London Golf show at Bluewater

[mashleyR7]

Complete waste of time.

No booking options for trying equipment so unless you had 40/45 mins to wait in a cue you weren't going to hit any clubs.

Challenges were ok, Nearest the pin and long put easy to set up and run but the longest drive wasn't set up for left handers, it took 20 mins for them to track down a club for me to use and then I was given a brand new 915 and said don't scratch it they might make you pay for it 'they're a bot funny on the Titleist stand!" I then waited a further 10 mins for them to work out how to swtich the launch monitor over only for them to finally work out the wire weren't long enough, it got pulled out the plug and they couldn't get it back together. Cue jeering from the waiting crowd of right handers and an embarrased me having to walk off.

No good freebies apart from x4 Titleist balls after their 'ball fitting'

Lots of local courses trying to flog breaks and memberships.

A few stalls flogging new golf gear some looked strange some looked interesting but not much to be honest.

The golf store was awful. Prices on clubs more expensive than the big online stores. Not much choice of clubs either.
The clothes was all stock from Puma, Unde Armour etc but from what Ive seen it was stock from 2/3 seasons ago so not very nice or much choice apart from XXXXXXL. I'd say at least 50% of the clothing on offer was Ryder Cup 2014 unsold stuff, jumpers, polos etc.

Overall what could be a great show let down by not having a system of booking to get to try clubs, not or enough bays, poor stock in the shop, not enough stands from top level brands, lots of randon gimmicky golf stuff, like night golf, cork putter grips, putters made of granite and all in one rubber golf shoes.

I wont be going again.

The best thing I saw was Le Golf National in France (next Ryder Cup venue of course) offering a deal for £99 a round on the Ryder Cup Course, overnight stay with breakfast. I think this is a good deal and I might post up about a trio for ext year, it's valid until end of March.

Anyne else go? Just glad I didn't pay for a ticket. I feel sorry for anyone who paid £15 to get in.

 

[NST]

Will you be going next year?

 

[chrisd]

I went on Friday and, no, I wouldn't have been happy to pay £15 to be flogged gear! I did have a few hits with the Big Bertha irons just to try them and learned a great tip from Gary Smith on chipping which helped enormously in my match today, but, no it wasn't a great show

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I went.

I agree about the frustration of not being able to try clubs. I spent about two hours there in all, I enjoyed gary smith's chipping session and the trick shot show was entertaining.

I wouldn't rush back. There were a lot of people trying to sell things, but not many things I was interested in. I must confess to buying a putting training aid - a t-stroke. Well, my wife bought it for me actually, bit of a rip off for what it is but it's helpful. Supplements my v-easy.

I doubt the manufacturers that were there actually sold much kit.

 

[golfsaint]

Travelled from southampton , lucky it was at bluewater shopping as we only stayed in the golf show about 20-30 mins very dissapointing boardering on complete rubbish,lucky didnt pay either to get in

But on the bonus side had a nice meal and some christmas shopping done lol

 

[dufferman]

I went 2 or 3 years ago and found the exact same thing. Vowed I'd never go again and haven't. Such a joke. £15 to be pushed golf club memberships and not have the chance to try clubs is a complete joke!

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I'm 99% sure you could have/should have booked the range time with the manufacturers before hand - the cost is then deducted from anything you buy. From memory they allow some free slots for walk ups but not many.

Downstairs was a bit of a waste of time to me....I personally think they should have multiple simulators for the longest drive and closest to the pin etc, rather than copious amounts of stalls selling holidays. But those stalls pay good money to be there.

I was talking to one of the organisers who said the stalls went up from 89 last year to 140 something thing year....so that's a big revenue increase for them.

Upstairs was marginally better with more to be involved with, but it's golf..... its a pretty simple sport and there isn't a whole lot that could be put on that wasn't already there.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I went 2 or 3 years ago and found the exact same thing. Vowed I'd never go again and haven't. Such a joke. £15 to be pushed golf club memberships and not have the chance to try clubs is a complete joke!

