Mark Cramer notes that his crystal ball broke long ago, but the Colorado golf industry should hope his prognosticating skills haven’t totally gone by the wayside.
As longtime manager of the Denver Golf Expo — along with his wife, Lynn — Cramer has witnessed plenty of ups and downs for the show in the new millennium. But last year the number of exhibitors and the general attendance perked up considerably, and Cramer believes 2012 could bring more of the same.
This year’s Expo is scheduled for Feb. 10-12 at the Denver Merchandise Mart (I-25 and 58th Ave.).
“At this point we’re way ahead (of 2011) on exhibit sales — and exhibit sales were great last year,” Cramer said Friday with less than a month to go before the show. “I have a very strong sense that it will rock this year. Personally, with what we’re doing this year, I think it will be a record year with record numbers. Things are coming back. Across the country, both exhibit sales and attendance is up at trade shows.”
In 2011, the Denver Golf Expo drew 10,749 people for three days, marking the second-highest attendance in the first 18 years of the show. The record is 11,202, set in 2008 before the economy tanked.
The Cramers have made a couple of logistical adjustments that they hope will make attending the show easier than it has been for some in recent years. Specifically, parking problems and long lines to enter the Expo should be less of an issue.
In addition to tickets being available at the door during the Expo, they’ll be pre-sold through TicketsWest at King Soopers stores for the first time. And parking-wise, Mark Cramer said a lot east of Washington Street will be available, and he’ll have two buses shuttling customers to the entrance from that lot and the front of the Merchandise Mart.
“I know some people couldn’t find a parking space (in years past), so they just left,” Cramer said. “I’m hoping this will be a lot more convenient.”
In addition, Cramer hopes to reach new customers this year by adopting some of the recommendations of Golf 2.0, a major initiative of the PGA of America designed to grow the game on a variety of fronts.
“We’re reaching out to a lot of new demographics in areas and places where they’ll be viewing it,” Cramer said. “We want to get new and occasional players to come to the Expo, so instead of them playing once or twice a year they’ll play five to 10 times a year.”
Again this winter, the top golf associations in the state — including the CGA, CWGA and the Colorado PGA — will play major roles at the Expo. The Colorado Junior Golf Experience, an exhibit that exposes kids to golf in a hands-on way, will be a big draw for youngsters. And older customers can get free 10-minute lessons from Colorado PGA professionals. There’s a large area to test out clubs, and, of course, there will be plenty of merchandise for sale.
The CGA and CWGA will conduct their Used Club Sale, which will benefit junior golf developmental programs. The associations have been — and will continue to be — soliciting club donations for the sale. Last year, the initiative raised more than $8,000 for the junior programs.
Throughout the Expo, the Colorado PGA, CGA and CWGA will conduct free seminars on a variety of topics — everything from game-improvement and fitness tips to use of the belly putter to boning up on the Rules of Golf, and making getting started in golf a better experience for women. Seminars will begin at 10 a.m. daily.
“The lineup for the seminars is exceptional,” Cramer said.
Tickets for the Expo will run $12 for those age 13 to 49, and $10 for those 50 and older, as well as military and veterans with I.D. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free.
Cramer was planning to also hold a Southern Colorado Golf Expo in Colorado Springs this year — as he did in 2010 — but things didn’t fall into place in time to put together a high-quality show. But he said “there will be (a Southern Colorado show) in 2013 for sure.”
