year. We discuss everything from off-price opportunities, point of purchase changes, co-op marketing opportunities, event development, staff training, sales contests and more with vendor executive teams.”
As part of Morton’s strategy to leave no stone unturned in his search for new products and services at the PGA Show, he will also have “scouts” as part of his team in Orlando.
“We always bring scouts to the PGA Show, team members who are welcome to sit in on any of the appointments, but are there more to be the discovery team,” discloses Morton. “Their main role is to network and explore the PGA Show. Look in the New Product Zone area. Talk with fellow professionals and AGM members to find out trends they’re seeing. And then bring that information back to the end of the day meetings that are one of our most important pieces of the Show.
“At the conclusion of the Show each day, our team brings everyone back together for an hour to hour-and-a-half roundtable to discuss all of their findings, new discoveries, and opportunities and trends they’re seeing,” notes Morton. “This roundtable is time-consuming, but it allows my single lens of the Show to be expanded ten-fold. It means I don’t miss a thing. We now have many other (golf retail) stores joining our roundtable. Some are close friends and some are golf professionals who used to work for us that now run their own facilities. We get to share in their discoveries now, as well.”
Dan Baker, PGA, who oversaw the PGA Show as the PGA of America’s Director of Business Development for 17 years, died in a car accident in Florida on Dec. 13. He was 58.
Baker, who resided in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, worked his final PGA Show in 2024 and most recently had been consulting on the new “Happy Gilmore 2” movie production.
Statement from the PGA of America on Baker’s passing:
“It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our longtime colleague and dear friend, PGA of America Golf Professional Dan Baker.
“Dan led a storied career across the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup, Greater Hartford Open, PGA Show and, most recently, ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’
“He was truly one of a kind at the PGA of America and in the golf industry. His dedication, passion and kindness were evident in everything he did.
“Rest in peace, Dan.”
Statement from PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President Marc Simon:
“Dan’s passion, sense of humor, kindness and infectious enthusiasm were ever present during his nearly 17 years with the PGA Show. He poured his heart and soul into it and truly cherished the Show as if it was his ‘baby.’ The 2024 PGA Show, his last and one of the best ever, was a true testament to his efforts.”