2014 Golf Industry Show hits the spot for both attendees, exhibitors

If the buzz surrounding the 2014 Golf Industry Show, Feb. 1-6 in Orlando, is any indication, the golf industry’s journey along the road to recovery continues at a steady and sustainable pace.

Final statistics from this year’s gathering of golf course superintendents, owners and operators, architects and builders were on the rise across the board versus the 2013 event in San Diego. Total attendance was 14,147, an 8 percent increase over last year. In addition, the two-day trade show, Feb. 5-6, attracted a total of 6,845 qualified buyers (up 14 percent from San Diego), who enjoyed 184,500 square feet of exhibit space and 561 exhibitors – increases of 7 and 9 percent respectively, from 2013.

“The feedback that I received during the week from attendees, exhibitors and allied association colleagues was overwhelmingly positive, so it’s gratifying that our final numbers back up those assessments,” Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) CEO Rhett Evans said. “The changes that we have made to the Golf Industry Show in recent years were done with an eye on maximizing the experience and the investment for everyone involved, so we are pleased that the event continues to be embraced as enthusiastically as it has ever been.”

“The enthusiasm for the week’s events that I witnessed in Orlando tells me that the Golf Industry Show is largely hitting the mark,” added Mike Hughes, the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). “We’ll continue to evaluate the event to make sure it meets the needs of the event’s constituents, but it’s rewarding that the positive responses to the event have been reinforced by the show’s final numbers.”

The 2015 Golf Industry Show will head to San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 23-26, which will mark the event’s first visit to The Alamo City in more than two decades.

About the Golf Industry Show

The Golf Industry Show is an innovative trade show designed for the owners/operators of golf facilities and the professional members of the golf course industry. The event combines education, networking and solutions for golf course superintendents, owners, operators, architects, builders, equipment managers, appraisers and others.

The Golf Industry Show is presented by GCSAA and NGCOA, along with participating partners:

• American Society of Golf Course Architects
• Golf Course Builders Association of America
• United States Golf Association
• National Golf Foundation
• International Golf Course Equipment Managers Association
• Society of Golf Appraisers

Running concurrently with the Golf Industry Show were the annual education conferences for the Golf Industry Show presenting partners. Numerous educational sessions and seminars focused on solutions for operating in challenging times, environmental management, financial benchmarks, leadership and communications. Various networking opportunities were also available throughout the show for attendees to share and discuss solutions. In addition, exhibitors were able to conduct business with the leadership teams from golf facilities, as golf course superintendents and owners attend together to build and implement their business plans using the education and time with suppliers at the show.