The epicenter of golf — Must-click women’s golf links
By Addie Parker
The IX: Golf Thursday with Addie Parker, January 26, 2023
ORLANDO, Fla. — Happy Golf Thursday! To the non-golfer, Orlando, Florida is notoriously known for its nightmarish airport and being home to the happiest place on earth; but to us golf fans, it’s the center of the golf universe. And I’m not talking about players, or tour events, Orlando is where the business takes place. Industry professionals from teaching, media outlets, apparel brands, club equipment all gather in Orlando for one week, which sets the tone for the market for the rest of the year.
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Last year was my first time at the PGA Show, and it was overwhelming to say the least. Which was so fascinating because every person I had spoken to about the show had told me that it was the smallest show in terms of attendees and number of exhibitions they had ever seen.
But to fully understand the sheer size and impact the show has, we must look back the the first-ever show which occurred nearly 70 years ago. A small group of merchandisers gathered in the parking lot of PGA National Golf Club, showcasing things out of the trunks of their cars. Each year since it’s conception, the show only grew, and the PGA of America needed to quickly find a home for these golf professionals. It bounced around the sunshine state, until finally in 1985, the Orange County Convention Center became the official venue for the “major” of golf business.
The buzz surrounding this year’s show was palpable. Last year, clubs and new equipment were missing, but this year they were back in full force. Titleist, Callaway, Cobra, and so many other major brands made their presence known with impressive booth displays.
Having the PGA Show in Orlando allows for a unique experience with the location of the show being on International Drive. It’s a perfect spot for longtime friends to connect, for people to network and for people to surround themselves with other smart people in the game of golf. The PGA Show is the major in terms of the business of course — it kicks off the year and sets the tone for the upcoming golf season. It’s always going to be the same categories of vendors, but different on how that applies to the market and how brands want customers to experience their products year after year.
Gavin Parker, PGA Member
Attending the PGA Show is a right of passage for any golf enthusiast and this year’s show is already history in the making.
This week in women’s golf
If you have links you wish to share for Golf Thursday, sources for golf news, or want to talk about anything at all, you can email me at addieparker25@gmail.com ! Discussion of any kind is always welcome…I mean it…MESSAGE ME!
LPGA News
Last week, the first event of the 2023 season took place at Lake Nona. All eyes were on the biggest starts — Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda. Here are a few stories to come from the weekend.
A dream start for Brooke Henderson
WATCH: Brooke Henderson goes wire to wire
Prize money payouts for each LPGA player at 2023 HGVTOC
Charley Hull has her groove back, on the course and off
LPGA news from this week
Jin Young Ko set to return to LPGA competition next month in Thailand
LET News
Epson Tour News
Hyo Joon Jang’s journey from Epson to punching her LPGA card
The Epson Tour and OnCore Golf have announced a marketing partnership for the 2023 season
NCAA News
Meet the college golf coach who turned down an invitation to compete at Augusta National
NBC Sports announces nearly 150 hours of college golf TV coverage on in spring 2023
Other News
Two Golfers and the tennis player: The Korda Siblings
Woman’s Hour Power List 2023 to Focus on Sport
Five at The IX: Recapping my favorite booths at the 2023 PGA Show
WAAC
You may have seen the little red devil logo before. Players like Kevin Na and Minjee Lee have worn WAAC, which stands for ‘Win At All Cost’, while winning some of golf’s biggest titles. On top of a super cool logo, WAAC’s booth at the show was my favorite by far. Their apparel showcases bold patterns, classic preppy silhouettes with a flare of streetwear.
Cobra Driving Range
Demo Day was great, but Cobra’s indoor driving range on the convention floor to test the new line of clubs was amazing.
PuttView
If you want to feel like you’re in EA’s Tiger Woods video game, the new PuttView X goggles physically traces the line of your putt, meaning you’ll never miss a putt again.
ANEW Golf
Golf clothes just got a lot cooler…I mean puffer skirts/skorts maybe the biggest trend of 2023. ANEW Golf is a Korean-based brand that has a line of bucket hats Anna Davis would kill for!
Inno-F1
Sometimes your golf cart riding partner may have you going every which way, the solo golf cart from INNO-F1 solved that problem in the coolest way. This golf cart also has windshield wipers!!
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