West Michigan Golf Show Hangs Up Its Cleats

After 37 years, the West Michigan Golf Show (pictured above) has decided to hang up its cleats and call it a career.

One of two great winter golf shows in Michigan, the West Michigan Golf Show was known for big name headliners such as Rick Smith, Dave Pelz, Jim Flick, Michael Breed and numerous National PGA Teachers of the Year, including Michigan native Todd Anderson.

Booths at the consumer show ranged from pro shops selling stock to courses and golf resorts offering deals to entrepreneurs offering golf and golf adjacent products.

While the show continued to be popular, the DeVos Place venue in Grand Rapids reportedly became too expensive, and a suitable alternative was unavailable.

The West Michigan Golf Show was founded in 1989 by Michigan Golf Hall of Famer Terry Moore.

The first show was held at Cascade Ice Arena in 1989.

“The first year there were 50 – 60 exhibitors,” Moore said. “The headliners were Hank Haney, Big Cat Williams and PGA Teacher of the Year Mike Hebron.”

The next year, the show moved to Grand Rapids Community College’s Ford Auditorium.

Moore sold the show to ShowSpan in 2001, but continued to serve as Communications and Sponsorship Consultant. In 2002, the show moved to the GR Civic Auditorium. Finally, it was located at the new DeVos Place.

Moore noted that “oddly enough, the robust health of the golf industry since Covid hurt the show.”

While at first glance that seems an unlikely scenario, it makes sense. During Covid, golf offered a governmentally approved “safe” place to meet with friends. To get out of their homes, lapsed golfers took up the game again, while others tried it for the first time. Tee sheets at courses are full; resorts are booking years in advance. Thus, there is less of a need to promote at golf shows.

I attended the West Michigan Golf show for the first time this last winter, and had fun. I think the Michigan golf scene will miss it.