While some golf traditionalists might be a bit miffed that the PGA Championship is teeing off in May instead of the customary August, we don’t see that as any reason not to enjoy the array of awesome branded merchandise attached to one of golf’s four annual major tournaments.

And merch there is a-plenty.

Long Island, NY’s Bethpage Black, the golf course where the PGA Championship is being played May 13^th to 19^th, has been home to a 60,000-square-foot PGA Shops merchandise tent – though it would more aptly be called a retail emporium of all things a lover of the greens would put on their must-have list.

Organized by product type and brand, the merch tent requires 850 volunteers to keep it running smoothly through the final round of play. Golf Digest had a fantastic article detailing particularly choice swag selections on offer. From that, we curated a few products we thought could signal trends the promotional products industry should take note of, especially given golf products’ prominence in our market.

Personalizable Products

Photo from Golf Digest.

Mass customization/personalization has exploded in importance over the last decade, and that goes for the imprinted apparel/product world, too. The movement is evidenced here at the PGA Championship, where attendees can have Polo Ralph Lauren products like water bottles and totes embellished with messages of their choosing on the spot.

Idea for promo pros: For your client’s next big golf tournament, partner with a printing company that can personalize items like totes and T-shirts on the spot for attendees. The swag should, of course, already feature client branding.

Busy Hat Prints

Buy the ’47 Brand Bravado Bucket Hat here.

The 2019 PGA Championship Original Adjustable Hat can be found here.

You tend to think of embellishment on golf caps and hats being more traditional and understated. Certainly we saw a bit of that with simple text/scripted caps at the Masters earlier this year. However, the PGA Championship went bold on some of its headwear designs, as the bucket hat and cap here indicate. We especially enjoyed the cap, with its all-over repeat pattern featuring the Bethpage logo and the silhouette of New York state.

Idea for promo pros: If your client is looking for a more youthful vibe for the swag for her next golf event, try coming up with a design that plays on the repetitive, all-over graphic pattern you see here. The graphic elements will have to be unique to the client/event, but you might be able to deliver something cool that resonates, especially with older Millennial generation end-users that are now increasingly in higher level decision-making roles and who thus might be attending such an event.

Colorblock Vests

Photo from here.

The colorblocking and right-breast zipper placement on this vest make it stand out. Such elements could be increasingly sought after in the corporate world.

Idea for promo pros: This look is perfect for many corporate stores. Employees and executives of organizations that include legal and engineering firms, utilities, pharmaceutical corporations, and logistics providers are just a few of the end-users who could dig this layering piece.