PGA SHOW HAS NEW SLANT

Reed Exhibitions has announced a new program to ensure that golf manufacturers meet with their "top buyers" at the PGA International show later this month in Las Vegas, NV. Reed is offering a two-tiered "Key Buyer Program." The program offers 400 buyers access to amenities such as the Buyer's Lounge, express registration and entry passes to an opening night reception at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino party. It requested its top exhibitors for a "top 20 buyers" list. The definition of "top 20 buyers" was left to the exhibitors and was interpreted by volume, influence or geographically. Those buyers who received four or more exhibitor recommendations were then submitted on the VIP list of 100. The list recipients are entitled to travel and accommodations to the Vegas show as well as a round of golf at Royal Links, all on Reed's dime.

According to Gail Billingsley, marketing manager for the show, "We wanted to create a red carpet treatment for the buyers." Of the top 100, a quarter will still not be attending "simply because the show doesn't fit for them," she explained. The Top 100 is comprised of national chains (Edwin Watts, Hacker's Helper, Las Vegas Golf & Tennis, etc.), non-traditional outlets (i.e., Golfsmiths), Top Courses (Pinehurst, Grand Cypress, PGA National, etc.), and Buying Groups/Off-Course Shops (Michael Jordan Golf Company, In Celebration of Golf, etc.), Billingsley offered.

Its' a noble effort on Reed's part but one that is loaded with plenty of buckshot, especially for a PGA Pro from say, West Palm Beach CC or Lincoln, Neb. They will see the competition (discount stores) is getting the VIP treatment and they may not even be members of the PGA. Why support a show that's helping the competition by making it easier for them to attend, while beating the PGA Pros brains out in price? Since the show is still called "PGA International Golf Show," the majority of the VIPs should be PGA professionals.

Does Titleist, Spalding, Polo, Ashworth or Ping care if Michael Jordan Golf or Golfsmith buyers are at the show? The answer is no. Ping is based in the Southwest and company policy has always exhibited loyalty to its green grass accounts. With the new i3 irons recently announced, it would make sense for Ping to attend this year's show. They are not.

Reed is setting a bad precedent of paying people to go to the show, especially if they are going to do it at every show and the VIP list changes. Billinsley confirmed to Web Street the "program will continue to be promoted at all PGA shows. The list is show specific and it will be continually updated based on the exhibitors." Such practice could also come back to hurt the PGA of America. Even though it no longer owns the trade shows, it still has it's name on it. Most members may not recall the PGA sold the show to Reed just last year. It may lead to some members being upset with the association for catering to these so-called VIPs. One parting shot, the "PGA International Golf Show," implies International buyers. Reed has elected to maintain the VIP list to domestic buyers only.