Brian Manzella
Administrator
BUCKET!
1985.
That was my first "show." I thought that the building was bigger than anything I had ever seen. That part of the Orange County Convention Center is just a fraction of the space available, and used, at the 2008 version of "the show."
This year's show marks the time where the launch monitors started to take over golf. Yeah, I know they've been around for a while, but Trackman has raised the bar. Ping's nFit fitting system, and the 3rd version of AboutGolf's simulator, has taken technology to a new level, and we'll never go back.
The golf business has been a closed shop for a long time. The two major magazines, the Golf Channel, and the PGA Tour, pretty much ran things. Those days are close to being over. The "Show" reflected this shift.
Callaway's new Endo forged irons are as good looking—from a fit and finish perspective—as any OEM has ever produced. Thanks to BombSquad Golf and GolfWrx, the public now knows better. The tour gets better stuff, and we want in. The companies will respond. Paradigm #1 busted.
Companies like HotStix had seemingly corner the high-end fitting market. Nope. Trackman and the companies that are trying to keep up with it, are letting Ping and Callaway do a similar, if not better job.
The screw in heads invented by HG that every company now has in their fitting carts, have morphed into Callaway's new retail set up. Pick a head out of a couple dozen configurations, and a shaft from a selection of 30 or 40, and Boom! you have your club, that YOU can easily wrench together, from now maybe a few 1000 selections! Paradigm #2 busted.
The major magazines are getting sliced and diced by sites like this one, and the amount of folks who walked up to me, knowing me from this site, has increased by tenfold every year in the last two years. The rags and the media can't keep you out anymore. Paradigm #3 busted.
The show is more about networking than shopping, something that was the case in the 80's but was replaced in the 90's by innovation from the major OEM's. Amazingly, there was more instruction talk on the floor this year than equipment. That'll only increase after the MATRIX hits 'em all in the belly.
Your little Italian friend one a few contest, as is my usual. I finished 3rd in the PGA closet-to-the-hole contest, after several hundred folks hit several shots each.
I was the first golfer to make 5 putts in a row for a $20 payout at the Guerin Rife booth. I took my real money, thanked the pretty model and went on my way. The next day, there were folks winning big money and making 20, 20 and even 85 in a row. I asked why I wasn't asked to continue putting on day 1, and the little guy with the microphone said I was and I missed. I wasn't, and I didn't and now I was pissed, I might be many things, but a liar, I am not.
So, I went back to the booth, first thing in the morning on Saturday. I was lining up to putt with the MANZELLA-Grip I only use for contests (I used my normal grip to win the $20), when the little "barker" on the mic said, "Oh, second time at the salad bar, huh?" I never looked up for a second, then I did, exclaiming loud enough for the 20 or so folks around to hear, "I was the first guy to make my $20, which I appreciate very much. But I wasn;t asked to keep putting. No biggie. But when I came yesterday and pointed out I hadn't missed, and you said I did, I couldn't wait to come back. I didn't miss yesterday, and I am not missing today.
After every stroke, I called "bucket" when the ball left my putter, a little louder each time. After 20 in a row, they peeled out $100 and asked me to leave like I was counting cards in Vegas.
I might still be there putting, 'cuz I was hot—and hot, so-to-speak.
Of course, there's always next year.
1985.
That was my first "show." I thought that the building was bigger than anything I had ever seen. That part of the Orange County Convention Center is just a fraction of the space available, and used, at the 2008 version of "the show."
This year's show marks the time where the launch monitors started to take over golf. Yeah, I know they've been around for a while, but Trackman has raised the bar. Ping's nFit fitting system, and the 3rd version of AboutGolf's simulator, has taken technology to a new level, and we'll never go back.
The golf business has been a closed shop for a long time. The two major magazines, the Golf Channel, and the PGA Tour, pretty much ran things. Those days are close to being over. The "Show" reflected this shift.
Callaway's new Endo forged irons are as good looking—from a fit and finish perspective—as any OEM has ever produced. Thanks to BombSquad Golf and GolfWrx, the public now knows better. The tour gets better stuff, and we want in. The companies will respond. Paradigm #1 busted.
Companies like HotStix had seemingly corner the high-end fitting market. Nope. Trackman and the companies that are trying to keep up with it, are letting Ping and Callaway do a similar, if not better job.
The screw in heads invented by HG that every company now has in their fitting carts, have morphed into Callaway's new retail set up. Pick a head out of a couple dozen configurations, and a shaft from a selection of 30 or 40, and Boom! you have your club, that YOU can easily wrench together, from now maybe a few 1000 selections! Paradigm #2 busted.
The major magazines are getting sliced and diced by sites like this one, and the amount of folks who walked up to me, knowing me from this site, has increased by tenfold every year in the last two years. The rags and the media can't keep you out anymore. Paradigm #3 busted.
The show is more about networking than shopping, something that was the case in the 80's but was replaced in the 90's by innovation from the major OEM's. Amazingly, there was more instruction talk on the floor this year than equipment. That'll only increase after the MATRIX hits 'em all in the belly.
Your little Italian friend one a few contest, as is my usual. I finished 3rd in the PGA closet-to-the-hole contest, after several hundred folks hit several shots each.
I was the first golfer to make 5 putts in a row for a $20 payout at the Guerin Rife booth. I took my real money, thanked the pretty model and went on my way. The next day, there were folks winning big money and making 20, 20 and even 85 in a row. I asked why I wasn't asked to continue putting on day 1, and the little guy with the microphone said I was and I missed. I wasn't, and I didn't and now I was pissed, I might be many things, but a liar, I am not.
So, I went back to the booth, first thing in the morning on Saturday. I was lining up to putt with the MANZELLA-Grip I only use for contests (I used my normal grip to win the $20), when the little "barker" on the mic said, "Oh, second time at the salad bar, huh?" I never looked up for a second, then I did, exclaiming loud enough for the 20 or so folks around to hear, "I was the first guy to make my $20, which I appreciate very much. But I wasn;t asked to keep putting. No biggie. But when I came yesterday and pointed out I hadn't missed, and you said I did, I couldn't wait to come back. I didn't miss yesterday, and I am not missing today.
After every stroke, I called "bucket" when the ball left my putter, a little louder each time. After 20 in a row, they peeled out $100 and asked me to leave like I was counting cards in Vegas.
I might still be there putting, 'cuz I was hot—and hot, so-to-speak.
Of course, there's always next year.
