The 2025 PGA Show Demo Day

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge

Winter Haven, Florida

     Despite the polar vortex that swept through the US in mid-January bringing wind, rain and very chilly temperatures even as far south as Central Florida, spirits at Demo Day were not dampened.  The 42-acre circular practice facility of Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge hosted over 70 companies for hands-on displays of equipment where PGA and LPGA Professionals, golf industry professionals, PGA Show attendees and media could demo the newest clubs and talk with company representatives about products ranging from game improvement to carts to clubhouse and maintenance equipment.

Hazel Clark and Stacy Lewis,
Women of Impact

     Early risers were rewarded with a very special opportunity to sit in on a breakfast chat with LPGA legend Stacy Lewis and Olympian runner Hazel Clark in a "Women of Impact" conversation about their roads to athletic and personal success.  Presented by Antigua, Oakley and Uneekor Indoor Golf and moderated by broadcaster and PGA Professional Brian Crowell, both women shared the common threads that have pulled them as individual sport athletes toward their goals - finding support in family and teamwork, putting in the work but also celebrating the victories, giving back and playing for something bigger - all excellent advice for anyone to follow on any road to success.  

     Under the canopies of Cobra, XXIO, Ping, Vice and Mizuno we had great opportunities to hear the fine details up close from reps about their newest clubs.

Cobra

XXIO

Ping

Vice

Mizuno

     With mechanical engineering precision, Avgar has designed an amazingly organized golf bag.  Ready to travel with built-in wheels, their unique concept has thought of everything from quiet individual club compartments to a removable greenside caddy to a weather-protected scorecard desk to a safe for your valuables.  And based in New Zealand, their leather bag cover is lined with the fantastic feel of wool fleece, guaranteeing your clubs are surrounded in luxury.

     Everyone seemed ready for the rain and made the most of this once-a-year opportunity.

Club Car

Pure Drive Golf Glove

All hands on deck at the range.

Toptracer

Wittek Golf Supply

Golf Range Association of America

     So regardless of the weather, Demo Day remains one of our favorite golf events, marking the beginning of a new year for golf.

    Demo Day starts the PGA Show off each January in Orlando, Florida.  For a look at our review of the 2025 PGA Show, go to:

The 2025 PGA Show

The 2025 PGA Show

 

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, Florida

January21-24, 2025

                                                                                                

     The largest PGA Show in 15 years opened its doors at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida to a river of attendees from across the globe.  The numbers were impressive with more than 33,000 industry professionals and 1,100 participating brands celebrating a new and optimistic year for golf.  Even with ten miles of aisles showcasing thousands of products and services, the 2025 PGA Show felt easily navigable as the Show has evolved with digital maps and networking platforms, 6 Show floor stages, career and development programming, entrepreneur outreach and industry presentations, all recharging the golf spirit.

     An annual Titleist presentation hosted by Jim Nance has become a "must see" for us and this year the company honored Tony Pancake, PGA Pro of  2024 who has a 40-year career and Brendan Walsh, PGA, a 30-year Titleist staff member.  Nance, himself the "Voice of Titleist" for 30 years, told of the company's beginnings in 1932 when Phil Young, MIT graduate, owner of a precision molded rubber company and avid amateur golfer became unhappy with continuous missed putts and asked his playing partner, a friend and head of the x-ray department at a local hospital, to see if the core was off-center.  It was.  Together with fellow MIT graduate, rubber specialist and avid golfer Fred Bommer, the Acushnet Golf Division was begun, their aim to produce the highest quality and most consistent golf ball in the world.  And to this day, every Titleist golf ball is x-rayed before it finishes production.

Feel and confidence - 
Jack Nicklaus wedge from Stix

 

     As the spring golf season knocks on the door, club makers are rolling out some surprises.

Stix is pairing with legendary Jack Nicklaus 
to bring excellence and affordability to 
all golfers.

                 

           

                                    

Vice can put a little spice in your 
game!

Q Golf, an All-In-One Putter to Lob Wedge developed in New Zealand, is the perfect travel companion.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

    Ben Hogan Golf is personalizing the finest clubs for play, gifts and bragging rights.

  Bettinardi Putters are 

true American Beauties.  

    Electric and gas-powered golf carts continue to get bigger and better, attracting a wide variety of users, even happy hour crowds and back woods crawlers.

Cru by Club Car

Angry Goat Custom Carts

    But portability, mobility and the benefits of walking are building a great case for hand caddies and unconventional travel bags.                                                                                                             

    Stride from Zero Friction is light-weight, electric-driven and will fold to fit in your vehicle.  













EVO II from BatCaddy offers high quality and great value electric-motorized push carts while Daily Moving has mastered the single-rider cart for portability.    

                                

                

















   

    Avgar of New Zealand brings mechanical engineering experience and precision to the design of their beautiful golf bags and travel trunks.

    On the other side of the technical scale, but just as thoughtfully developed, is lowercase, whose bags are intended for more urban commuters heading for the range or practice via foot, subway or good old-fashioned bicycle.

 

    

    Sun Mountain golf bags and travel covers are as rugged as the Montana mountains that they are made in.

    All outdoor enthusiasts are paying closer attention to protection and fabric quality.  Our search for light weight fashionable apparel was rewarded this year with classics from Antigua, Penguin by Munsingwear, Rhone and Turtleson.

Antigua - Always Stylish.

    Original Penguin by Munsingwear is celebrating its 70th year but this isn't just your Dad's Penguin anymore!

                                                                                                           

Rhone - Lush fabrics with very thoughtful details.

                                                  

Turtleson - Performance and luxury.

Fun-forward fashion had lots of presence again at the show.

Cowboy Golf from Hooey Brands is the real deal from Spring Branch, Texas.

Scales Gear  - pack it for fishing, sunning or off-shore clubbing!

                    

                      

Big game improvement tools can come in small packages.

XVIC Aiming View Training Device gives you amazing detail at the end of your putter.

                                                 

Wedge Game - Great fun in a practical package!

Or if you have more space -

PuttOUT Air Break Putting Matt features eight adjustable points for hundreds of slope combinations.

HD SportSuite offers unbelievable realism.

And, of course, for the kid in all of us, Harris Miniature Golf Courses have been building family fun since 1958.

A little extra flair in your footwear and accessories can step up your game, too.

Every step tells a story in OluKai footwear.

Armin Oehler has been aging leather to perfection for 6 generations.

Peepers by Peeperspecs, a 4th generation company that delivers unforgettable style at an unbeatable price, come in an assortment of bundles with free displays for your business.

                                                     

Jondo Sunglasses enhance the red, green and blue spectrums while providing 100% UV protection to let you see what you need to see.

Beautiful jewelry, pocket squares and bow ties from South Carolina come from surprising sources.

Brackish uses natural, sunstainably-sourced feathers to create one-of-a-kind wearable artwork in Charleston, South Carolina.

Teal Heron, also of Charleston, South Carolina, blends sustainable fishing techniques with precious metals for uniquely made jewelry and accessories.

We found surprising tournament and business gifts that are sure to last for generations in the booth of Cutco.

                                                                  

And in the Travel Pavilion and for those of us with that bucket list to fill or refill, the Scottish pipes and Irish shamrocks were calling.

The PGA Show, a trade-only event, will return to Orlando for the 2026 PGA Show January 20 - 23, 2026.

For a look at our review of the 2025 PGA Show Demo Day, go to:

The 2025 PGA Show Demo Day