Three golf club manufacturers are among the early registrants for the 25th Anniversary ING Spring Conference, scheduled for May 31-June 3 at beautiful and historic Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, FL.DSCN1053

The non-profit International Network of Golf will conduct this annual gathering of media and golf industry companies and leaders. ING is where “media connects with the golf industry.”

Everyone in the golf industry and media is invited to attend the conference and address the key issue of growing the game of golf. Visit www.inggolf.com for information and registration forms.

Bridgestone Golf, Knuth Golf and Tour Edge Golf will be among a projected 18 companies on the driving range for the annual Demo Lab. They will also take part in the popular One-On-One Appointment Show and all other elements of the conference.

BRIDGESTONE GOLF – Founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi, Bridgestone manufactures and markets premium golf balls, clubs and accessories. Bridgestone is represented on a world stage by a number of internationally famed golfers including Fred Couples, Paula Creamer, Matt Kuchar, Davis Love III and Brandt Snedeker, winner of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this past weekend. Bridgestone Golf is the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf as the industry leader in live launch monitor fittings. Bridgestone recently introduced a new line of clubs for the first time in four years – the J15 lines of irons and woods. www.bridgestonegolf.com.

KNUTH GOLF – Dean Knuth, the primary inventor of the USGA Slope Rating System, designed the new High Heat driver to optimize the performance for scratch to high handicap amateur golfers who have different swing speeds and swing paths than Tour pros. Knuth engineered High Heat so that its Center of Gravity (“CG”) is 18% lower and 25% deeper than the major brands’ average CG location. This provides a superior sweet spot location and a MOI that is 5346 compared to the major brands’ average 4236. Golf Laboratories, the world’s leading independent testing facility, found that High Heat was longer, straighter and more forgiving than the major brands.  www.knuthgolf.com.

TOUR EDGE GOLF – Tour Edge manufacturers and sells golf clubs under the Exotics and Tour Edge brands. The latest Exotics offerings include the E8 fairway woods and the Hot Launch adjustable and offset drivers. Last year’ CB Pro fairway woods won the ING Industry Honors Product Ingenuity award. The company has forged a name for itself as a producer of high-quality golf clubs that are hand-assembled one set at a time and sold at unbeatable prices. Tour Edge clubs are distributed throughout the United States and the world. Availability ranges from some of the finest green-grass locations in the country to the largest discount golf shops. www.touredge.com.

The ING Conference’s presenting sponsor this year is Freedom Golf Association. FGA is a 501(C)(3) charitable organization dedicated to bringing joy and a sense of freedom to the special needs community through their inclusion in the game of golf.

The Dennis Walters Golf Show will kick off the Demo Lab on Tuesday, June 2 at Mission Inn. He will also be at the 25th Anniversary Reunion Awards Dinner that night, to present the Dennis Walters ING Courage Award to this year’s recipient. ING presented Walters with the courage award in 1994, and then named the award in his honor. It goes to an individual who has overcome great odds to contribute to the game of golf.

The conference will feature a full schedule of networking and educational events.

• The ever-popular One-On-One Appointment Show, where exhibitors will have pre-scheduled, 20-minute private meetings with media and attendees of their choice;

• The Demo Lab, where manufacturers will display their latest clubs and training aids for attendees to test first-hand;

• Educational seminars and workshops: Subjects include Marketing & PR; Social Media Marketing; State of the Industry and Player Development, among others.

• The 25th Anniversary Reunion Dinner. Former ING members are invited to attend the Tuesday night awards dinner and play in the Durland Cup on Wednesday morning. Among the awards being presented at the dinner is the Dennis Walters Courage Award, presented to someone who has overcome great odds to contribute to the game of golf.

• The WAGT National Qualifier. This individual stroke play net competition will be divided into five flights. Winners of those flights will earn complimentary entry and accommodations in the World Amateur Golfers Tour National Championship Sept. 24-26 at Shawnee Inn & Resort.

• Plus, the many networking sessions that ING is famous for.