Leigh MacKay’s 2025 PGA Merchandise Show Diary Final Chapter

The International Network of Golf sponsored the ING Media Showcase of New Products, where five specially selected nascent companies featured their groundbreaking innovations. Here the AVGAR rep introduces the Uforia “Golf Trunk.”

ORLANDO, Florida – The PGA Merchandise Show is a week of connections, where golf industry professionals from the many aspects of the game gather together to share information and insights and to celebrate the profession/pastime/addiction/frustration we all love.

Two of my most important journalism connections include membership in the International Network of Golf (ING) and the Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA). More on their impact at the PGA Show later.

I was contacted by several companies before The PGA Show to see if I would be interested in visiting their booths and learning about their latest and greatest. Three were worthy of my interest and yours: Astral Putters https://astralputters.com/, Tifosi Optics (http://www.tifosioptics.com), and Vice Golf https://www.vicegolf.com/.

Your Stars Align with a Fully Adjustable Putter

Astral Putters’ founder Blake Callaway must have had celestial inspiration when he named his company. Literally, “astral” has three meanings: coming from the stars, visionary, exalted; literally, the company has an infallible moniker. Blake spent time with me on the PGA Show putting green to show me something I had never seen before: a fully adjustable putter. I kid you not! His putters empower golfers to make fine tune adjustments to the club characteristics that have the biggest impact on correct personal fit—toe hang, shaft offset, and lie angle.

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Astral Putters are uniquely adjustable, allowing for golfers to fine tune their putter’s characteristics in three crucial areas—toe hang, shaft offset, and lie angle.

The website explains these terms to perfection if you are unfamiliar with them, but what Blake, whose hobby was restoring old putters, has created is a modular putter platform that offers interchangeable putter bodies, face inserts, lie angle adapters, hosels, and shaft connections that give you the flexibility to modify the club until you have the perfect, individual fit. Again, I kid you not!

Here are the defining details: (1) three rotating hosels provide 60 different shaft offset and toe hang variations: (2) select either a brass or copper face insert (both designed to impart delofted horizontal force to the ball to promote top spin) to determine the best feel for your game; (3) each carbon steel putter body is precision milled to hold tolerances of 0.0015” to allow maximum forgiveness; (4) five lie adapaters range from 66-74 degrees (yes, the website clarifies all!) to get you lined up more consistently to hit more putts from the center of the face; (5) top-of-the-line KBS shafts and Winn or SuperStroke grips are your final options; (6) with laser engravings and color ways, customize the club, of course, as you see fit.

Peruse the website both to learn how to fit yourself and to see the many options available to you that you never knew existed in designing your own wand. Blades, mid-mallets, and mallets range from $430 to $500.

Your Sun Diminishes But Not Your Wallet

Tifosi Optics is located in Watkinsville, GA, where I lived in 2007-8 while my son was an undergraduate at the nearby University of Georgia. I played a great public course called Lane Creek and bought my first pair of Tifosi sunglasses there. I have not looked through another lens on the golf course since then. For more than 20 years, Tifosi has been a leader in sports eyewear, combining premium frame designs and advanced lens technology. More importantly to me and undoubtedly to you, too, Tifosi has proven to golfers worldwide that you don’t need to spend more than $39.95 for these two new high-performance sunglasses.

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Tifosi Optics has been a leader in sports eyewear with premium frame designs and advanced lens technology for more than 20 years. The Vogel XC model was launched on January 15 and retails for $39.95.

Launched on January 15, the Vogel XC features a compact fit, bottom lens vents for fog-free vision, hydrophilic rubber for a no-slip nose grip, and shatterproof, scratch-resistant lenses for optimal clarity. Available in six lens options, including AC Red to enhance contrast in overcast conditions, the Vogel XC is lightweight, durable, and perfect for all-day comfort on the course.

Debuting this March, the Shumo sunglasses feature a medium-to-extra-large fit with a lightweight and durable plant-based Thrive frame. Designed for golfers, they include hydrophilic rubber nose pieces for a no-slip grip during long rounds, Tifosi Glide for a secure, anti-bounce fit, and shatterproof polycarbonate lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection. It is available in four lens options, including GT lenses for optimized clarity on the greens.

Embrace Your Vice to Score Better

The duodecimal is wild in Vice Golf history. This Munich, Germany company was founded by Ingo Duellmann and Rainer Stoeckl on 12/12/12. For the past 12 years, it has sold dozens upon dozens upon dozens of top-quality golf balls with its direct-to-consumer protocol at a fraction of the price compared to the heritage brands. Its ball fitting system on the website is an easy way for players of all swing speeds and abilities to determine which of its multiple models will give the most hang for the buck.

With prices ranging per dozen from $14.99 to $21.99 to $32.99 (for the top of the line), these balls, which come in an array of colors, also include a customization tool to personalize them. Double sided or single sided with logos, images, or text, you design it, and Vice Golf prints it.

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The German company Vice Golf revolutionized premium and personalized golf ball sales in 2012 with its direct-to-consumer sales program. In 2025, Vice Golf has expanded with a full line of equipment.

