Mark and Lynn Cramer have run the Denver Golf Expo for the last 15 years, and never before last weekend had the weather — and what came with it — wreaked such havoc with the show’s attendance.

After being about 350 attendees ahead of last year’s day 1 pace after a very nice February weather day on Friday, the bottom fell out on Saturday and Sunday. With a snowstorm hitting the metro area hard starting on Saturday afternoon, and several local broadcasters advising people not to go out unless they had to, it had an unmistakable effect at the Expo.

Attendance for the three-day show that ended on Sunday at the Denver Mart came in at 7,195, the lowest number for the Expo since 2002. The total was down 24 percent from last year’s 9,486, and it’s more than a third less than the Expo’s record of 11,202, set in 2008.

“I don’t know if it’s so much the weather, or the media hyperbole about the weather,” Mark Cramer said on Monday. “It was a good storm, but it wasn’t the storm of the century and the sky wasn’t falling. They were overly hyper about it. There were news teams yesterday telling people to stay home. It was very disappointing. They don’t realize how badly they hurt small businesses.

“It’s unfortunate that the media does what the media does to make themselves relevant. It’s at no cost to them at all. They’re creating a bigger story.”

The amount of snow from the storm varied widely over the metro area, with some areas receiving 6 inches and others 20.

With about 2,300 fewer people attending the show than last year, it’s no surprise that other numbers associated with the Expo took a hit also:

— The Used Club Sale (pictured at top), which raises money for junior golf development programs through the Colorado Golf Foundation, netted $11,845 over the weekend. While that was solid compared to the 13-year average for the Used Club Sale, it was down about 18 percent from last year.

“The attendance was down and the weather played a major role,” said CGA director of junior competitions Eric Wilkinson, who was overseeing the Used Club Sale. “Both Saturday and Sunday things cleared out earlier than normal.”

Taking the weather into account, the CGA was happy the Used Club Sale raised what it did. The sale has netted almost $60,000 for junior golf over the last four years combined.

“Anytime we can raise that amount for the program, it’s great,” said Wilkinson, who is leaving the CGA this week to become championship assistant for the 2016 Ryder Cup. “The golf community has been generous, as always. This year we had more quantity and not as much quality, but it was still a success for us. It’s still a large number to raise for the Foundation and junior golf. We’d like to thank all the donors.”

— Meanwhile, Colorado PGA professionals provided 483 free 10-minute lessons to Expo attendees. That total was down about 9 percent from 2014.

— Over the three days, 235 kids went through the Junior Golf Central area (left), participating in the Drive Chip & Putt Experience. That was off about 22 percent compared to the number of juniors who took part in the Expo’s Junior Golf Experience in 2014.

The bottom line for the Expo is that no matter how well show organizers and the golf industry — including the CGA, CWGA and Colorado PGA — prepare and plan for the event, the overall success is still somewhat dependent on things that are out of the control of them all.

Things like the weather and related issues.

“I was talking to Lynn this morning and she said we did everything right; we did a very good job,” Mark Cramer said. “We were very well organized and had a lot of participation from the golf industry. But a major winter storm and the media scaring the (heck) out of people doesn’t help. But this is the first time a major storm has hit us like this (during the Expo). We had always been pretty fortunate.”

Colorado’s annual February golf shindig — also known as the Denver Golf Expo — will be held this weekend for the 22nd consecutive year.

The show, set for Friday through Sunday (Feb. 20-22) at the Denver Mart just east of I-25 on 58th Ave., as always is designed to whet the appetite of local golfers as the season approaches. There are deals on everything from equipment to green fees to travel, instruction and educational seminars for golfers of all ages, a demo area, contests, some fun for kids and much more. Typically, about 10,000 people attend the three-day event.

Let’s hit on some of the Expo’s 2015 highlights:

— The popular Used Club Sale this year will feature not only clubs and equipment, but clothing from the 2014 BMW Championship PGA Tour playoff event that Cherry Hills Country Club hosted in September. All the net proceeds from the sale go to the Colorado Golf Foundation, with the money benefiting junior golf development programs. The sale raised $14,400 last year and about $32,000 over the last two years combined.

Those who still wish to donate quality used equipment for the sale can bring it to the Denver Mart on Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

— As part of its centennial celebration this year, the CGA will display its new logo to the public at the Expo. And all CGA members who visit the association’s booth near the entrance to the Expo will receive a CGA centennial ball marker.

