PGA Show displays new merchandise
Larry Durland - GalvestonDailyNews.com
"It’s necessary to study the show directory to get a feel for what’s here and ideas for what to visit. Time does not permit visiting a lot of them because of sheer numbers. For example, the directory lists 33 exhibitors under the tees classification, 30 exhibitors under grips and 23 exhibitors listed under ball retrievers. A golfer in good condition could spend days looking at exhibits and trying out equipment on the huge driving range and putting green in one end of the hall."

PGA Show is a circus-like atmosphere
Jason Sobel - ESPN.com
The event covers 1.1 million gross square feet of the Orange County Convention Center. And if you were to walk every aisle, you'd log a total of 10 miles -- all while being weighed down by more brochures, handouts and tchotchkes than you could ever hope to pore through.

Little guys pitching ideas at Show
Chris Stevenson, OTTAWA SUN
Get off the beaten path and away from the glitzy displays put up by the industry's well-known names and you find the little guys whose unbelievable passion in their idea and product consumes their lives -- and their bank accounts. Joe Curkovic figures he has spent $1.4 million to get his Swingscope teaching aid to market. The Montreal native has developed Swingscope (swingscope.com) to help teach golfers the proper turn in the backswing.

Sex, golf and rock and roll
Chris Stevenson, OTTAWA SUN
One golf company that bears watching is Heavy Putter, which we told you about for the first time last year at this time. An update: The company has attracted interest on the Tours and has been used by Nationwide Tour star Troy Matteson, who won the money title last year and is on the PGA Tour this season. He went from 110th in the putting stats to eighth using the Heavy Putter. The name explains it. The putter is about twice as heavy as a normal putter with weight under the grip to give the club balance.

Tracking the hottest products for 2006
Jason Sobel - ESPN.com
After a stint at this week's PGA Merchandise Show, the Weekly 18 departs from its usual take on Tiger and the gang to deliver news on some of the hottest, coolest and craziest golf equipment on the market for the 2006 season.

Golf firm shooting high with space-age element
Chris Stevenson - Ottawa Sun
Element 21 is staking its potential success on scandium, the 21st element on the Periodical Table (titanium, the metal it hopes to replace as the material of choice in golf, is 22nd). The company's pitch is scandium, which has been used in the Russian space program and missile technology (hence the tie to the ISS yesterday). It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any material used for golf clubs. It's 25% better than titanium, 50% better than graphite and 70% better than steel, says the company.