Walking through the main doors of the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, I suddenly felt all giddy. Like a kid at Christmas. There, right in front of me, were over a thousand new golf vendors just begging for me to try their new products.

But I wasn’t alone. In fact, over 40,000 PGA Professionals, retailers and industry leaders from 76 countries all converged in Orlando over the four-day event. And we were ready to get down to business.

It started off with a highly energized Outdoor Demo Day, held at the largest driving range I’ve ever seen. Arranged in a large oval configuration, it took us all day to walk the circumference of the thing, sampling the latest and greatest drivers, irons, wedges, shafts, gloves and more from all the big brands: Callaway Golf, Titleist, PING, Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Bridgestone Golf, Cobra Golf and many, many more.

The next couple of days were spent indoors, sampling gear, meeting vendors and attending seminars (the Scotty Cameron putting workshop was especially enlightening). Professional golfers and industry heavyweights like Jim Furyk, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Justin Leonard , Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer, Hank Haney, Jim Mclean and Butch Harmon all circulated the booths, signed autographs, or hosted educational workshops.

And while the latest clubs and balls were certainly the main focus for many, a few of the more innovative products seemed to grab our attention. Here are a couple:

Cleatskins

Cleatskins  are a flexible rubber shell that slips over the bottom of your golf shoes. This sleek accessory prevents wear and tear of your cleats; improves safety on concrete and asphalt surfaces, and acts as a sealed barrier to keep dirt and grass out of the clubhouse, car and home (my wife certainly appreciates it!) 

Golf Grapplers

Here’s one from the “Why didn’t I think of that” category (well, to be honest, we DID think of it a few years back, but never got around to actually inventing the thing). If you’ve ever planned a quick business trip or weekend away, but didn’t want to lug your golf shoes with you, then Golf Grapplers ™ are the answer. Simply slip them on over your favourite shoes and you’re ready to hit the links. It’s a convenient and comfortable alternative with good traction, flexibility and dexterity.

Spotless Swing Towel

We’ve seen dozens of golf towels, but the Spotless Swing Towel  is a step above. The outside is for the hands, face, golf glove and grips, while the inside portion is used to clean dirty clubs – it even has a proprietary MicroBrush™ fabric to clean club grooves (similar to the hook bits in Velcro.) Brilliant.

See more of our favourites in our Gear section!