Green Valley Golf Expo a huge hit with local golfers

All of the big names in golf made their way to Canoa Ranch Golf Course yesterday to take part in the second Green Valley Golf Expo — an event that is quickly becoming one of the area’s most popular events.

Nearly 1,000 people passed through the Canoa Ranch driving range, absorbing the information provided by the dozens of booths to help shave strokes off the scorecard.

“We have everything a golfer could ask for set up here,” said event organizer Rich Elias. “We’re not only encouraging things to improve someone’s golf game, but their lifestyle, as well.”

Elias, a popular club pro at Torres Blancas and Canoa Ranch, got the ball rolling on the GV Golf Expo last year. Despite temperatures dipping below 40 degrees, the 2007 edition was a hit.

This year, the weather cooperated (sunny and 70s throughout the six-hour duration), leading to a much more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

“This was the day we hoped for last year,” Elias said.

Golf’s biggest brands — Titleist, Ping, Calloway, Cleveland, King Cobra, Taylor Made, FootJoy — set up shop and allowed anyone interested to take a few cuts with the newest clubs available. In fact, Titleist and King Cobra brought out a few clubs that have only been out for a week.

The most popular club? The new transition irons — a hybrid between a fairway wood and a long iron, designed to help those low-impact swingers hit a more confident approach shot. Those who struggle with the 4-iron enjoyed the benefits of the transition iron.

These companies also brought their tech vans to custom-build the clubs to a golfer’s specifications. These vans make only 14 stops a year — with Green Valley among that exclusive club.

“We wanted to create something like this where our community didn’t have to go up to Tucson or even Phoenix,” Elias said. “It’s great for Green Valley.”

Hardware wasn’t the only focus of the GV Golf Expo. A handful of booths — Romney Chiropractic, Yoga Saguaro, Mind 2 Motion Pilates, Vemma nutrition, Spice Wellness, Glenda Martinez’s personal training — used their expertise to improve the golfer’s health, which eventually leads to better performances on the course.

“The stronger you are and the more flexible you are, the better you’ll play,” Martinez said. “People tend to neglect the flexibility aspect, but it makes a world of difference.”

The folks at Mind 2 Motion echo Martinez’s sentiments. Since establishing the “Pilates Fore Golf” program, owner and CEO E.D. “Thumper” Thornton says his clients have seen a dramatic difference in their scores, which, in turn, creates a dramatic shift in their attitudes.

“It’s like we always say around here — a healthy golfer is a frequent golfer,” Thumper said. “We don’t teach golf here. We just give people tips on how to make their bodies work better for them.”

Popular golf instructor Maria Przymierski was on site, as well, offering quick 10-minute seminars with her trusty video camera.

Dorothy Rice was one of the local golfers to give it a shot, and said she now has a new way to think about her swing.

“There are different ways to think about the swing than everything you’ve heard your entire life,” Rice said after her lesson. “I just love golf, and I’m always looking for ways to get better.”

If yesterday’s GV Golf Expo was any indication, Rice is certainly not alone in her feelings.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747