With a day that turned blustery and gray, the weather did little to dampen the excitement that permeated the PGA Merchandise Shows Demo Day, held at the Orange County National Golf Center the day before the show proper started. Attendance estimates ranged between 5,000 and 6,000, but everyone in attendance shared a quick step as they moved between the more than 100 manufacturer tents showing everything from the latest drivers, wedges and putters to fitting techniques and accessories.
By all accounts the day was a success, with vendors reporting running out of planned day-long giveaways in the first hour. Callaway, Nike and PING all had strong presences at the demo with crowds always at their booths, while hitting bays at pretty much every other booth had a line at least one golfer deep. For the vendors, the immediate feedback of quality golfers proved to often be as beneficial as the face time with a prospective customer.