Both the CGA and CWGA — which will have an exhibit nearby the CGA’s — will be informing non-members about the many benefits of membership, and telling people about their core programs. And the CWGA will be encouraging women to sign up for one of its CWGA Experience events, golf outings that combine small-group instruction with some fun social interaction with other women interested in the game. The CWGA will be giving out mementos to members who show their GHIN cards — or the smart-photo equivalent.

— As has been the case for years, Colorado PGA professionals will provide free 10-minute lessons to interested attendees.

— The newly rebranded “Junior Golf Central” — formerly known as the Junior Golf Experience — will cater to the younger set. This year, Junior Golf Central will have a theme based around the new nationwide Drive, Chip & Putt junior skills competition that culminates at Augusta National Golf Club the Sunday before the Masters. Each of those three skills will be emphasized at JGC, which will feature a running leaderboard. And the long drives of the youngsters will be announced over the public address system.

— The Colorado PGA, CGA and others will lead educational seminars, with a dozen scheduled over the course of three days. Look below in the “Essentials” area for specific themes and times for the seminars.

— The club demo area, sponsored by Lenny’s Golf, is another popular feature of the Expo, with attendees able to try out clubs that could be difference-makers in their games.

— Some contests will be held — with prizes available — including a long putt challenge and a closest to the pin challenge.

— And, of course, many of the exhibitors give special deals at the Expo. This year, about 135 exhibitors are expected to be on hand. CLICK HERE for a list.

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Denver Golf Expo: Just the Essentials

What: 22nd annual Denver Golf Expo.

When: Friday through Sunday (Feb. 20-22). Open Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Denver Mart (58th Ave., just east of I-25).

Tickets:
Adults, $13; Seniors, $11; Military with I.D., $11; Kids 16 and Under, $3. Available by CLICKING HERE, at King Soopers or at the Denver Mart during Expo days.

Scheduled Educational Seminars:
— Short Game Myths and How Tour Players Hit the Spinning Pitch Shot (Patrick Nuber, PGA), Friday, 11 a.m.
— Par Plan: Break Your Personal Par in 30 Days (Andy Hilts, PGA), Friday, noon
— Prior Teacher of the Year Panel (Ty Walker, Patrick Nuber, Andy Hilts), Friday, 1:30 p.m.
— Uncommon, But Effective Practice Methods (Tom Gibbs, PGA), Friday, 3 p.m.
— Rules of Golf (CGA), Friday, 4 p.m.
— Putting/Short Game/Learning Styles (Don Graham, PGA), Saturday, 11 a.m.
— Colorado Golf Fitness Club (Dee Tidwell), Saturday, noon
— The Difference Between Your Driver & Irons, and How to Take Your Game to the Course (Trent Wearner, PGA), Saturday, 1 p.m.
— GolfSquid (Gary Robinson), Saturday, 2 p.m.
— Navigating College Golf Recruiting (Dustin Jensen, CGA), Saturday, 3 p.m.
— The Importance of Club Fitting (Corey Butler, PGA), Sunday, noon
— Rules of Golf (CGA), Sunday, 1 p.m.

More information: CLICK HERE.

The Denver Golf Expo has undergone plenty of tweaking over its 21-year run. There’s always something that gets changed from year to year in attempts to make the show better or to attract more attendees.

This winter’s 22nd annual Expo will be no different in that respect. And for the first time in recent years, one of those alterations will involve a small but notable change of dates.

In recent years, the Expo has been a fixture at the Denver Mart (58th Ave. and I-25) during the first two weeks of February — usually the second weekend of the month. In the past half-dozen years, it’s always been held sometime between Feb. 6-14. But this year, the 10,000 or so regular attendees of the show will mark a different set of dates on their calendar.

With show organizers especially aware of not wanting to compete against the Super Bowl (Feb. 1 this year) or Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), the Expo will have some of its latest dates ever, Feb. 20-22 — two weeks later than last year.

“We never want to be up against the Super Bowl, and Valentine’s Day is historically not good for us,” said Mark Cramer, who owns and operates the Denver Golf Expo along with his wife, Lynn. “Couples are doing couples’ things that day — understandably so — and attendance drops off.”

Attendance for the Expo has fallen each of the last three years, so perhaps a date change might help in that regard. As always, much will depend on the weather that weekend. But Cramer is taking some proactive steps to attract more visitors to the show.

