PGA show 2023 is back to pre-pandemic attendance

Miss Kira P’s Adventures during the PGA Merchandise Show 2023 at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

What can I say when it comes to an event so near and dear to my heart when it comes to the PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, it is just an amazing event. It’s like looking forward to the biggest golf expo and seeing good friends and new friends. It has been close to my heart and I missed not going for two years because of Covid.

Now in 2023, it looks like the PGA Merchandise Show is back to where it was pre-pandemic and the energy surrounding the event was great. It was my first year back as a golf influencer as my Instagram presence has grown and being on my own it was a different positive vibe. I couldn’t put my finger on it but maybe it was all the pre-planning going on as a seasoned attendee of the event.

As I hopped on my flight back to Florida it seemed like I was always going to Florida for work but this was different. A lot has changed in 2022 from Greg Norman creating the LIV Golf invitational and PGA Tour changes with many different insiders having their own opinions on the topics. I have always had an unbiased opinion if it means growing the game of golf in different countries, promoting the golf game, and supporting the causes surrounding golf I am all for it.

Plain and simple it is golf and I am not going into politics about any tours. You can come up with your own opinion on the matter.

Demo Day PGA Show; Tuesday, January 24, 2023

On Tuesday the day before the PGA Merchandise Show starts, attendees can head to the Orange County National Golf Club for Demo Day. Where you can try out new golf clubs on the driving range along with checking out the new products from the manufacturers. It is always an interesting event to try out the new lines of golf clubs before the public can buy them. I had my eyes on the new Cobra Golf Clubs but always wanted to ask many different questions to the golf companies.

As we started off our Demo Day experience we had to kick off the PGA Show day with a sample at Links Drinks Ready to Drink Transfusion Cocktails.

Links Drinks Ready to Drink Transfusion Cocktails:

A perfect blend of vodka and fruit juices,
Great for being on the golf course, driving range, or at the clubhouse after a round of golf,
Great story about what happened before we got to Demo Day.

Cobra Putters:

The new putter line is fabulous, it has weights on the putter to help with your put swing,
Perfect practice in the off-season helped with my putting,
Beautifully crafted and able to read the greens.

XXIO Golf:

Asked how to pronounce XXIO properly,
The story behind XXIO’s name,
Learned more about them as a company,
All their golf clubs are tailored to the person playing their golf clubs and are custom-made for their playing level,
I, unfortunately, couldn’t hit the golf ball with their women’s driver. I couldn’t put my finger on it why I couldn’t hit the ball.

Cobra Golf Clubs:

We arrived at the Cobra Golf Tent wanting to try their new putters and the new line of golf clubs,
During the off-season here in Wisconsin I’ve been practicing my putting since I didn’t do that during the regular season at Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin,
I was looking forward to trying the new Cobra Clubs since I needed to upgrade my beginner set,
While warming up and slowly getting back into the swing of things I’ve learned about the changes to the new 2023 irons.

TopTracer Golf:

As demo day came to a close we made our walk around the second half of the circle to check out TopTracer Tent to grab a white claw and reflected on how far it’s been since I attended my first PGA Merchandise Show,
I wish I could tell young women back then not to be scared to get into the golf industry and how welcoming the communities is,
I stepped back into the car after demo day I just had to say get ready for a lot of walking, not enough hours/days to see everything and long days,

If you have never been to the PGA Merchandise Show it is a mile long and takes some time to get to the indoor driving range to the opposite end of the show is now where the golf clothing companies are. Long days and if you have a plan you should know it will go out the window the second you think you will stick to it. I still haven’t learned that lesson on trying to schedule multiple appointments back to back some may be too long and sometimes random things happen out of your control. When attending the PGA Merchandise show it’s waking up early and staying up way too late to do it all over again. We usually survive on coffee, adrenaline, and Advil/Tylenol.

Day One PGA Show; Wednesday, January 25, 2023

If you think having meetings at the event is a good idea sometimes it can be but in reality, it can be stressful thinking you can keep to the schedule.

Makefield Putter Media Breakfast:

On Wednesday we got to the convention center early to grab breakfast and a lot of coffee before the opening ceremony of the show.

Opening Ceremony:

While waiting it is always interesting to people watch and feel the room around us with much anticipation to check out new exhibitors, and new products, see old friends, and meet new friends.

Acushnet Presentation:

As the opening ceremony came to a close most attendees started heading to the theatre for the Acushnet presentation with Jim Nantz and LPGA player Danielle Kang with her coach,
It’s always been a tradition for me to attend this event it is always nice to see so many people within the golf industry in one place,
Learning about Danielle Kang’s journey, her life as an LPGA Tour player, and hearing her journey and how much each of the players I have met in the past is just “normal” people.

FlightScope:

The first exhibitor to go check out was FlightScope and learn about their new Flightscope lines,
Never have I ever hit a golf ball at the indoor driving range until this year’s PGA Merchandise show. I know shocking but never have done it this year I was up for the challenge and knew my nerves might get the best of me,
I just had to keep on remembering to “have fun”, that’s the whole point of golf and showing my followers my journey,
When it comes to learning about new product lines with golf companies I always want to learn the most when it comes to somebody coming into the game of golf,
Trying out FlightScope and learning about their launch monitor is always fascinating to learn what the information is used for,
As I learned more about FlightScope I understood the importance of why it is so relative to somebody wanting to learn and improve their golf swing.

