Education’s a High Priority
Education is always a high priority for PGA of America Golf Professionals at the PGA Show, and PGA Show Education delivered more than 70 sessions on Teaching & Coaching, Executive Management and Golf Operations, led by expert PGA of America Golf Professionals, PGA Master Professionals and other golf industry experts. PGA of America Professionals earned up to 40 PDR credits through participation in PGA Show Education and various other Show-related events.
PGA Show Week 2025 began with the biennial PGA of America Teaching & Coaching Summit at the Orange County Convention Center, with more than 700 attendees experiencing interactive teaching and coaching presentations on Jan. 19–20. The National Golf Course Owners Association Golf Business Conference and the AGM Golf Retail Conference also preceded the week’s main event – the 72nd PGA Show.
“I never miss the PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit, which was tremendous this year, or the PGA Show,” noted Joseph Dingledine, PGA, Head Professional at Country Club of Barre in Barre, Vermont. “The education opportunities this year at the PGA Show were some of the best I’ve seen in many years, and the Show floor was very, very busy.
“There are a lot of new companies at the PGA Show this year, which is probably a carryover from golf becoming so popular during and after the pandemic. People can’t get enough golf these days.”
PGA Show days were full of additional professional learning opportunities during exhibitor and industry presentations at six Show floor stages. The PGA of America Industry Stage presented by CapTech offered a full schedule of diverse programming from the PGA of America in collaboration with leading golf organizations, expert business leaders and top coaches. The Golf Fitness, Health & Wellness Stage featured complimentary education sessions presented by TPI and the Golf Fitness Association of America, with supporting sponsor Life Fitness. The Inventors Spotlight Stage offered entrepreneur and inventor education sessions and product pitch panels each Show day. PGA of America Golf Professionals, college students and second-career professionals connected with employers right on the Show floor in the Career Zone featuring company recruiting activations, networking events and a stage for golf career programming. The Clubhouse Stage featured a full schedule of industry programming by golf development and racquet sports experts.
A Barometer of Golf’s Health
The PGA Show is annually considered a barometer of golf’s health, which might explain why traffic among the 1,100 companies and 1.1 million square feet of exhibition and demonstration space on the PGA Show floor was busy throughout the event.
“The high energy at the PGA Show reflects the huge popularity and upbeat vibe of golf right now,” noted Cortney Shrout, PGA, Head Professional at South Hills Country Club in Covina, California. “Golf is on the upswing and so are women in golf. Golf is going through a very positive growth period right now in all sectors, and that has spilled over to the PGA Show.
“There are more new companies and more companies than ever for women at the Show, which is a great sign. Judging by the PGA Show, 2025 will be another banner year for golf.”
Golf’s brightest brands combined with nearly 400 new exhibitors to transform the PGA Show floor into the world’s largest marketplace for the game. Companies large and small used the 2025 PGA Show as an official unveiling of new products, with Bridgestone Golf, Callaway Golf, Cobra Puma Golf, Cleveland/Srixon Golf, Mizuno, Ping, Titleist, Toptracer and hundreds of others introducing new products and innovations.
Among the attention-getting offerings were Titleist 2025 Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls; Cobra DS-ADAPT family of drivers and metalwoods; Ping G440 line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and Irons; Bridgestone 220 MB, 221 CB and 222 CB+ Forged irons and BRM2 Forged wedges; Blue Tees Playmaker+ GPS Watch and Series 4 Ultra Rangefinder; Club Car new Onward LSV; Sunday Golf’s new kids golf bag line; ICON EV new E40FX model; Johnnie-O’s first women’s line; Flag & Anthem Ryder Cup Capsule; Duca del Casma first-ever apparel collection; Ellesworth + Ivey Custom Sweaters and Sweatshirts; and the A. Putnam Royal Gardens Collection.
Show High on Technology
Technology was king at the 2025 PGA Show, with more than 40 companies showing off their latest innovations in launch monitors, simulators, rangefinders and point-of-sale systems that are revolutionizing the golf business. Companies such as Blue Tees, Bushnell, TruGolf, Uneekor, SkyTrack, Foresight, Trackman, Full Swing, Flightscope, Tru Golf, HD Golf and many others were busy every day all day on the PGA Show floor.
“This (the PGA Show) is the only place you can see all the technological advances being made in the golf industry under one roof. The new technology at the Show is pretty amazing,” said Andy Mickelson, PGA, Director of Golf at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville, Illinois. “The technology available on the teaching side, such as the new 3D motion capture systems, is something else and the new technology in simulators is mind-boggling. I was going to say that is the future of golf but, in reality, it is the present.”
“I am surprised how much indoor golf is represented at the PGA Show this year,” said Jimmy Beers, PGA, owner of Jimmy Beers Golf in Stow, Ohio, who was given a PGA Jr. League Game-Changer Award at the PGA Show. “But I shouldn’t be – all the kids in our area want to play golf on the simulator. They don’t want to play outside, especially if the weather isn’t ideal. So, I told my wife, ‘We better go to the PGA Show and buy a simulator.’ That’s what the kids love and indoor golf is becoming more popular every day.”
