We walked into our first PGA Show betting on a belief we’ll never outgrow: design and intention can transform golf.
By the numbers:
34,000+ people
1.1 million square feet
1,195 brands
Big, loud and slightly overwhelming but somehow the best place to sense the industry’s momentum: undiluted passion, new faces, real energy.
We didn’t make the trip for the trend forecasts or product launches. It was about people. About shaking hands, sharing stories and finally meeting the brands and creatives we’ve only known through screens, emails and DMs.
Print takes time. It demands that you slow down, be intentional, show up fully. Orlando felt like a rare pause, practically a time capsule, where everything aligned and we remembered why we care about the game in the first place.
Design that stopped us
Thoughtful, sharp and confident, HEAD Golf did so much more than show up: it owned the conversation. Proof that design done with clarity cuts straight through the clutter.
Imagined as a modern tent in the woods, the space felt like a fleeting refuge for the golf traveller. Ka Ho Kam, HEAD’s creative director, greeted us and walked us through the new 70s-inspired collection anchored by couture editorials, a clear visual narrative and bold colour blocking.
What stood out wasn’t the clothes but the storytelling. The presentation pulled from layered silhouettes and intentional juxtapositions: ideas golfers intuitively understand reintroduced through a distinctly fashion-forward lens. Accessories and styling elevated without feeling forced.
The details sealed it. From the spatial concept to the textures, silhouettes and vintage references, HEAD Golf showed what happens when fashion awareness and golf culture actually talk to each other. It felt current, confident, considered.
HEAD GOLF
Best conversation
Wednesday afternoon was peak-energy moment of the week.
The Building Brands for Brands panel felt less like a talk and more like a gathering. We found ourselves sitting next to modi from Swang, who’s doing genuinely exciting work in LA, and quickly realized the room was full of people who are actively building golf communities, often in close collaboration with brands.
Golf’s social fabric, how people gather, talk, play and build together, was the real focus. It wasn’t about proving you belong anymore. It was about being distinct enough to actually mean something. It was about how far the conversation has evolved past authenticity as a buzzword.
Being yourself wasn’t the finish line, it was the starting point. What mattered was clarity, consistency and the confidence to show up differently, without dilution.
It echoed a feeling we kept returning to all week: the future of golf culture isn’t just authentic. It’s intentional, social and unapologetically people-led.
Best hang
The corner shared by Quiet Golf and Students became a natural meeting place, less booth and more living room. You sensed it immediately. People lingered and got curious.
Two distinct brands, side by side, creating a synergy that felt open and generous. The spaces were easy on the eyes but were also constantly buzzing with people drawn in by the product, design and conversations.
That kind of presence can’t be staged. It flows from clarity.
STUDENTS GOLF
Food shoutout
We slipped away to Coro, a Bib Gourmand spot in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide tucked away in Audubon Park. It was the reset we needed: an open kitchen, warm service, fresh ingredients and casual charisma.
Just like golf, a good meal deserves time. We got to reconnect with our friend (and extraordinary golf architect) Christine Fraser and experience Orlando beyond the booths.
CORO
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We left inspired, mildly drained and fully reminded that golf is at its best when it’s built around presence.
We met more people than expected—new brands, new companies, new conversations. Longtime PGA Show regulars let us know how much the event is evolving, especially on the apparel side. Performance still matters, but lifestyle, storytelling and the people behind the brands are shaping the future.
It all made one thing very clear: hiatus exists within an expanding ecosystem where golf is actively redefining itself on the course and far beyond it.
Here are a few more highlights: products and booths that were as visually compelling as they are thoughtfully designed.
