Centre Exhibitions, the subsidiary of the NEC Group which has taken over the organisation of GolfExpo, has announced its plans to revitalise the show which will be open to the trade on 2nd and 3rd November and to the public on 4th and 5th November. The trade show will take place in Hall 12 while the retail area, which will only be open on public days, will be located in Hall 12.
Nearly seventy companies have already booked space including industry leaders such as Ping, Hippo, Lynx, Cutter & Buck, Glenmuir, Burberry and Sunderland of Scotland.
“We are delighted by the support which we have received from our partners, the PGA and EGIA, and the rest of the industry,” said Rene Bros, Exhibition Manager of Centre Exhibitions. “This is the major golf show in Europe and we are expecting large numbers of golf professionals, trade visitors and members of the public to attend with some surprise guests. It will be a unique chance to preview a huge variety of equipment, services and innovation during the industry’s key buying period.”
A wide range of hands on features are planned to complement the exhibition:
Auction – an opportunity to view historic golf equipment and memorabilia with the possibility of picking up a celebrity heirloom
Sky TV – live pictures from the Volvo Masters in Montecastillo to be enjoyed in the Spanish-theme bar/cafà©
Chip & Run Theatre – a real turf area for club demonstrations and trick shots
Fashion Show Theatre – stylish clothes and equipment from the major manufacturers and smaller niche players on the catwalk
PGA Game Improvement Centre – extensive training area hosted by PGA professionals
Putting Area – a fairway, rough and greens created with the latest high-tech artificial turf also featuring an hexagonal carousel putting area offering varying degrees of difficulty for demonstrations and practice.
Themed Zones – including a “virtual” interactive area showcasing the future of golf with cutting edge gadgets and an Internet Cafà©; The World of Golf featuring specialist tour operators; and “Relaxation” demonstration equipment to soothe aching muscles after a demanding round.
The first two days of GolfExpo are for trade only with exclusive benefits and activities for golf professionals including specialist seminars. A retail area for visitors to buy merchandise they have seen in the main show will open during the public days.