What I heard, saw and felt at the 2024 PGA Show

Another golf show is behind us. The 2024 PGA Show is in the books. It was the first all-in show since January 2020, the last full event before the pandemic shut down so many parts of the universe. It was a grand, noisy get-together, a meeting of suppliers and buyers, educators and those looking for the next secret in this now ever-evolving industry. Overall, it was, I believe, a true success. A wonderful connector for old friends, new friends, and those of us looking to stay connected to a game now fueled by a seemingly endless number of new brands, new people, and new money. It was worth the time and the investment for most to come to Orlando and see what’s next in this growing, fast-changing game.

I am a member of Toastmasters International. It is an organization built around the idea of teaching people how to speak with confidence, how to enhance leadership skills, and become successful listeners. Within each meeting, there is a place for feedback. A place where a member delivers a report on a speech given earlier in the meeting. This is important feedback, allowing each speaker the chance to learn and grow. Feedback is an important part of the Toastmasters experience. It is that vital piece we very much lack in the world of 8-5. The evaluation is many times provided on the three themes shown in the title for this post: what the evaluator heard, saw, and felt. It works. I have witnessed it for years. The evaluation helps people build skills and confidence in both their professional and personal lives. This post will provide three thoughts about the PGA Show borrowing these benchmarks so valuable in learning how to become a confident speaker. Here are my three thoughts:

What I heard: Like the days before 2020, the Show was boisterous, filled with endless activity, conversation, and meetups with suppliers of every type. There seemed to be an endless number of new suppliers, most especially in the categories of apparel and swing simulators. Wow! Lots of new eyeballs have been reading the press clippings about the game, rounds growth, and stories of waiting lists at the local clubs. No doubt: new people and their money have entered the room, searching for their path to the green. In several conversations, however, I also heard concern. Concern that rounds were becoming too expensive. That memberships were being priced out of reach for some, and that the average shirt retail may soon require an installment plan. In an economy filled with potholes,…