How the PGA Merchandise Show Proved That #Golf is Alive and Well #PGAShow

From the hottest clubs to the latest in wearable golf technology and apparel, if you are in the golf business, you needed to attend this year's PGA Merchandise Show.

Over one thousand interactive exhibits, golf pros, instructors and course owners/management converged this week in Orlando, stuffing into The Orange County Convention Center including yours truly and, if this show ever proved one thing, it was that the sport is alive and growing, no matter what the naysayers assert!

According to Sports Business Journal (which I read in the Media Center), this centennial season brought out more than 42,000 industry attendees from 25+ countries and one thousand golf companies and brands ...there was nearly ten miles of show aisles! Boy were my feet tired after navigating through my first day at the Show!

Although I cannot be at the PGA Show the entire week, I understand that the stage was filled with well-known representatives of the sport; there was a meet-and-greet with Bubba Watson, a golf clinic with LPGA star Lexi Thompson and demonstration by the one and only Annika Sorenstam. I was fortunate to learn tips from masters of golf instruction, Hank Haney and David Leadbetter.

I'm sure I cannot do justice to the PGA Show with these photos but, if I only show our readers one thing, I hope it is to show the immense popularity of golf, a few of the hottest items that are in your local stores and a few that are sold online and making a dent in the internet.

Here is the interactive display booth for Mobitee with PIQ, the latest in golf wearable technology.

Fitness and Nutrient Products Like RedJoe are Proving that there is a market for hydration during a round of golf. Doesn't hurt to have Leadbetter using it either! 

From large brands with huge displays like Callaway and Titleist to smaller booths representing health and fitness, the PGA Show is "the place to discover the latest golf technology, equipment, apparel, and new products."

Voice your opinions on the latest golf products and technology on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and below in our golf blog comments section.

Why Zach Johnson Is One Tour Player You Can Emulate #golf

Everybody wants to know what Jordan Spieth is doing, but Zach Johnson is the golfer you should really be paying attention to if you’re a 12+ handicap player. He has all of the preferred swing positions that will help you eliminate that weak slice, gain distance and hit the golf ball with authority. 

What are those swing postures? Johnson's exceptionally strong grip is something that’s easy to copy and adding it will immediately help with that open club face that plagues almost all higher handicap players. 

Next, Zack sets up with his shoulders square to his target. Most higher handicap players have their shoulders open or aimed left of target at address, which makes it more likely you’ll swing over the top and slice the ball. 

Lastly, ZJ's left arm (forward arm for lefties like me) is flatter at the top of the golf swing than most tour players. For you, the flatter left arm makes it easier to swing the club more from the inside instead of swinging over the top. 

If you can get your club face more square by adopting a more closed face (strong grip), square up the shoulder at address and swing the path of your club more from the inside on the downswing, you’ll hit the ball farther and straighter and that weak slice will be a thing of the past.  

These changes will also free you up to turn your hips more through impact. Most players stop their hips through impact to give their hands time to try to flip the club square at the last second. That’s big power leak. When you don’t have to worry about your club face being open at impact, you can turn your hips more freely through impact which is a big source of power and consistency. 

The golf instruction video and information in this blog comes to you from Craig Jones of FaceFirstGolf.com, who has recently released a new online training program ... a bootcamp...for 12+ handicap players. Not only has Craig taught 10,000+ lessons and owned five golf learning facilities over the past twelve years, he was once a 15+ handicap player himself and worked his way down to a ONE handicap (super impressive).  Craig breaks down the more difficult concepts into simpler terms AND respects the rules and etiquette that make golf such a great sport. 


photo: Wikipedia