Today, I will be attending my 48th PGA Show. Some of you reading this column have not been on the planet that long, but please understand that I started attending when I was very young 🙂
It has been a fascinating journey, watching the rise and fall (and rise again in some cases) of companies, ideas, technologies and innovations. I have watched the PGA Show be transformed from a gathering of golf equipment sales representatives with their station wagons full of equipment in a parking lot at a senior tour stop in Florida to what can only be described as truly a “Show”.
Over the years I have gradually watched the golf equipment section of the Show shrink in size, while the apparel side of the business has grown. What strikes me is that, while I might be biased, the clubs and balls that we use are our pure connection to the game. The clothes we choose to wear are smart, beautiful and nice, reflecting the “lifestyle” of the game, and many feature performance fabrics that help us feel more comfortable on the course, but are not alone sufficient for us to meet the challenge that the game presents us every time we tee it up.
The secret to the purely struck shot that we seek, or the well holed putt lies in the equipment: the club and the ball, or so we think. One thing is for sure, without the implements, there would be no game of golf. In fact, one of the first rules of the game is Rule 1-1 General which states “The Game of Golf consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole…”.
I personally believe that equipment is good and equipment can help you play better. However, you can aid the process by improving your technique and abilities.
We are living in the midst of technologies that are constantly evolving and the continuous stream of information and products can sometimes seem overwhelming. That’s why golf is good. It keeps things simple. There is a ball and you need to hit it into the hole. How complicated can that be? Just Hit It. Therein lies the personal and addictive challenge that is golf.
It has been my pleasure to be part of this wonderful industry for almost 50 years and I look forward to attending many more PGA Shows. I will be appearing on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive from the PGA Show as part of my involvement as a judge on Wilson’s Driver vs Driver Show, a very innovative way to create a new product, which will air on Golf Channel in the Fall.
Golf is a great game which we all love to play. To play it better, treat yourself to a new piece of equipment that will help you and learn more about how to improve. This will be reflected in your score.
Frank
P.S. To learn more about how to putt better, click here to enroll in our Mastering the Fundamentals of Putting online course.
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