Inventors Spotlight to Showcase Innovative Golf Products at the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show

(PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.) — Inventors of new golf training and teaching aids, accessories and equipment will be able to gauge the interest of more than 40,000 attending PGA Professionals, golf industry leaders and media from around the world at the Inventors Spotlight during the PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 24-26, 2018, in Orlando, Florida.

Organized in partnership with the United Inventors Association (UIA), the Inventors Spotlight on the PGA Show Floor showcases new golf and golf lifestyle-related products developed by independent inventors. In addition to the business networking opportunity provided by the PGA Show, Inventors Spotlight exhibitors also participate in the UIA Awards Program, where their products are reviewed and top inventions are presented with one of three awards – Most Innovative Concept, Best Marketing, and the Pinnacle Award (Best in Show) – on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 1:00 p.m. Judging will be conducted by UIA experts, who will be in attendance throughout the PGA Show to answer questions associated with taking an idea to the development, patenting, production and product distribution stage.

"The Inventors Spotlight at the PGA Merchandise Show is a golf invention showcase unlike any other in the golf industry, and a favorite stop on the PGA Show Floor for industry influencers and product development experts," said PGA Merchandise Show Event Vice President Marc Simon. "In working with the United Inventors Association, we are pleased to provide a platform for inventors to introduce and demonstrate their golf-related innovations, receive feedback from leaders in the golf industry, and, potentially, secure new points of retail distribution."

About the Awards
Most Innovative Concept: This award recognizes a product (in development or finalized) that is truly unique in a product category. From a sketch through a fully developed product, this category looks at the overall innovation of the concept and how it fits into the category. Examples of this include: Does the product represent an innovative approach to the benefit it provides the consumer? Does the product take a novel approach to its function and design? Does the product solve a consumer problem in a new or creative fashion?

Best Marketing Effort: Marketing an idea effectively can be a daunting challenge. This award showcases inventors who develop and deliver an irresistible sales pitch that makes prospects acutely aware of the value they will derive from their product or service, in a clear and quantifiable way.

The Pinnacle Award (Best in Show): The successful development of a product takes talent, knowledge, and tenacity. As such, the Pinnacle Award recognizes the broadest range of efforts by the inventor, be it from design, market research, sales, fulfillment, manufacturing and quality. This category is judged on the entire process. Judgements on this award are based on the attention paid by the inventor to all phases of ideation, invention, and commercialization.

How Judging Works: Judging will be conducted by UIA experts, who will visit inventors at their booths to learn more about the product. Inventors will share attributes, demonstrate the product and be able to ask questions of the judges to further their invention. There is no fee required to participate in the UIA Awards Program.

Learn more about the UIA at uiausa.org. Attendance and registration guidelines are available at PGAShow2018.com/guidelines.