This. I went a few years back and left after about thirty minutes. Hadn't paid for the ticket and so spent a day in London visiting old haunts and friends instead. Never going back until you can pre-book testing

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think expectations are sometime too high and people are expecting it to be like the PGA show in possibly Florida (?) where the manufactures demo all their new stuff and journos have have hits of everything. With the numbers involved that isn't going to happen at a public show.

I went a few years ago to one at the NEC that was part sponsored by lefthandedgolf, and they let me know beforehand I could have prebooked demo hits or even a fitting including left handed clubs. Although why someone would want to have a fitting surrounded by 100s of people watching by a fitter who is trying to get as many fittings in on one day is beyond me.

 

[Retread61]

I went last year, we were exhibiting in the next door hall anyway and I took a bit of time off to go in. I was appalled!! What a complete waste of money. Never going again.

 

[Piece]

Is this show a reincarnation of the Earls Court ones they had around 10 years ago? I went to one of these. Did try some new club hitting, saw a couple of sims for longest drive and nearest the pin. They had a Direct Golf store IIRC. Not a lot going on really, probably filling 90 mins of my time. I haven't been to another show since.

 

[Deleted member 18121]

Is this show a reincarnation of the Earls Court ones they had around 10 years ago? I went to one of these. Did try some new club hitting, saw a couple of sims for longest drive and nearest the pin. They had a Direct Golf store IIRC. Not a lot going on really, probably filling 90 mins of my time. I haven't been to another show since.

Yes same show, exact same format tbh.

 

[Maccy]

I was very close to booking tickets and then saw a thread here I think last week or week before, glad I didn't go now!

 

[Rooter]

Anyone go this year that went last year? I made a comment to them on twitter that bluewater is not london and they have alienated 75% of the population by putting it there. So keen to see if i was right and footfall was lower than last year...

PS. I wouldn't have gone even if it was in london and i was next door as it was an utter waste of my time...

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

You missed a trick there scooter....I heard there were loads of competitions to win stuff

 

[pbrown7582]

sounds the same as the Manchester show last april. Fitting was by appointment and payment of £20 in advance with your choice of specific manufacturer then deducted if you bought from express golf the main company behind organising it I believe

 

[Deleted member 18121]

sounds the same as the Manchester show last april. Fitting was by appointment and payment of £20 in advance with your choice of specific manufacturer then deducted if you bought from express golf the main company behind organising it I believe

I got "fitted" for my SLDR 3 wood at the London show last year..... all the bookings were via ebay. you could choose manufactuer and time....worked well, but they blew smoke up my ass to try and get me to buy the thing. Which I did. Then sold not long after. :rofl:

 

[dufferman]

I got "fitted" for my SLDR 3 wood at the London show last year..... all the bookings were via ebay. you could choose manufactuer and time....worked well, but they blew smoke up my ass to try and get me to buy the thing. Which I did. Then sold not long after. :rofl:

Did you go to the show this weekend in the end?

 

[User 105]

I went Sunday morning. Got in when the doors opened so wasn't overly busy. Got to try out the G30 Driver.

Spent about 2h walking round. Not overly impressed but my expectations weren't that high tbh.

When I left it was getting really busy so no chance of trying anything or getting on the comps it would have taken ages.

Few places were selling stuff off cheap to get rid of their stock as it was the last day, but all that was left wasn't that great.

tbh, I'd had been better off wandering into AG and grabbing a few clubs to hit on their launch monitor as there wasn't any 'exclusive' gear.

Won't be going again.

Best part of the day. Popped into 5 Guys Burger on the way out. YUM :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

 

[Deleted member 18121]

Did you go to the show this weekend in the end?

I did.... I spent about half an hour in there. There was nothing I really needed to buy, the queues to do the simulator bits were too long.....so just wandered around and then left.