Equipment

Here to Stay: 5 Top Trends from the PGA Merchandise Show

Published

11 years ago

Jan 27, 2015

The GolfWRX team was in Orlando for the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show to bring you live coverage of the event. Now that we’re back in Detroit, it’s time to make sense of it all.

It’s always fun to see the latest golf equipment, apparel and gadgets, but it’s even more fun to predict what products have the potential to change the way golfers play the game.

Goofy training aids and novelty items will always have their place at the PGA Merchandise show — it’s actually part of the charm — but they aren’t likely to revolutionize golf or the industry.

On the other hand, there were products that were truly innovative, and will help golfers improve their games, have more fun, or both. Here are five top trends we think will have a positive impact on golf for years to come.

Launch Monitors and Indoor Golf

Like the introduction of video analysis, launch monitors and swing tracking devices have transformed golf instruction and how the game is understood — and they were everywhere at the Orange County Convention Center.

Doppler Radar launch monitors FlightScope and Trackman have earned their keep as the premier club/ball tracking devices, but we also saw a slew of other options — especially those that are designed to work indoors. Some products cost as much as luxury cars, while others were cheaper than a nice steak dinner for two.

One of our favorite simulators was from Full Swing Golf, which uses a combination of infrared and camera technologies to give users accurate ball and club data. With the addition of Swing Catalyst, golfers can also see how their weight moves during their swing simultaneously with high-speed video.

“We’re a launch monitor first and a simulator second,” said Chad Coleman, vice president of marketing and sales for the company — but that doesn’t mean that the simulator part was a second priority. Golf shots hit on Full Swing Golf systems appear on the screen in real time, and course displays are digital, not photographs, which makes course play more realistic.

After announcing partnerships with Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, Full Swing was arguably the hottest simulator at the Show. Units start at $45,900.

Looking for a more affordable fix? Portable devices such as those from Epson and SwingByte, which work with smart devices through Bluetooth, attach to any golf club to offer data on swing speed, path, tempo and a lot more. They also display swings in 3D through their respective apps.

Epson’s M-Tracer will sell for $299 when it is released, while the SwingByte 2 currently sells for $169.

Science and Motion (SAM) PuttLab 5 brings launch and swing analysis into the putter realm. It uses ultrasound and algorithms to track your putting stroke and provides feedback on launch, path, face angle, tempo, impact and more. You can even watch a graphic replay of your swing on TV if you have it connected to a monitor.

As this technology evolves, the most coveted tee times could become those slotted after the sun goes down.

Putter Adjustability and Counterbalancing

Adjustability in golf clubs is hot in the equipment industry and for very good reason. With a few clicks of a wrench, golfers can dial in the loft, lie angle face angle and head weight of their clubs.

Putters, for the most part, have been neglected by the mainstream — but that’s beginning to change.

Happy Putter, invented by Vikash Sanyal, the founder of Never Compromise putters, allows golfers to adjust lie angle, loft, head weight and offset.

“TOUR PLAYERS HAVE HAD ACCESS TO ADJUSTABLE PUTTERS FOR YEARS ON TOUR VANS,” SAYs SANYAL. “HAPPY PUTTER LET’S ALL GOLFERS ADJUST THEIR PUTTERS NOW, TOO.”

The smiley-faced putter has 484 total configurations — making it more adjustable than any club on the market.

Counterbalanced putter grips have caught the attention of golfers — especially with the looming ban on anchored putters in 2016 — because they add more stability to the stroke. But not all new counterbalanced grips are created equal.

Nike’s new CounterFlex putter grips allow golfers to adjust where the counterbalancing weight is located with a sliding 70-gram weight that is secured inside the grip. In our testing, there was a noticeable difference in feel when the weight was located in the bottom of the grip versus the top of the grip. Golfers will get more counterbalancing effect if they locate the weight at the top of the grip, but like all things in golf equipment, results vary.

SuperStroke introduced it’s +Plus Series grips at the show, which allow golfers to turn any putter into a counterbalanced putter.

With SuperStroke’s “CounterCore,” golfers can add a 50-gram weight plug inside the butt end of the grip without removing the grip or adding adhesive, allowing them to switch from a counterbalanced putter to a non-counterbalanced putter with the turn of a wrench.

