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West Michigan Golf Show Reaches the 18th

(Grand Rapids, Mich.) Reaching a golfing milestone, the 2006 West Michigan Golf Show will card its 18th year as a nationally acclaimed consumer golf show on Feb.10-12 at the DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Thousands of golf enthusiasts will flock to the Show and partake of hundreds of exhibits, clinics and free golf lessons, equipment and merchandise bargains, and contests. Long recognized for its exceptional headliners, this year’s Show will feature former PGA Teacher of the Year Dr. Gary Wiren, two-time The Big Break contestant and Ionia native Bart Lower, former LPGA winner Elaine Crosby, and Brad Dean, Crystal Mountain’s award-winning instructor.

Highlights of the West Michigan Golf Show, produced by ShowSpan Inc., include:

  • With over 175 booths of golf destinations, golf equipment and merchandise golfers will get a jump start on the upcoming season and their vacations plans. The top courses and resorts from throughout the state and the U.S. will be represented as will 17 different retailers offering terrific bargains on clubs, balls, bags, apparel and accessories.
  • Headliner Gary Wiren, sponsored by The Kingsley Club near Traverse City, will give clinics all weekend. Ranked as the 12th best teacher in the U.S. by Golf Digest, Wiren is also a noted author, lecturer, and collector who has appeared on ESPN and The Golf Channel. A PGA Master Professional, Wiren will speak on a variety of topics including "Secrets for Greater Distance" and "How Tour Players Think under Pressure." Wiren is The Kingsley Club’s golf ambassador.
  • Also on stage will be Ionia native Bart Lower who gained national prominence for competing twice on The Golf Channel’s hot reality series—The Big Break. Owner of Bart’s Golf Center in Ionia, Lower competed in Big Break II & IV and was a viewer favorite. Lower’s topic will be "Lunch Hour Practice: A working man’s guide to staying sharp."
  • Other noted instructors will be former Michigan PGA Teacher of the Year Brad Dean and Michigan Golf Hall of Fame member Elaine Crosby both of whom represent Crystal Mountain Resort’s highly regarded Golf School. Also on stage will be Forest Akers’ John DalCorobbo, the ’05 Mich. PGA Teacher of the Year
  • The Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos Par-3 Challenge will test golfers with an indoor, fully landscaped golf hole, courtesy of Everett’s Landscaping and Southwest Greens. With qualifying shots all weekend benefiting Big Brothers/Big Sisters, one lucky finalist on Sunday will take a crack at holing an ace and earning $25,000 in casino chips. The official "starters" over the weekend will be personalities from WLAV-FM, WBBL including the Huge Show on Friday, Thunder 94.5 and WKLQ.
  • Friday night (only) is also "Ladies Night" filled with special events and giveaways just for women, including the first Executive Women’s Golf Association Fashion Show presenting 60 golf outfits from some of the top apparel names in the industry. Also a special clinic by Elaine Crosby. Free gifts to the first 100 women at the show.
  • Manufacturer’s representatives from Nike, Precept, Yonex, Tour Edge, Mizuno, Srixon, and Bridgestone among others will be on-hand on a scheduled basis in the Demo & Hitting Net area for patrons to try out the newest equipment.
  • Door prizes given away every hour with the Grand Prize being airfare for two, plus 3 days and 2 nights and golf at the Orange County National Golf Center in Orlando courtesy of PLAY FLA Golf. Other prizes include a backyard putting green, valued at $6000, courtesy of Southwest Greens and WZZM-TV.
  • Free Lessons from Crystal Mountain Golf Schools: receive free tips and a swing tune-up in the Hitting Net area where many contests will be held like the Long Drive contest and the "Guess Your Distance" driving competition.
  • $10,000 Putting Challenge is back as a Show favorite where putters try to sink a 15-foot & a 25-foot putt to qualify for one chance at canning a 50-foot putt and winning ten grand. Again, with proceeds supporting Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
  • On Friday, anyone bringing and donating an old golf club to Opening Day will receive half price admission. All clubs throughout the weekend will be donated to junior golf programs in West Michigan.

    The Golf Show is sponsored by Lake Express, The Kingsley Club, Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos, Golf Association of Michigan, and Crystal Mountain Resort. The lead local charity for the Show is Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

    Hours for the Show are 4:00 pm-9:00 pm, Friday; 10:00 am-7:00 pm, Saturday, and 10:00 am-5:00 pm, Sunday. Tickets are $8.50 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-14, and children 5 and under are free. Tickets will be available at the door as well as online at www.westmichigangolfshow.com. For more information, call 1-800-328-6550.

    Contact:
    Carolyn Peticolas Alt

    ShowSpan

    616-447-2860

    Terry Moore

    Sportserv Ltd

    616-247-1931

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