From the floor - day 1 at Harrogate

More than 1,000 PGA pros, 60 exhibitors plus buying groups Foremost Golf and TGI Golf and The PGA have created another successful three day golf show at Harrogate International Centre.

PGA.info takes to the floor on day one to meet some of the pros and industry people helping making the show the biggest of its kind in Europe.

With just three weeks to go until he retires, Parnell Reilly (above) could have been forgiven for putting his feet up and skipping this year’s Golf Show at Harrogate.

But it’s not by accident that the former PGA captain has built up one of the most successful golf operations in the north of England.

His thriving Bradley Park Golf Club complex in Huddersfield, developed under his leadership over 33 years, is testament to his golfing acumen and knowledge which is why he wasn’t going to give the Golf Show a miss.

“Although I’m retiring in three weeks, I’m still here because I’m still interested in being up to speed and hopefully ahead of the game,” said Reilly who also sits on the TGI board.

“The show is probably more professional than ever before, the stands look absolutely fantastic, there is a range of seminars, absolutely everything that any pro needs in this day and age to keep themselves educated and up to speed with what is happening in the golf industry.”

Former soldier turned PGA pro Sid Trench (below) has given the thumbs up to the Director of Golf qualification being run by the PGA Training Academy.

Trench combines a head professional/secretary role at Andover Golf Club in Hampshire and credits the DoG, run by PGA Master Professional John Mulgrew, with helping him land the role.

“The fact I was doing the DoG swung the job in my favour, I’ve no doubts about it,” he said.

“Especially for a small club looking to grow, it gave them someone who was the complete package who could fulfil both roles and also drive the club forward.

“The DoG course opened my eyes to so many things and teaches you to think strategically and I was able to show to the club what I as a pro could bring to the role in terms of increasing revenues, driving and retaining memberships and taking golf into the community.”

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The power of social media was underlined to Sid Trench who became a local media star ahead of the Ryder Cup.

The Hampshire pro is a regular tweeter and it was through Twitter that BBC Radio Wiltshire became aware of him and whisked him into the studios to explain the ins and outs of the Ryder Cup.

Matt Ellis (above) was among the speakers on the opening day of the Golf Show delivering a seminar entitled ‘Coaching mental skills through games’.

The Welshman has established a successful career as a sports psychology consultant and has plenty of personal experience to draw upon having been a former PGA Professional Champion as well as the man who sank the winning putt in the 2005 PGA Cup at The K Club to defeat the United States and end a 21 year winless streak.

PGA official supplier and tournament sponsor Golfplan are again at Harrogate as they look to cement their relationship with green grass PGA pros which sees them offer a number of incentives for introducing their product to golfers.

Retail development manager Barry Horrocks is among the staff and has one eye on the championship final of the Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge supported by Canopius which takes place at Turkey’s Antalya Golf Club in November.

Barry will be hoping its third time lucky in Turkey with regards to the weather having attended regional qualifiers earlier in the British summer where he spent two hours squeegeeing the greens at The Addington and then peering through the fog at a misty Bowood. 

It’s been a busy few weeks for Paul Eales (above) who was on the Lynx Golf stand in his capacity as a brand ambassador.

The Lancashire-based PGA pro, just back from media work at the Ryder Cup, was helping Lynx showcase their latest equipment before hopping on to a plane first thing in the morning to compete in the Dutch Senior Open.

“I’ve been using their equipment all year on the Senior Tour and I love the fact Lynx are trying to get the whole family involved, kids and women, they’ve got the same values about the game as myself,” he said.

Talking of the Ryder Cup, where Paul was working for Ryder Cup Radio, he rates Gleneagles as the best ever.

“I’ve done every Ryder Cup since Valderrama in some capacity, either for radio or as a member of the European Tour board of directors and Gleneagles has been by far the best.

“They took it up three or four notches, from the golf to the experience for the patrons, it was just fantastic.”

Highlight of his week arrived at the 15^th on the Sunday singles.

“I was working alongside legendary Welsh broadcaster Ron Jones and we happened to be on the 15^th when Welshman Jamie Donaldson hit that fantastic shot into two feet so that was definitely a highlight as was being on the first tee when Bubba Watson was rousing the crowd.”

Among the most colourful sections of the show floor at Harrogate was the Royal and Awesome stand.

Started just two-and-a-half years ago, the company is looking to get into the great fun trouser market, having spotted a big opportunity according to brand director Graeme Smeaton (above right).

"There’s not many golfers that will wear this stuff every time they play but there is a big chunk of the market that will wear it for societies or golf days, trips away with their mates and any time where the emphasis is having fun,” he said.

“Everything we do is about tapping into that social element, all our Facebook activity is about highlighting groups of guys and ladies playing golf and having fun.

“We also take a lot of advice and ideas from our Facebook community, we have 150,000 fans and ask them what designs they want us to create.”