LA Golf Show

[SVTGolfer]

DONT GO!! Its a complete waste of time and money!!

This is a negative review, but please dont think im being an ass for my explanations. Im not trying to be, but this is just an honest review of my opinion. And I really really wanted this year to be better than last year. Sadly, it wasn't…

I went early, stood in line for an hour, was one of the first 500 people thru the door, got my two free Bridgestone e6 balls, a bag of junk mail, and a few 2 for 1 vouchers (the Black Gold one was cool)… but I was sorely disappointed with the rest!

The Vendors this year are sooo lame its not even funny. Actually it is funny, but you know what I mean. Example:

The very first vendor I came to was trying to market some swing aid that connects to your iPhone and tells you what your swing speed was, and how far you hit the ball. BUT THATS IT! No flight path, no direction, nothin' and for this they wanted $250 freakin dollars!?!?! No thanks… Aside from the ridiculous price it was super finicky, and didn't even work half the time. The ball had to placed just right to even get it to register anything. I normally hit an 8 iron about 145, and on the first swing it told me 136, thats fine, I wasn't warm, then another swing and it tells me 116. LOL, seriously!? Hahaha, I hit about 8 shots and only three balls actually registered. I picked them clean off the mat too, and never got anything above 118 WITH AN 8 IRON! Then the guy tries to tell me I was hitting it fat (which I wasn't). But Ok dude, whatever you say. I think your product is whack! Thats just one example.

"Olympic Golf" is a retail store that was inside the show. Ive been to their actual store before. They're ridiculous!! $200+ for shoes that are on sale EVERYWHERE else for $99! Gimme a break!

Roger Dunn… Umm come on guys, your "sales" are the same price as your in store prices!! The only deals I saw were a few good prices on golf balls, and they did have a bin full of almost new wedges from Cleveland and Titleist. Plastic still on the grips, but clearly been demo'd already. $60-$70 is ok, but not really any different than eBay.

There's no Titleist tent with clubs to hit, just a tent doing quazi ball fitting. But even this was disappointing. Last year you got two 2 ball sleeves, this year only one. IF you go to the show get in this line early, because its a long one.

TaylorMade tent had a huge line, but then again they do have a lot of new stuff that just came out recently.

Same thing with Bridgestone. Long line. I guess they were doing fittings??

$12 for Parking, $10 to get in (without a coupon).

They are claiming its bigger this year compared to last year, but it seemed much smaller to me. Only difference was a huge Ford booth in the middle of the hall. Overall it was a very poor showing for the golf industry.

This show needs more REAL vendors, not this backyard golfer crap! That stuff is fine, but not when thats all they have. Where are the shaft companies like Aldila, UST, Matrix, etc…?? Where's Scotty Cameron? Where's Odyssey? they should have more putter manufacturers there also. I realize this isnt the PGA show, but why can't it be? Why can't it at least be more similar? $22 for 4 free balls (maybe!) no shopping deals, and a long line to demo clubs that you can demo at any golf shop 7 days a week???

Im not bitter, Im disappointed!!

[mvmac]

Thanks for the heads up

[Stevedore]

I went a few years ago when it was in Long Beach and it was a joke then too, looks like nothing's changed, PASS!

[Beachcomber]

Shoot. Sorry to read this thread. I'm gong tomorrow for the first time and was looking forward to it. Was Travis Matthews or Oakley there?

[SVTGolfer]

Shoot. Sorry to read this thread. I'm gong tomorrow for the first time and was looking forward to it. Was Travis Matthews or Oakley there?

Nope. Nobody was there. It was a total joke...

[newtogolf]

Most vendors are spending their marketing dollars on internet marketing rather than spending it on trade shows or even consumer shows.  It's very expensive when you consider the cost for; space at show, cost to ship booth and products, cost for show staff travel and meals, giveaways and union labor to set up and tear down booth.  I suspect that these sort of shows will continue to shrink in size until they don't exist any longer.

[SVTGolfer]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Most vendors are spending their marketing dollars on internet marketing rather than spending it on trade shows or even consumer shows.  It's very expensive when you consider the cost for; space at show, cost to ship booth and products, cost for show staff travel and meals, giveaways and union labor to set up and tear down booth.  I suspect that these sort of shows will continue to shrink in size until they don't exist any longer.

