PGA Show Success

The Golf Show 2013, held at Harrogate International Centre (HIC), October 8-10, was the ‘essential’ place to do business, according to PGA professionals and leading suppliers exhibiting at Europe’s leading golf trade show and educational event.

The three-day show featured an extensive education programme aimed at enhancing every aspect of a PGA professional’s business and an exhibition supported by more than 50 industry companies, including every major golf manufacturer in the world.

The Golf Show 2013 also hosted the popular Teaching & Coaching Conference, featuring seminars from PGA Master Professionals Pete Cowen and Scott Cranfield, R&A Director of Research and Testing, Dr. Steve Otto, plus James Whitaker and Peter Myers, two club-based PGA Professionals whose own coaching businesses are thriving.

Martin Wild, Callaway UK Sales Manager, said: “As The Golf Show attracts more and more PGA professionals, it becomes increasingly important to attend. This event provides the perfect platform to showcase our complete range of hardware, including forthcoming 2014 product launches, to PGA professionals.”

Giles Birkhead, regional sales manager of adidas and Ashworth, said: “We need to be here. You have to be if you’re serious about the golf industry. It is the best environment to show off the brand and communicate brand messages to our customers. Like for like, looking back to last year, our stand has been even busier in 2013.”

Adrian Longstaff, Mizuno Sales Manager UK Golf, said: “The Golf Show enables us to meet potential customers in the right frame of mind to learn about our full range of new products. The timing of the show is perfect and this has been our most successful year, signing a number of new accounts. The Golf Show is always worth attending and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.”

Michael Brooks, PGA professional at Malton & Norton GC, North Yorkshire, said: “The show is an important networking tool. It allows me to get a better idea of the state of the industry and through the combination of educational seminars and sharing experiences with fellow professionals, I can return to my club with more ideas about how to progress my business.”

Peter Myers, head professional at Hainsworth Park Golf Club in East Yorkshire, commented: “I have achieved plenty of buying at the show because having our major suppliers under one roof enables my colleagues and I to negotiate the best deals for the coming year. The knowledge we collectively gain from the educational seminars provides practical business advice to take back to Hainsworth, plus talking to exhibitors about the technology in their products helps give us confidence in selling to our customers.”

John Davis, The Golf Show event manager, said: “We aim to enhance the show each year, so to receive such positive feedback is pleasing. We’ll continue to look at ways of improving the show and increasing the benefits to both PGA professionals and exhibiting brands to make The Golf Show 2014 even better.”

Furthering its support of PGA professionals, The Golf Show has, once more, donated £5,000 to the PGA Benevolent Fund. Established at the founding of the association the charity continues to assist members in hardship or distress.

Sandy Jones, PGA chief executive, said: “As the average age of our members rises and sadly in today’s world our younger members face increasing health challenges, there is a greater requirement for support, which the Benevolent Fund provides. This kind donation is greatly appreciated and will be put to extremely good use.”

Other Exhibitor Views: The Golf Show 2013

Stephen Kettlewell, Bridgestone Golf director, said: “We are dedicated to supporting green grass professionals, so it is essential for us to exhibit at The Golf Show where we have been busier than ever this year.”

Ben Moffat, global head of golf at Lyle & Scott, said: “As a golf brand, The Golf Show is an essential event to emphasise our position within the golf industry. Our roots are in golf and we look to strengthen our position and relationships with PGA professionals at the show. We created some theatre on the stand by involving our embroidery team and demonstrating the quality of in-house service Lyle & Scott offers.”

Russell Brooks, ProQuip general manager, said: “Support from professionals has been incredible and each and every one of our lines has been well received. Consequently, we have written more business this year than in two previous Golf Show’s combined.”

For more information, visit www.golftradeshow.co.uk

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