Most notably, in order reach more people who might attend, Cramer hired a Boulder-based internet marketing firm to rebuild the Expo web site (denvergolfexpo.com) and help with search-engine optimization. That search-engine work is designed to give the show an even higher profile among golf fans, particularly in the weeks and days leading up to the Expo.

“Everything is going mobile and internet regarding marketing and advertising; newspaper, TV and radio and not pulling like they used to,” Cramer said. “All the years I’ve done this (since July of 2000), every year I hear ‘I forgot about it or didn’t see any advertising’. It drives me nuts because we always spend a lot of money on advertising in order to get as many people in as we can. So I hope what we’re doing will pop up in attendance.”

And, as in recent years, the Expo will run ads locally during telecasts of tour events as the show approaches.

During the Expo itself, Cramer is planning more interactive activities, as attendees have requested through surveys.

As has regularly been the case since the Cramers began running the Denver Golf Expo, the CGA, CWGA, CJGA and Colorado PGA will have a major presence at the show, hoping to grow the game by reaching out to attendees.

Among their efforts will be the Used Club Sale (pictured above), which benefits junior developmental programs; the newly renamed “Junior Golf Central” for kids; the Colorado PGA’s free 10-minute golf lessons; and educational seminars that will take place throughout the Expo, including the USGA Handicap Seminar that CGA and CWGA staffers will conduct.

In addition, as part of the CGA’s centennial year celebration in 2015, the association will publicly launch its new logo and branding at the Expo. Both the CGA and CWGA, with adjacent booths at the Denver Mart, will be promoting their core programming and the many and varied services that they provide. CWGA members who show their GHIN membership card — or the smart-phone equivalent — will receive a memento.

The CGA and CJGA continue to accept donations for the Used Club Sale both at their office (5990 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Suite #102, in Greenwood Village) and at the PGA Tour Superstore (9451 E. Arapahoe Road, just east of I-25) during normal business hours. For those who can’t travel to donate clubs, the CGA/CJGA can pick up donations in the metro area. To arrange for that, call 303-366-4653. Reminder: The associations no longer accept clubs on consignment for the Used Club Sale — just straight donations.

Junior Golf Central, which evolved out of the Junior Golf Experience (left), will have a “Drive, Chip and Putt” theme this year, playing off the championship of the same name that was launched in 2013 by the Masters Tournament Foundation, the USGA and the PGA of America. The DC&P Championship is a free nationwide junior skills competition — designed to promote interest and participation in golf — that culminates each year on the Sunday before the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.

Drive, Chip and Putt holds local and regional qualifiers throughout the U.S. for boys and girls age 7-15. This year, local qualifiers will be conducted in June and July in Colorado (CLICK HERE for sites), with winners advancing to the sub-regional Aug. 30 at CommonGround Golf Course. From there, the top players go to Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., for the regionals on Sept. 19.

At the Denver Golf Expo, each of the three skills (drive, chip and putt) will be part of Junior Golf Central. The Colorado PGA, which hosts the local and sub-regional DC&P qualifiers in the state, will have a running leaderboard throughout the weekend. And the long drives for kids will be announced over the public-address system.

All in all, Cramer hopes the efforts of event organizers and participants make for a better show than ever.

“We always try to hit all the right bases,” he said.

For a list of exhibitors who plan to participate in the Denver Golf Expo, CLICK HERE.
 

“The number of man-hours that goes into putting this on — not just us, but for the CGA and the PGA — means there’s a lot riding on it,” Cramer said.
    

20th Annual Denver Golf Expo: Just the Facts
   
What: 20th Denver Golf Expo.
   
When: Feb. 8-10 (Friday through Sunday).
   
Where: Denver Merchandise Mart (I-25 and 58th Ave.)
   
Show Hours: Friday Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday Feb. 9, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday Feb. 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
  
Ticket Prices: adults, $12; seniors (50 and over) and military with ID, $10; kids 12 and under, free.
   
Tickets Available: At the door at the Merchandise Mart or at TicketsWest at King Soopers.
   
Parking Shuttles: Available from the East parking lot and at the south side of the Merchandise Mart.
  
Show Features: Colorado Junior Golf Experience interactive exhibit, free swing seminars from Colorado PGA professionals, Used Club Sale to benefit CGA and CWGA junior golf developmental programs, free seminars beginning at 10 a.m., club demo area.
   
Donations for Used Club Sale Accepted: Drop off at the north side main entrance of Merchandise Mart Feb. 7, noon to 3 p.m.; Feb. 8, 8 a.m.-noon.
 