The +Plus Series grips come in three sizes: 2.0XL (big), 3.0XL (bigger) and Flatso 2.0XL, which has a wide, flat front that offers a different feel.

Club Fitting Made Easier

Isn’t it frustrating when you want to try a certain shaft with your favorite driver head, but their adjustable tips aren’t compatible with each other?

Club Conex’s new UniFit adapters allow golfers to try just about any shaft with any club head. It works with three pieces — one that replaces the adapter inside an adjustable club head, one that attaches to the shaft and one that sandwiches between. The adapters offer 12 unique settings and 1 degree of adjustment.

It’s idealistic to think that universal adapters could become common place in the industry — different equipment companies use different adapter technologies to further their own designs — but it’s great that gear heads (like us) who like to test multiple club heads from multiple manufacturers now have an inexpensive way to do so.

The target market for UniFit is club fitters looking to reduce shaft inventory, and we anticipate that we’ll see a lot of them make the switch to this technology.

Cool Clubs, a custom club-fitter based in Scottsdale, uses its new S3 Shaft Analyzer to measure every shaft parameter and has compiled a database of over 1,000 shafts. The app, which costs $20 for a year subscription, allows golfers to see the results from every shaft in Cool Clubs’ database.

Comparing shaft parameters has never been easier, and as golfers demand more information before they buy shafts, this trend isn’t going anywhere.

Niche clubs

Most of the GolfWRX Staff originally found the site through their yearning to know more about the clubs tour players were using. For that reason, we’re glad to see major equipment companies releasing more tour-inspired, niche products.

Sure, more frequent releases create year-long interest in golf equipment brands and can possibly boost sales, but what we like is that it gives golfers access to clubs that they otherwise may not have been able to purchase.

Callaway’s new Mack Daddy PM-Grind wedges were designed by Phil Mickelson, and a high-toe design and extended grooves make hitting open-faced shots easier and create more spin.

TaylorMade’s AeroBurner MiniDriver further proves the point that specialty clubs can have staying power.

AeroBurnerMiniDriver

Its predecessor, the SLDR MiniDriver, was released in 2014 as an oversized fairway wood designed for use off the tee. It was redesigned for 2015 as part of the company’s AeroBurner line, proving that specialty clubs don’t have to be one-hit wonders.

Golf clothes that don’t look like golf clothes

To the chagrin of traditionalists, snapback hats, flat-brim hats and spikeless, sporty shoes are here to stay, and there was a wealth of apparel companies offering products that fit the trend.

RickieFowler

We’re not saying Rickie Fowler had everything to do with this, but it’s no coincidence that his big hats and bright-colored outfits have gained traction since his arrival on Tour.

Golf clothes seem to want to look like anything other than golf clothes right now, even on the traditional side. Spikeless shoes may have just been the start.

Full 2015 PGAM Coverage

Show Stoppers: Demo Day
Show Stoppers: Day 2
Show Stoppers: Day 3

Visit our 2015 PGAM forum to see all the photos and discussion.

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20 Comments

Sam

Jan 28, 2015 at 1:35 pm

Thanks for a good overview but you missed the best putting system- http://www.quinticballroll.com/. Its way superior to SAM with actual data from cameras not algorithms.

Reply Report comment
- MGolfer
  
  Jan 29, 2015 at 1:29 pm
  
  SAM measures the real 3D movement of the putter with 6 degrees of freedom. Cameras can not do this, algorithms are needed to calculate movements out of camera pictures. So it’s the opposite of what Sam is writing.
  Also Quintic mainly focusses on ball roll, for putter movement they use a small sticker for detection. Putter data is only available in the impact zone with Quintic.
  
  Reply Report comment
Daniel

Jan 28, 2015 at 10:28 am

I think the future of golf needs to be an affordable in-home simulation unit. This will allow players from all across the country to play against each other at anytime of the day which would accommodate most people with full-time jobs. The competitive online and high quality simulation would really increase the amount of young people and definitely allow for sustained participation in golf in the future.

The current trend of building elaborate home simulation systems for 45,000+ Does not allow for the average person to have access to these type of simulators. I think companies like foresight and the like have a correct with affordable, accurate and portable launch monitors. I look forward to playing around of golf with friends after work especially since I live in the Northeast.

Reply Report comment
- Jay V.
  