In 2025 at The PGA Show, Vice Golf announced it had expanded into an all-around golf brand with a wide range of quality equipment. The website extols this impetus, “It took balls to get where we are today.” The equipment includes putters, wedges, and irons, all with website fitting systems. Lines also include gloves, bags, laser rangefinders, shoes, and headcovers.

The philosophy of the company is simple and revealing and has not changed from 12/12/12: “We refuse to fork out millions on tour player sponsorships, preferring to have our gear do the talking and keep prices low. We’re here to make golf accessible, injecting tour-quality golf gear into every golfer’s game, all made with same eye for detail as the classic ball range.”

The company slogan is, “Embrace Your Vice,” which is good ad-vice. I know I do.

ClubING at The PGA Show with Five New Companies

The non-profit International Network of Golf is an organization “where media connects with the golf industry” in various formats, conferences, and forums. ING is under the leadership of golf media expert Mike Jamison. The PGA Show is obviously the flagship event of the year for connecting. The ING Hospitality Room in the Media Center is the meeting and networking place for members—golf media of all types and executives from all aspects of the golf industry—in between their patrolling the showroom floor. We call this private room ClubING and sometimes use it just to relax.

ING conducted two main events: (1) The 31st Annual ING Media Awards Presentation, where many ING media members were recognized for outstanding work in 13 categories. (2) The ING Media Showcase of New Products, where five innovative companies featured their groundbreaking golf products in a dynamic press conference-style format. A panel of ING members carefully selected these five from the 40 companies who applied for a spot. Let me dispense a few bon mots about each product so your bon minds can decide if you want to access the websites for more tidings.

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Danielle Patti, owner of LitFit Golf Apparel, designed the chic “SwingSuit” for women so that they “don’t look like an unmade bed on the first tee.”

AVGAR https://avgarsport.com/ is a New Zealand concern that has invented the first-ever “Golf Trunk.” As the rep stated, “If you are looking for more than just a golf bag, then you need to discover Uforia.” I loved the name, and then I loved the incomparable Golf Trunk (GT) because the design is inside-out! I might have even been euphoric. The 14 clubs are safely ensconced on the outside, gliding in and out sideways; the inside opens up with two “doors” that reveal a central storage area that really is spacious. (May I repeat, “I kid you not!” for the hat trick?)

The storage area contains four shelves, eight door pockets, and one drawer. The top shelf fits two boxes of a dozen balls apiece; there is a valuables drawer, a cooler bag to keep food and beverages (ah, ha!) cold, and a shoe bag area. The top 2” of the GT is a cache with a plastic, water-resistant cover that houses the score card, pencil, extra balls, tees, range finder, and glove. This GT fits safely and easily on an electric golf cart and has a retractable set of wheels for mobility from the car to the cart. An option for the walker is a three-wheel unit (that folds when not in use) with an accessible foot brake that houses the GT and turns it into a push cart. This remarkable Kiwi invention retails for $1150 and $1553 with the three-wheel accessory.

Go For It Golf https://goforitgolf.com/ has created the RightSize adjustable putter that “grows with your child” from ages 2-12. With a retractable shaft and retractable clamps, the putter can measure from 17” to 35”. Joel Farmer developed the concept to introduce his toddlers to golf as soon as they could hold an appropriate-sized putter. As Farmer explained, “The RightSize putter adapts as your child grows, ensuring a perfect fit at every stage of development.”

Its lightweight design and ergonomic grip make it easy for youngsters to handle. The putter is “kid proof” as it is crafted from high-quality, durable materials. The RightSize putter has several different head options and colors and is ready to go right out of the box with no assembly required. The box also contains three golf balls and a cup. MSRP is $40.

LitFit Golf Apparel https://www.litfitgolf.com/ received a glowing review from an ING woman colleague of mine, who very much liked the “SwingSuit” idea and said most women golfers would, too. Danielle Patti, owner of LitFit and an avid golfer, explained to the ING media how she came up with her alternative shirts. “I was tired of looking like an unmade bed on the first tee. I created the SwingSuit to free the female figure from the uncomfortable and boxy polo shirts originally developed for male golfers.”

The SwingSuit is best described as a loose-fitting body suit, thong-style, that can be worn with or without underwear. The fit is not tight or restrictive to maximum comfort and movement and answers the question of to tuck or not to tuck. The SwingSuit comes in various styles, sizes, and colors and can be worn with all shorts, skirts, and pants. Ms. Patti said she named her company to emphasize the SwingSuit’s appeal: “Play lit. Look fit.” The SwingSuit sells for $35.

lowercase https://lowercasebag.com/ capitalizes on the need for urban mobility and easy golf club transport. Designed by two city-bound buddies, Aaron Goldschmidt and Zach Haber, who love golf, the lowercase bag is the off-course golf backpack that holds any eight golf clubs you choose and is made for those who walk or bike to golf settings. Whether you are heading to the driving range, an executive course, or an indoor simulator, for example, you can carry your clubs as in a backpack, or you can use the hidden pannier to attach it to your bike. The clubs stay secure with the clip-in system, the bag has eight pockets and a zippered laptop pocket, and a waterproof snap-on rain cover is included. It is lightweight and weighs only six pounds. If you want to record your swing on your cell phone video, the bag rests easily upon any solid surface, and a cell phone support allows for the staging. The lowercase bag sells for $199.