Two women who have made their mark in national and international golf circles are scheduled to be on hand Saturday as part of the 2012 Expo at the Denver Merchandise Mart (I-25 and 58th Ave.). The show runs Friday through Sunday (Feb. 10-12).

World Golf Hall of Fame member Patty Sheehan will be at the Expo to promote the Solheim Cup, which will be held Aug. 16-18 next year at Colorado Golf Club in Parker. At roughly the same time on Saturday, Colorado’s own Christie Austin, just the fifth female ever to join the USGA Executive Committee, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Season Tee-Off Luncheon, an event presented by the Colorado Golf Alliance and attended by many prominent members of the state’s golf community.

Austin, since 2007 one of the 15 members of the powerful USGA Executive Committee, became treasurer of the USGA at the association’s annual meeting Saturday in Houston. She’s also now chairman of the USGA Rules Committee, which, along with its counterpart from the R&A, writes, interprets and maintains the Rules of Golf.

“We always like to have keynote speakers who can talk about trends in the game,” said CGA executive director Ed Mate, who noted that previous Tee-Off Luncheon speakers have included then-USGA executive director David Fay, First Tee CEO Joe Louis Barrow Jr., and PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka. “Using our local resources, Christie Austin is a perfect person to address our group.”

As for Sheehan, she won 35 times in her LPGA Tour career, including six major championships. She’s also a two-time captain of the U.S. team that faces Europe every other year in the Solheim Cup. Sheehan will be available to sign autographs at the Expo’s Solheim Cup booth from approximately 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Beyond the appearances by Sheehan and Austin, there will be plenty going on this weekend at the Expo, including much involving the CGA and CWGA, who team up with the Colorado PGA and the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents to form the Colorado Golf Alliance. The Alliance will join forces to conduct many events over the three days at the Merchandise Mart.

The CGA, CWGA and Colorado PGA will play prominent roles in operating the Junior Golf Experience — an interactive exhibit for youngsters — and in conducting free seminars for the public. And the ever-growing CGA/CWGA Used Club Sale will benefit junior golf development programs.

The Junior Golf Experience, an Expo fixture in recent years, will be expanded for 2012. New this time around are areas devoted to putting and fitness that will supplement the existing chipping station and video-gaming area, which this year will feature Microsoft Xbox. Professionals from the Colorado PGA will provide much of the instruction.

“We have more room this year and we’ll fit more kids into each station,” said Eric Wilkinson, director of junior competitions for the CGA.

Kids 12 and under will be admitted free to the Expo, which encourages junior participation.

“We really roll out the red carpet for juniors,” Mate said.

As for the Used Club Sale, last year it raised over $8,000 for junior programs, and more could be in store this weekend. With the CGA and CWGA partnering with the PGA Tour Superstore this time around, the amount of equipment that’s been donated has increased significantly. Wilkinson estimated that 500 pieces of equipment came from Superstore donations alone, and that overall there may be several times that many pieces that have been donated.

The Superstore partnership “has been a huge, huge help,” Wilkinson said. “The response has been great. We’re poised for a very big year.”

And while volunteers will help price the clubs on Thursday, the associations will accept more donations Thursday (noon-3 p.m.) and Friday (8 a.m.-noon) at the Merchandise Mart.

The CGA and CWGA, meanwhile, will be conducting a couple of the free education seminars organized by the Colorado PGA. Pete Lis, director of rules and competitions for the CGA, will handle a Rules of Golf Seminar each afternoon (2 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday), while the CWGA will put on “Getting Started in Golf for Women” (4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday).

The latter seminar “is designed for women who have been intimidated by the game or not gotten into golf for a variety of reasons,” CWGA executive director Robin Jervey said. “We’ll try to give them some answers” to help them break down the barriers to becoming involved.

At its Expo booth, the CWGA will be promoting its Affiliate membership, designed for women more interested in social golf or instructional events than in competing or having a handicap.

CWGA officials hope to entice women, through a drawing for a $250 shopping spree at the PGA Tour Superstore, to fill out a brief survey. Later, the CWGA will contact those who submitted a survey, inviting them to come to an April 4 CWGA event at the CWGA Superstore or to a CWGA Experience instructional event in May.

Meanwhile, at the Colorado PGA exhibit, Section professionals will give free 10-minute lessons to those interested.

Expo hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets for the Expo — available at the door or at King Soopers stores — run $12 for those age 13-49, $10 for seniors (50 and over) and for military and veterans with I.D.