Martin Trac has traveled from the Czech Republic to be at the PGA Merchandise Show Demo Day in Orlando. At his turf plot in the circular, 42-acre Orange County National driving range, he has set up Golf Boomerang, a portable device with a pole and yellow nylon line that looks like it might belong on a sportfishing boat.
But the 62-yard line is tethered to a golf ball, and within the device is a motorized reel as well with sensors that estimate ball speed and distance and project this data on a little screen. "Look, the ball comes right back to you," says Martin to the person he is facing, but loud enough for all passers-by to hear. The company's website says, "You don't have to pay unnecessary practice golf range fees anymore. You can now become golf pro much faster."
(The practice facility at Orange County National, site of Demo Day)
All wind positions are possible on a circular range, and the Golf Boomerang happens to be set up in a stiff left-to-righter. Anyone who walks by is free to try it, and for most it's the sharpest fade they've ever witnessed in 62 yards. A sudden gust scatters the business cards set up on Martin's folding table.
Right alongside Martin are some of the biggest companies in golf; Titleist, Cobra, Nike, Adams, Cleveland, Mizuno, Wilson and the like, who have large tents and staked displays impervious to the wind. But even for these big dogs, which end of the wind fate gives them is a running irony from year to year. Downwind, good; into the wind, bad. Because each company has samples of its new line to hit, and the goal of the day is to get golf shop owners and club pros jazzed about the product in the most honest way possible. As in, hit it and see for yourself.
The only people allowed into Demo Day are registered PGA Merchandise Show attendees (exhibitors, buyers, and media) but inevitably some regular Joes eager to test-drive all the new toys sneak in. Ping VP of engineering John K. Solheim was surprised by the number of consumers he encountered making the loop. "Though it's good," laughed Solheim, who several times thought he was conversing with prospective retailers only to learn they were at most interested in the sale of a single club. "Because we want to educate the everyday consumer about our products as well."
It's estimated half a million rangeballs are hit each year at Demo Day. This year, doing more than his share was Nigel Mangan of Ireland, who was attempting to break the record for most balls hit in a 12-hour period. At the time of the writing of this article, he was on pace, going for 8,000 shots by sundown with a 19-degree hybrid-flick to travel the mandatory 100 yards. Standing behind the tiring Nigel, doing the counting, was a dour adjudicator in a navy suit from the Guinness Book of World Records.
Perhaps Martin Trac should get a discount for the cost of his plot. The range pickers don't have to gather any of his balls.
-- Max Adler
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