Uneekor:

Meeting Julie from Uneekor explained to her my golf background,
What drip means and seeing her ask her associate about his drip,
Getting to know about Julie’s background in the golf industry,
The story of Uneekor,
What Uneekor means,
and trying out the Uneekor Golf Simulator,
If you ever need help with your golf swing Julie gave me great advice since I couldn’t hit the ball. Her advice for me was, “Kira you gotta stick your butt out more!” I couldn’t stop laughing at the advice but it did work like a charm and every time I hit a golf ball I think of this conversation.

Chervo:

Clean lines and beautiful golf clothes for both females and males,
Explained why Instagram randomly kicked me out of my old profile,
Wanted me to come down to check out their offices and their golf clothing,
Should have stayed an extra day to come to visit them,
Became good friends with all of the ladies we met and kept on randomly seeing them through the show.

Smith & Quinn:

LOVE their fun prints you can wear on and off the golf course,
Very famine with dresses, workout wear, and everything in between,
Learning that they used to be named Kaeli Smith but changed their name recently to Smith & Quinn,
Learning about how they came up with the name Smith & Quinn.

Swing Control:

Fun colors and prints for the new golf line,
If you have a tummy issue they are the masters of tummy control,
Wish I had more time to check out their new golf clothes.

Imperial Headwear:

Created a new baseball hat for us girls that love being able to put up our hair with a ponytail hat with easy for us girls,
New soft tees, sweatshirts, and a wide range of different style hats for on and off the golf course.

Kilo Tango:

We had to say hello to “Kilo Tango Golf”, I’ve always liked their feminine golf clothes and wanted to see how their second PGA Merchandise Show,
Their new line has bright colors, and feminine lines to complete our figures as females,
Seeing their new 2023 Golf Line.

Chip Shot:

Will be located in Las Vegas with an expansive plan for their location including; a cigar bar, entertainment area, fine dining, indoor driving range, golf simulators, pro golf shop, and more,
A great meeting and learning about their company and seeing what their plan is for Chip Shot,
Can’t wait to check it out in person once it is completed in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Vessel Golf Bags:

We made out way back to the bag section of the show and wanted to learn about the new Vessel Golf Bag line,
Their bags are exquisitely made and on display, they had Mister Tiger Woods signed by him,
Little unknown fact Vessel Bags has every bag that they designed for Tiger Woods and will be putting them on display when their museum is fully complete,
Talking with Justin and Miranda about the new lines including the “ Sunday III Stand”, “kids golf bag”, Prime Staff, 2022 The Open Commemorative Rime Staff Bag, and new colors that are beautifully crafted,
Learn the history of how Vessel Bags came about and got the story that is linked to my YouTube Channel,
I started playing a game during the PGA Merchandise show how many times can I see a Vessel Bag or their logo out on the floor, let’s say it was so much fun, there were so many out there at other exhibitor booths.

Glove It:

Loved seeing the new designs, and colors, and how they came up with the new golf lines,
Meeting Anna and the owner of Glove was amazing finally met them in person.

Puma Golf:

Getting to meet Blair O’Neal and Kyle Berkshire at the Happy Hour,
Checked out the Fall 2023 line, very bright colors and designs with the new shoes,
Meeting Brian after speaking I found out he was the Northern Illinois & Wisconsin Cobra Puma Golf Sales Representative,
Meeting Kelly and catching up with what has been going on with Rachel my contact for Cobra Puma,
Explaining to Kelly what I was thinking about how Cobra Puma Golf & Miss Kira could work together and understand how she has had her plate filled before the PGA Merchandise Show,
Meeting more new friends from the Wisconsin area and catching up with what we all do.

Revo Sunglasses:

Randomly got invited to a Revo Sunglass after-hours party at the City Grille with Annika Sorenstam,
Met two contacts I have with the company after 4+ years of emailing them together,
Cracking up with new friends who were at the event,
And making memories from the whole first day.

Day Two PGA Show; Thursday, January 26, 2023

19th Hole Podcast:

Met Dennis Silvers at the media center; we have been emailing each other for a while about being on his podcast,
Learning about what he is thinking about my segment,
How we can work together and use my golf influencing status.

A. Putnam:

Finally got the chance to meet Ali the face behind A. Putnam,
Learning about her story of creating the company and her relationship with her fashion partner,
Her timeless fashion golf clothing you can wear during traveling, golf, and business trips,
You can see Ali’s passion behind her brand and how much she has been hustling since the PGA Merchandise show.

Duca del Cosmo:

Finally meeting Caroline and the whole Duca del Cosmo team,
Their beautiful handcrafted shoes,
Perfect for all four seasons,
Their story about why they have leopard print shoes and how they go to a leopard they have adopted in South Africa,
Attempting to chip after the long day and being the entertainment since I did too much power,
Becoming good friends with the whole team and loving that they have high heels shoes with their logo.

