During this past week, the Cal U Professional Golf Management Program attended the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center. This week was fulfilled with many fun events for the students to attend and learn more about future opportunities within of the world of professional golf management. On Monday morning, all the students heading to Grand Cypress Orlando Golf Club for a friendly competition between teams to see who could shoot the lowest for in team scramble match play. 

Tuesday is when all the fun began and when the show’s Demo Day begin. This day allowed for the students to test out brand new equipment that was coming out during this upcoming golf season. Many of the students were able to discover new companies and could try out potential clubs that they may be interested in adding to their golfing arsenal. After demo day, many of the students were able to come back and relax at the hotel or go out and explore the city of Orlando. On Wednesday, the show finally began at the Convention Center. 

This event allowed for all the students to learn about the new technology that will be debuted for the new season. Many of our students also went to seminars to learn about new swing types, listen to PGA Tour Professionals, Members of the PGA Offices and much more. Lots of our students were able to meet people like Bob Menery, Lexi Thompson a LPGA Tour player, Luke Donald 2011 PGA Player of the Year as well asEuropean Player of the Year and Maurice Allen 2018 World Long Drive Champ. Students were able to meet many of their bosses for upcoming internships during the summer months which allowed for them to connectand begin forging their new relationships. On Thursday, the show continued as many of our students were able to finalize internship opportunities, continue to make new networking contacts inside companies within the golf industry andlearn more about the great sport of golf.

 As the day continued many of the students were able to go to more seminars, meet more people within the industry and allowed for final meet and greets before dinner later that evening. During that same night, the entire PGM group from our University went to dinner with fellow alumni to meet and talk about networking opportunitites with one another. Many of the students enjoyed this meal as it was covered by the PGM Student Society. After this, a fun event took place which all the students participated in. This is a yearly event where our PGM group goes to Fantasia Mini Golf to play an 18-hole event right beside Walt Disney World.

 This was a two-man better ball event which took the better score from each hole. As we continued through the second half of the 18-holes, Disney set off the fireworks from the Disney Tower of Terror as Mickey battled and eventually the dragon! After this fun event ended, everyone headed back to the hotel to relax before the early flight the next morning back to Pittsburgh and home sweet home at Cal U. When I reflected on my personal experience from this trip, I realized this was one of the best moments so far of my PGM experience at Cal U and I am already looking forward to the next chapter this time next year.