By Mike Jamison
product showcase
It was far from the most well attended PGA Show in history, and the majority of industry heavyweights were nowhere to be found among the 600 or so exhibitors. But most of the people who did make the annual trek to Orlando for the golf industry’s largest gathering seemed very happy to be there, and were glad they came. Orders were written, business deals were done, products were introduced, and people seemed genuinely thrilled to be hugging, shaking hands, fist-bumping or simply seeing each other in person rather than through a computer screen. It wasn’t at pre-COVID standards, but it was pretty darn nice nonetheless.
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things From The PGA Show: Jay Golden, PGA
ING Industry Honors & Media Awards The 28th Annual ING Industry Honors were presented by the International Network of Golf, the industry’s only media-based networking organization. The nonprofit ING recognizes outstanding achievement in 10 business categories. Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA, and Tour Edge Exotics 721 Hybrid were among the winners this year. Whan became CEO of the USGA in July of 2021 after an 11-year stint as commissioner of the LPGA. As CEO, Whan leads the USGA team’s work to champion the game of golf. Under his leadership, the LPGA experienced unprecedented growth, with significant increases in the number of tournaments, purses and television coverage. The Tour Edge Exotics 721 Hybrid won in the Product IngenuityGolf Equipment fir Market Leaders category. The 721 utilizes several new technologies to maximize performance. A carbon-composite 40
panel covers the entire crown, saving weight that is shifted to the rear for better forgiveness on off-center hits. High Heat 257+ Turf Glider Sole was the winner in the Product IngenuityGolf Equipment, Emerging Companies category, marking the third time
Knuth Golf has won this category. Other winners included PGA professional Jay Golden in Player Development; Putting Arc in the Product Ingenuity-Training Aids category; Blue Tees Golf in Product Ingenuity-Technology; LPGA Tour in the TV Commercial category; Sun Mountain Eco-Lite Golf Bag in Product Ingenuity Technology; and Omni Homestead Resort in the Digital/Print Ad category. ING also announced results in the 28th Annual ING Media Awards, and freelance writer Gary D’Amato of Wisconsin led the way with first-place finishes in three of the 12 categories. Gary Van Sickle of SI.com/Morning Read had the most individual awards, taking one First-Place finish in the Opinion/Editorial Writing Category, and four Outstanding Achiever honors. Zero Friction Zero Friction introduced three new products, including the eco-friendly TurfTee. This is a two-in-one product that features a two prong “fork” on the Golf Central • Volume 22, Issue 11
