Technology, vintage sensibility collide at PGA Show

Attendees and exhibitors pack the floor at the PGA Show. Scott Halleran, PGA of Amerca

Editor’s note: GGP+ is providing golf-industry coverage in conjunction with this week’s PGA Show in Orlando, Florida. 

ORLANDO, FLORIDA | Golf’s business mecca, the PGA Show, once again roared to life this week, hosting more than 30,000 attendees to mingle with upwards of 1,000 vendors and exhibitors. From humble beginnings as a slapdash trunk show in Dunedin, Florida, the self-proclaimed “major of golf business” has grown into an international destination that sprawls across 1.1 million square feet of convention space.

While the gathering’s showcase of technological innovation was stronger than ever, this year’s edition saw a healthy dose of tradition sprinkled throughout the Orange County Convention Center. The resulting blend of retro styling and cutting-edge development produced an atmosphere wholly unique and utterly representative of golf’s current cultural landscape – an enticingly strange mix of the game’s storied past and its battery-powered future.

The show’s opening day on Wednesday was one of the most well attended and vibrant in recent memory, with some of the aisles virtually impassable at times. For the club junkie, the show floor was nirvana.

All the major manufacturers showed up to debut new product lines with the exception of TaylorMade, conspicuous by their absence since 2018.

The PGA Show is nirvana for a club junkie. Scott Halleran, PGA of America

Titleist once again served as the anchor of the show’s equipment section. Holding the same sprawling booth space for decades, the brand’s central location often makes it the first port of call for industry professionals interested in the new gear hitting the market.

“The PGA professional is rooted in our business and our route to market as an instrumental connection to the golfer,” said Jeremy Stone, senior vice president of golf ball marketing and U.S. sales for Titleist. “[The PGA Show] is a great place for us to see so many of our great partners and connect with them.”

This year, the company’s signature white-coated reps introduced the new Vokey SM11 wedge line, a refresh on the well-traveled tour favorite that promises a more consistent center of gravity across the series’ nearly 30 varieties of grind and bounce options. Putter guru Scotty Cameron emerged from his garage with a variety of low-torque putter models in both his Phantom and Studio Style lines, a prime example that timelessness is not immune to the temptation of modern trends. Titleist rounded out their offerings with a smattering of new golf balls, including an updated Pro V1 Left Dash, Tour Soft, and AVX.

Stationed right next door, Ping’s booth spotlighted the new G440 K driver. Playing into the brand’s position as leaders in forgiveness, the model promises record-setting moment of inertia via weight-saving measures in the sole, crown, and hosel. The visual profile of the G440 has also been lengthened with the goal of inspiring confidence on the tee.

“In terms of the overall category and space, I don’t think it’s ever been more exciting. I think the planets are aligning in terms of the new audience and the new generation of golfers that are coming through … data and insight is really important for them.” – James Murphy of simulator maker Uneekor

Callaway furthered its reputation as a technically minded manufacturer with the debut of its Quantum line of clubs, featuring a whopping five different driver models aiming to serve the entire spectrum of swings. With the release, Callaway joined their absent competitor TaylorMade as the only two major brands to offer a carbon-integrated driver face. Callaway’s new Tri-Force surface is a proprietary mix of ultra-thin titanium supported by a sheet of carbon fiber and bonded together by a lightweight polymer, promising consumers faster ball speed off the tee – at least if you can afford it.

A common theme with this year’s driver rollout was a potentially exclusionary price tag. As the equipment industry continues to boom and R&D budgets rise in tandem, MSRP for drivers in particular has reached an all-time high. The big sticks from Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, and Ping all retail for $645.99 in stock configuration. Throw in a custom-fitted shaft and choice of aftermarket grip, and spending four figures on a new driver is by no means out of the question.

An industry sector on the rise since COVID, indoor golf and its associated technologies made a big splash on this year’s show floor. A unified block of simulator brands spanned much of the convention’s midsection, ranging from large players such as Trackman and Foresight to smaller, more regional brands like Fullswing and Uneekor. This year saw a dramatic uptick in square footage consumed by the sector, representative of steady growth for off-course playing options.

Show visitors line up to register in Orlando. Darren Carroll, PGA of America

“In terms of the overall category and space, I don’t think it’s ever been more exciting,” said James Murphy, head of global marketing for Uneekor. “I think the planets are aligning in terms of the new audience and the new generation of golfers that are coming through … data and insight is really important for them.”

Even the ancient game could not escape discussion of artificial intelligence. Integration with AI was a prominent theme throughout the show, with machine-learning models leveraged in everything from club design to business analytics to golf instruction.

With all the buzz around new technology, walking onto the apparel floor was like stepping back in time. The vintage revival within golf’s soft goods sector was on full display this week, showcasing a world of polished wood, leather, and stitched canvas. Breakout brands such as Malbon, Hudson Sutler, and Tremont Sports have positioned themselves as the torchbearers of retro style, emphasizing design elements made famous by names like Palmer, Miller, Couples, and Woods. Pleated pants, a looser fit, and traditional materials like knit wool and cashmere have become vogue once more, with brands leveraging this visual connection to history for mass-market appeal.

Outside the showcase of golf’s latest goods, the PGA Show also serves as a hub for professional education and nationwide networking. Conferences for organizations such as the Association of Golf Merchandisers, National Golf Course Owners Association and Golf Fitness Association of America ran all week, offering a chance for industry members from across the globe to meet and mingle. The week culminated Thursday with the 2026 Winter Jam, a free-entry concert featuring country music artist Dustin Lynch.

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