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PGA Show: Appealing to the Young and Young-at-Heart
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| Kelly Mooney from OGIO shows off features from the company's new line of bags. Ryan Gardner/Golf Press Association |
ORLANDO - One theme that is carried throughout the 2003 PGA Merchandise Show is a desire to appeal to new and younger golfers. From large companies like Nike, with hip new clubs and top golfer Tiger Woods endorsing their products, to smaller firms using the colors and fabrics of extreme sports, the golf industry is doing more to market to the 18-35 age group.
At the OGIO booth, a modern steel structure used music and street dancers to attract buyers to the company's new line of golf bags, which boast features like outer framework, a club management system know as the Woode that places woods vertically along the side of the bag, and neoprene ball holders.
"We paid attention to how a bike is designed, with external shocks," said OGIO spokeswoman Kelly Mooney on the outer framework that marks the new EXO stand bag. "By putting the framework on the outside, there's more space in the bag. And reduced stays mean that there is less friction on rubber grips."
Aside from the bright colors like orange and blue that mark the new line, Mooney says most of the new features are more subtle.
"Until you study the bag carefully, you won't notice. But when you use the bag - that's when you'll notice the changes."
But is the music, the lights, the colors, the marketing-with-attitude approach finally going to take off in the conservative golf industry? Not everyone thinks so. A pair of buyers rounded the corner near the OGIO booth, stopped to glare at it, and one muttered to the other, "Now, they've really missed the boat. That's not the way to market to golfers."
Not all golfers prefer a conservative look, counters Cary Hensley, designer of Cyclonic golf shoes. The Cyclonic line features styles that look like anything but a traditional saddle-style golf shoe, most notable the slip-on Finley with gray topstitching on what appears more like a stylish leather slipper.
"All the products out there are on a sea of sameness," Hensley said. "No one was speaking to that (18-35) lifestyle segment."
And even in an industry that has been suffering from a down economy, Hensley said quality products with a different look can be successful.
"The golf market is going through changes for sure, but for someone like us there's an opportunity," he said. "We are leaders in a new segment."
Hensley says Cyclonic is planning a line of apparel that will continue its non-traditional look, which will be rolled out in the next 12 months.
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| Oakley introduces new lines of contemporary shoes. Ryan Gardner/Golf Press Association |
Other companies believe this is a good time to create and unveil new products with a twist. Oakley has also introduced new, more contemporary shoes to go with their popular sunglasses.
"Our line is growing. We had three shoes last year and six this year," said Oakley regional sales manager Courtney Kincaid. "We're going slowly, but we've always done that sort of guerilla marketing. We've added four new bags, a rolling duffel ... we're expecting huge growth. Even our golf bags ... sold out three times since they were released in July."
Kincaid says that his company is poised to make an even bigger impact on the industry in the next year.
"2003 is a transition year," he said. "We're really expanding in 2004. We want to fine tune everything before introducing it to the public. But our line triples in size, to 60 or 70 pieces. I looked at in and thought, 'Wow, we're a golf company now.'"
Golfers, however, are not likely to settle for shoddy products that look cool. All three manufacturers - OGIO, Cyclonic and Oakley - say they rely on quality to sell their products.
"We're being recognized by the industry as a premium brand," said OGIO's David Wunderli. "In the Darrell Survey (consumer survey) last year, we showed up as No. 1 in all categories. No. 2 in two of four categories was Callaway, and we make Callaway bags.
"(Being seen) as a wild, irreverent company overshadows the quality of our product and our innovation. But now we are beginning to be recognized."
MAKING IT SIMPLE: Looking good isn't the only challenge facing young golfers. It's hard to learn how to play without getting frustrated. But new company T-Golf and its founder, Chris McDonald, have an idea for teaching kids and adult beginners the basics of the game in a fun way.
T-Golf is modeled somewhat on the concept of T-Ball, where children hit baseballs off of high tees. The T-Golf program also includes raised tees, and golfers hit with a short, large-headed club.
"We found as people acclimate to it that the results are immediate," McDonald said. "It forces execution of proper fundamentals.... It's a great way for people to wade into the game rather than jump into the deep end of the pool."
McDonald envisions a alternative to golf that beginning golfers can enjoy, even on the course. The three levels of tees are lightweight and can be carried anywhere, including to the driving range.
"The game of golf, in order to grow, needs beginners," McDonald said. "And beginners can be treated pretty poorly by experienced golfers who forget the fundamentals of courtesy. We want to make it more fun for the beginner, and hopefully get the player to graduate to a regular set of equipment."
The T-Golf system sells for $139 for a child's set and $149 for an adult version.
YOU WILL PLAY BETTER GOLF: Susan Worthen McCombs of the Bedford Empowerment Center may be your chance to play better golf by improving your mental outlook.
McCombs, a board-certified hypnotherapist, is attending the PGA Show to promote her new Golf Enhancement Seminar on CD. The audio CD helps golfers of all skill levels to subconsciously improve their games.
"What we have is excellent - it works for everyone that I know of," McCombs said. "If a person, for instance, is having slump - maybe got a case of the yips - you can choose to listen to the CD and work on that aspect of your game."
Concerns about hypnosis are ill-founded, McCombs said.
"Its use is totally safe. People's biggest fear is being out of control, but in fact, you're in total control," McCombs said. "I've never had anyone robbing a bank - you just don't do anything you don't want to do.
"Just before getting to sleep - that frequency, or state of relaxation, is where we work on golfers. You're almost asleep but not quite. You make a conscious decision to change something at the subconscious level."
The Golf Enhancement CD retails for $29.95 and is available by calling 866-275-0516.
THERE IN SPIRIT: Equipment companies PING and Titleist are not exhibiting at the 2003 PGA Show, citing increased costs and a desire to do more direct selling to golf buyers. But there's still a chance to see their clubs.
"PING isn't showing but we have four or five of their clubs," said True Temper's Director of Marketing Bill Beatty. "We're sort of the Intel Inside of the golf industry. You can go into our booth and see everybody's product and compare."
-Jennifer Gardner, Golf Press Association