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Stix, in partnership with the Jack Nicklaus brand, is offering high quality complete sets at reasonable prices. This Play Series set of 10 clubs sells for $479.20.

Stix https://stix.golf/ CEO Gabe Coyne has created his own market by selling complete 10- and 12-piece golf sets direct to the average golfer for about the same price as a brand name driver. When Gabe couldn’t find clubs that suited his swing, his aesthetics, and his wallet, he started his own company. At the PGA Show, Stix announced its recent partnership with the Jack Nicklaus Brand.

Believing that the premium brands’ club technology is just too complicated and too expensive, Gabe has proven that “good enough” technology is more than good enough for the 100+ scoring golfers. He said, “Our clubs are sleek, smooth, forgiving, and affordable. Simplify your clubs, simplify your game.” Stix clubs are built with the highest quality stainless steel, titanium, and graphite and are manufactured by an established OEM (original equipment manufacturer) that makes components for many of the name brands.

The “Play Series” at $479.20 is an ideal starter kit of 10 clubs with D, 3W, 4H, 6-PW irons, 56° wedge, and mallet putter. The shafts are standard length, regular flex shafts with graphite shafts on D, 3W, 4H, and steel chrome shafts on irons, wedges & putter. The “Perform Series” at $719.20 is an upgrade to 12 clubs with two extra wedges, 52° and 60°. The shafts are graphite on D, 3W, 4H with options for graphite or steel on the irons. The “Women’s Set” at $779.20 has 11 clubs with D, 3W, 5H, 6H, 7-PW, 56° wedge, and mallet putter and includes a golf bag and headcovers. The shafts are standard length that fit most women, ladies flex, and graphite.

Visit the website for much more information and further options about customizing your set of Stix.

GTWA, Panmure GC, and Salamander Collection

The Golf Travel Writers of America https://golftravelwriters.com/ is a select group of golf writers who also specialize in writing about golf travel and golf destinations and use the website to inform the golfing public. The website is an excellent venue to explore the stories for ideas about where you might want to visit and play golf in the USA and around the world.

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David Brodie, GM of the Panmure GC in Scotland near Carnoustie, had a booth at The Show, and we discussed my GTWA story about my wife’s and my special day at the private club. The bottles of “Kummel” on the counter to our left are a savory part of that story.

The PGA Show had a section devoted to foreign golf adventures, and I had a great time schmoozing with the United Kingdom vendors. One of Scotland’s best private courses, Panmure Golf Club, had a booth with GM David Brodie in charge. My wife and I had played Panmure in August, and I had written about the superior day we had although I did not meet David at that time. Here is the story as it appears on the GTWA website: https://golftravelwriters.com/panmure-golf-club-tradition-hospitality-and-charm/

The Salamander Collection https://www.salamanderhotels.com/ invited a number of media and GTWA writers to a reception on Wednesday afternoon at the next-door Hyatt Regency. The Salamander Collection contains seven four- and five-star properties that CEO Dr. Sheila Johnson has carefully handpicked for their own distinct character and exceptional destination. These properties have continuously achieved top ratings and awards from such authorities as Travel + Leisure, Forbes, Golf World, US News & World Report, and Conde Nast Traveler. The Salamander Collection was recently named Best Luxury Hotel Brand by readers of USA Today.

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The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, with Hole Nos. 16-18 known as “Snake Pit” is the venue for the upcoming Valspar Championship. Innisbrook is part of the Salamander Collection, seven boutique properties that are legendary for their luxury and hospitality.

Two of these resorts, Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, FL and PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, FL host the PGA Tour tournaments Valspar Championship and Cognizant Classic, respectively, and are favorite events for golf writers to cover. The other golf course property is Half Moon on Montego Bay in Jamaica, which offers 54 holes, including the flagship Robert Trent Jones, Sr. layout. The rest of the exclusive collection are in Charleston, SC; Aspen, CO; Middleburg, VA; and Washington, DC.

Explore the Salamander Collection website for the grand tour and contact information.

Sadly, my diary of the 2025 PGA Merchandise Show experience has come to an end. Happily, the anticipation of another beguiling year on the golf course has just begun.

www.pgashow.com

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As a caddie, greenkeeper, and Ouimet Scholar from Marshfield Country Club on Boston’s South Shore, Leigh developed his love for the game at an early age. The BA from Amherst College and MA from Dartmouth prepared him for his 36-year career in education, most of it teaching Advanced Placement English and coaching varsity golf. In 1986, a sabbatical from teaching students to writing stories for “Golf World” magazine prepared him for his second career in golf journalism. Leigh is a low-handicap golfer who has won the Golf Writers Association of America’s championship seven times. He is currently a member of Southers Marsh Golf Club in Plymouth, MA, and PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL.

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