2016 Minnesota Golf Show Visits Minneapolis Convention Center, Feb. 12-14

Minnesota

EDINA, Minn. (Feb. 9, 2016) – The Minnesota Golf Association is pleased to announce its participation in the unofficial tee-off to the 2016 golf season – the 25th Annual Minnesota Golf Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center (Hall B), Feb. 12-14.  

“The Golf Show signals the beginning of the golf season for Minnesota golfers of all ages and skill levels,” says Tom Ryan, MGA executive director and COO. “Golfers can check out what's new in golf equipment, tune up their golf swing with help from local PGA golf professionals, and discover more about all of the great golf destinations in the Twin Cities and throughout the state.” 

2016 is a particularly significant year for the local golf scene, as Chaska’s Hazeltine National Golf Club will host the Ryder Cup Matches, Sept. 30-Oct. 2. More than 500 million households globally will follow the NBC Sports broadcast, and organizers estimate the event will create $135 million in economic impact to the Twin Cities. The Ryder Cup trophy, gold, 17 inches high on a wood base and weighing four pounds, will be on display at the golf show Sat., Feb. 13, noon to 4 p.m. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Chick Evans’ U.S. Open victory at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis. Evans is the father of the Evans Scholars Program, one of the nation’s largest four-year college scholarship programs for deserving caddies, sponsored by the Western Golf Association in association with the MGA. There are currently 910 Evans Scholars attending 18 universities around the country. Celebrations are planned for June 26-27 at Minikahda. 

2016 happens to be a “golf rules change year,” with several significant changes to the Rules of Golf (and the USGA Handicap System), effective Jan. 1. Doug Hoffmann, MGA Tournament Director, and Stacy Sazama, MGA Member Services Director, are among MGA staff who will be on hand at the MGA booth (#610/#711), to answer golfer questions about the new rules and handicap system changes. 

This year also marks the debut of the new Play Golf Minnesota specialty license plate supported by the Minnesota Section of the PGA and the MGA. All proceeds from the plate fee ($30) will be directed toward for-the-good-of-the-game programs such as junior golf and player development, as mandated by a joint PGA-MGA committee. Minnesota golf specialty plates can be ordered through your local DMV location (applications are online at dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs). 

The 2016 Minnesota Golf Show is sponsored by Venture Bank and Hubbard Radio Twin Cities. 1500 ESPN will be broadcasting live from the Golf Show throughout the weekend. Show hours are Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are available online (at minnesotagolfshow.com), or at the door; adults: $13, youth (17 and under): free.

For more information about the MGA or golf in Minnesota, stop by the booth (#610/#711) at the 2016 Minnesota Golf Show, or visit the MGA web site at www.mngolf.org. 

About the MGA
Founded in 1901, the MGA is a non-profit organization that upholds and promotes the game of golf and its values for all golfers in Minnesota. The association represents more than 400 golf clubs and 66,000 individual golfers. It reinvests membership revenues back into the game in the form of programs and services such as course rating teams, lobbying on behalf of the game, turf advisory services, support for allied associations, charities and causes that give back to the community and ensure that golf has a bright future, and administering the USGA Handicap System that serves the interests of all golfers in the state. 

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