  Jan 28, 2015 at 1:00 pm
  
  Great insight here. If you fast forward 20 years, we’ll be able to play in the basement against the wall projection asynchronously or synchronously with our buddies like kids do now with Call of Duty (or whatever the latest one is). Bang a quick nine out on your lunch… save and send it to the boys… and catch up after work for the back nine in the winter.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jake Anderson

Jan 28, 2015 at 7:16 am

Those simulators are awesome. Way too expensive still, but maybe in a few years time…?
Every golfer needs one of those in his home and they should not cost more than 2000 $.

Reply Report comment
- Billy
  
  Jan 28, 2015 at 2:37 pm
  
  I think that SkyTrak from SkyGolf has come up with a launch monitor in the price range you are talking about. Apparently they are going to partner with WGC for simulation purposes. Right now I think they have a promotion for $300 off of a unit through Facebook, using SKYTRAK300 through January 31, 2015. Hopefully, they will continue to run the promotion after the 31st. Hope this is helpful. http://www.skytrakgolf.com
  
  Reply Report comment
setter02

Jan 27, 2015 at 9:46 pm

Counter balanced putters are a fade that just hasn’t run its course yet, it will in a few seasons. Only reason stuff like this is coming to market i for consumers to think that there is real inovation being done to get more money out of your wallets. A bad putter will still be abad putter regardless of whats in their hands. Where are all the wedges above 60* now? Same with the ‘min i drivers’ I game one because I like it, but also have the club head speed to use it. But I don’t doubt for a second that a 983K couldn’t do exactly the same thing at the shorter length off the tee.

We all like new toys, but the hype surrounding things is grose, the constant marketing is too much. Not many clubs of today can honesly out perform the best of 10 years ago.

Reply Report comment
- Ben
  
  Jan 28, 2015 at 10:21 am
  
  Counter balanced clubs have been around for decades. This is not a new idea or technology.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - setter02
    
    Jan 28, 2015 at 12:56 pm
    
    Agreed, not new ‘technology’ to wrx members, but for the VAST majority of weekend warriors it is. You can’t take stuff from this site and translate it to the other 99% out there that play this game. That 99% is what keeps golf alive and what OEM’s are catering towards in their marketing schemes. Why else do you think TM sells so many drivers with crap stock shafts, certainly not based on lack of competition and superior performance.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Joe Duffer
  
  Jan 28, 2015 at 3:11 pm
  
  +1 Well said
  
  Reply Report comment
Shallowface

Jan 27, 2015 at 7:33 pm

I screwed up watching Golf Channel’s coverage of the show.
I took a drink every time I heard the word technology. I was blitzed in 30 minutes.

Reply Report comment
ABgolfer2

Jan 27, 2015 at 7:19 pm

Nobody is dressing like Ricky Fowler off the course,

Reply Report comment
Merty Huckle

Jan 27, 2015 at 6:40 pm

ok, where are the show pics showing products?

Reply Report comment
- GolfWRX
  
  Jan 27, 2015 at 7:05 pm
  
  here they are… http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/forum/515-2015-pga-merchandise-show/
  
  Reply Report comment
Rich

Jan 27, 2015 at 5:19 pm

All well and good to have the universal fittings for heads and shafts but the additional adapters are going to add weight to the club head and totally change the balance of the club. Good idea but will need to improve before they will be truely revolutionary.

Reply Report comment
Baltazar

Jan 27, 2015 at 4:51 pm

Most golfers are dressing like little boys instead of gentleman. Whatever happened to clean leather shoes nice slacks and a solid color polo. Phills doing it right.

Reply Report comment
- R
  
  Jan 27, 2015 at 5:20 pm
  
  It’s because we lost a lot of golfers and need a way to bring new, young kids into it to maintain the growth of the sport. At least the men are still wearing pants/slacks instead of shorts and polos instead of t-shirts or cut-offs, unlike the women who are dressed like clowns going to the stripper proms. There’s no respect in the women’s game’s images, and we’re all supposed to succumb to the argument that it’s sexist if we don’t let them play dress up? Pathetic.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Rich
  
  Jan 27, 2015 at 5:20 pm
  
  +1
  
  Reply Report comment
- Anders
  
  Jan 27, 2015 at 5:41 pm
  
  You don’t know the answer to your own question? Sad.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jeremy

Jan 27, 2015 at 4:13 pm

But… the Golf Board. That’s the only trend that matters.

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”