Cutler Golf Bags:

Loving the new designs and styles of golf bags for the new year,
Fun different prints,
Meeting Agatha in person after working with Milena.

Daily Sports USA:

The wide range of pants, capris, dresses, tops, and accessories,
As my mom says, “These capris I could live in them”,
A mix between prints and solids which I love being able to do with my clothing choices.

Lucky In Love:

If you love bright colors, fun prints, and being able to have your kids have fun clothes check no further than Lucky In Love,
If you play pickleball, tennis, golf, and/or athletics you can find fun and flirty designs with Lucky In Love,
Love hearing about how they came up with the fun designs, meeting their team in person,
They have the cutest golf/tennis skort that has mixed cocktails and martini glasses on their skorts, How can you say no to that?

WAAC Golf: Win At All Cost!:

I just wanted to see their clothing line, golf bags, golf travel bags, and what really WAAC means,
I had no idea it was an acronym for Win At All Cost!
Who can say they don’t like the name,
Fun prints for both men and women that you can wear on and off the course,
They are a brand you should keep an eye out for.

Copper Tech Golf Gloves/Lady Classics:

I have to say I have been using Copper Tech Golf Gloves since I did an unboxing at my old company,
It is always great catching up with Lloyd and telling him how much I love their golf gloves,
From bright colors, and designs for females that like to have their nails done so we are not ruining our fingernails, and different styles.

Under Armor Golf:

Classic is the statement of Under Armor Golf’s new lines for 2023,
You had to make an appointment to check out their new line.

NexBelt:

Finally got the chance to meet friends from NexBelt whom I’ve been emailing for years,
Their new belts lines, engraving for country clubs, golf clubs, and everything in between,
I swear by them they are hands down the best belt company I have ever worn,
They have lines for men, and women, EDC belts, Dress belts, and Rowland Thomas Series, and you can also customizable your belt buckle.

Oliver Thomas:

They had new colors and different styles of bags that they are releasing this year,
This includes; pickle balls, tennis, golf, travel bags, crossbody, and any size you are looking for in a bag,
They are also coming out with a new line of sandals,
They have removable patches you can customize your bag from slogans about pickle ball, tennis, golf, lifestyle, or of course the original Oliver Thomas,
Learning the story of how Oliver Thomas came about and why the name became Oliver Thomas,
Big surprise it is named after their lovely dog whose named Oliver Thomas.

Nau-T-Girl Jewelry:

If you love the ocean, beach, golf, tennis, or anything that deals with those things you are in the right place,
Nau-T-Girl Jewelry brings all of those love altogether,
What woman doesn’t like nice-looking jewelry, that you can wear on and off the golf course,
Show what you love in sports,
Hearing the story behind Nau-T-Girl Jewelry and how they started their journey into creating their jewelry.

Ralph Lauren Golf:

Being invited to their Happy Hour was great,
Finally meeting the ladies I have been emailing with the past couple of weeks and finally Meeting Lauren in person years later,
When you think of Ralph Lauren you think of timeless, classic for being in the golf world,
You probably also think of Ryder Cup, the Olympics, and being able to create streamlined uniforms for teams,
They have golf lines that are for the clubhouse, cooler days, hot days, workout wear, and travel lifestyle, and have accessories along the fun designs to keep with the feeling that you can tell it was a Ralph Lauren style.

Day Three PGA Show; Friday, January 27, 2023

Art Stricklin; The Art of Golf Travel:

If you do not know who the amazing golf writer Art Stricklin please go check him out and his travel company called “The Art of Golf Travel”,
Art is the president of the Texas Golf Writers Association and an accomplished writer that has worked with many different publications,
I have known Art due to my old job and had to catch up with Art since I haven’t seen him in years,
It was fun talking with him about how he has been and how he was impressed with what I have done since leaving my job,
Art has iconic trips available to go to including, The Master, Ireland, Bandon Dunes, Ryder Cup, and many more.
https://theartofgolftravel.com

Lucky 13 Golf:

The last company I had to meet with before I left for the airport was Mike from Lucky 13 Golf,
I promised him I would stop by and I am so glad I did because he is such an amazing guy,
I loved his story since we both have marketing backgrounds,
I love his hats and how they can be mixed and matched with the Lucky 13 Golf logos, hat styles, and the color of hats,
You can now see the Brand Ambassador of Lucky 13 Golf, Gabi Powel, a female Long Driver Athlete at upcoming events,
Looking forward to wearing the Lucky 13 Golf Hat in the future as golf season is about to kick off here shortly.

After taking an Uber back to the Orlando International Airport I couldn’t believe that the 2023 PGA Merchandise Show was over. It went by way too fast and didn’t have enough time to check everything I wanted to see. But I’ve realized it was so much fun seeing old friends, making new friends, and having great meetings with exhibitors, and realized I can’t believe I have done this much in less than a year.

Now it is time to push the pedal to the metal before the 2023 Golf Season kicks off here in the Midwest.

A lot of things now have changed since the 2023 PGA Merchandise Show. I can’t wait to announce a lot of great things happening already for 2023.

Hit em’ Straight.

Miss Kira P