While I understand your point, and agree somewhat, I wish they would make a better effort to make this show something worth going to! Its not about getting what you paid for or free stuff, or crap like that. Its about giving consumers something new. Something they can enjoy, something that draws in the crowds and can actually HELP the vendor with exposure and product marketing.

This is the "LA" Golf Show, not some small town show, this is Southern California!! We play golf all year round here. And our consumer market is huge compared to the rest of the country!! There's no possible way that a vendor can't see the value in being at a quality golf consumer show. They really should make a better effort to make this show better. Companies like Under Armor or Oakley or Travis Mathew could use the exposure. They are all great companies that make quality golf apparel, but most people dont know that because they are not the mainstream in golf like Callaway, Adidas or Nike… I just wish the show was of a higher quality than what it is at now & bringing in quality vendors is a good way to start.

[newtogolf]

I agree with you as a consumer I want to be able to go to these shows and check out every vendors new products in one venue, but from a business standpoint these shows cost a lot to participate in and are getting harder to justify from a marketing budget perspective.  As a business we measure sales against our marketing dollars spent.  If a marketing initiative doesn't provide the return then we aren't likely to continue it.  In the last few years it's been harder and harder to attribute sales to trade shows.  Granted I'm in a totally different industry but from my participation in trade associations it seems to be a common trend for most industries.

Originally Posted by SVTGolfer

While I understand your point, and agree somewhat, I wish they would make a better effort to make this show something worth going to! Its not about getting what you paid for or free stuff, or crap like that. Its about giving consumers something new. Something they can enjoy, something that draws in the crowds and can actually HELP the vendor with exposure and product marketing.

This is the "LA" Golf Show, not some small town show, this is Southern California!! We play golf all year round here. And our consumer market is huge compared to the rest of the country!! There's no possible way that a vendor can't see the value in being at a quality golf consumer show. They really should make a better effort to make this show better. Companies like Under Armor or Oakley or Travis Mathew could use the exposure. They are all great companies that make quality golf apparel, but most people dont know that because they are not the mainstream in golf like Callaway, Adidas or Nike… I just wish the show was of a higher quality than what it is at now & bringing in quality vendors is a good way to start.

[Beachcomber]

I went to the show this morning. It was pretty weak in terms of quality vendors. But I did get some great vouchers to play at Black & Gold, Oak Creek and Tijeras Creek. Those discounts more than paid for the show 10x. I got 6 passes to Oak Creek for $89 and it's regularly $120. And that doesn't include the discounts at other clubs.

[SVTGolfer]

I agree with you as a consumer I want to be able to go to these shows and check out every vendors new products in one venue, but from a business standpoint these shows cost a lot to participate in and are getting harder to justify from a marketing budget perspective.  As a business we measure sales against our marketing dollars spent.  If a marketing initiative doesn't provide the return then we aren't likely to continue it.  In the last few years it's been harder and harder to attribute sales to trade shows.  Granted I'm in a totally different industry but from my participation in trade associations it seems to be a common trend for most industries.

I have a solution for that... IF a return on your marketing investment is the goal, why not run show specials! And not some weak ass 10% discount. 20% at least!! That would draw tons of people who are looking to buy new products. If I'm in the market for new irons or a new driver, what better way to make a decision and buy than to have all the vendors there actually selling product at a better than retail price! It probably won't ever happen, mostly because of greed, but it's a solution. It works for "demo days."

[SVTGolfer]

I went to the show this morning. It was pretty weak in terms of quality vendors. But I did get some great vouchers to play at Black & Gold, Oak Creek and Tijeras Creek. Those discounts more than paid for the show 10x. I got 6 passes to Oak Creek for $89 and it's regularly $120. And that doesn't include the discounts at other clubs.

That's cool. Sounds like a good deal. Read the small print though. I've found in the past that those vouchers tend to not be as good of a deal as they're made out to be. Hidden fees, limited to certain days, etc... If they're the real deal then that's great, but in my experience they haven't been that good. I also got that Black Gold one, which is also on their website from time to time, not just at the show.