One of the technological wonders unveiled at THE PLAYERS for 2026 was the Technics Sound Deck, which brought fans a lot closer to the action out on the course.
Technics, a stand-alone brand of Panasonic Holdings Corp., was recently designated the Official Audio, Official Headphones and Official Earbuds of The PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. The partnership runs through 2029. Last year marked the company’s 60th anniversary.
While company representatives were on hand to demonstrate the latest technological advancements in headphones and earbuds, it was another feature that captured the imagination of many fans: the ability to listen in on the players and their caddies.
“Hearing more conversations between players and caddies was one of the top enhancements fans asked for when we launched the Fan Forward survey,” said Dan Glod, PGA TOUR executive vice president, corporate partnerships, in announcing the new partnership, “and the Technics Sound Deck offers a great way to listen in on those one-on-one discussions as players strategize the hole ahead of them.”
The feature employs the tournament’s broadcast feed to accomplish this.
“You can hear their reaction to their shot,” said Melissa Housel, senior marketing manager and head of product marketing for Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. “It’s a little peak behind the curtain. It’s giving the fans a really cool, immersive experience and getting them a little bit closer to the game.”
At the Technics pavilion, fans also had an opportunity to try out the company’s over-the-ear, noise-canceling headphones, which are Bluetooth compatible.
They also had a chance to learn about the True Wireless earbuds, identified as AZ100s. These award-winning, noise-canceling earbuds have multipoint connectivity to up to three devices, such as a PC, smartphone and tablet, with seamless switching.
“We were one of the first to offer that feature,” Housel said. “It’s great for people who are on the go. … It’s really a superior product as compared with some of the other earbuds out in the market.”
The company’s relationship with The PGA TOUR began in 2024 and has grown since that time.
“We’re thrilled about it,” Housel said. She called the arrangement “phenomenal” and said, “It’s really a great relationship that we have. They’re such amazing partners.”
The Technics products are available at us.technics.com, as well as Amazon and BestBuy.com.
“We look forward to building lasting connections with golf fans, whether they’re experiencing the game firsthand on the course or through exceptional sound at home,” Housel said in the announcement of the agreement with The PGA TOUR.
