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With the Seattle area getting another drenching during what’s become the wettest winter on record, you can expect thousands of golfers to turn out at the CenturyLink Field Exhibition Center for the annual for their fix.

“It gives everybody a chance to come indoors, get with all the golf courses, see another 10-12,000 golfers,” said John Tipping, producer and co-owner of the Seattle Golf Show. “It’s really a golf community celebration to kick off the season.”

Along with the dozens of exhibitors showing everything from resorts to the latest equipment, every attendee gets a free round of golf and a free subscription to Golf Digest magazine.

For many, it’s also one of their first chances to swing the sticks in months.

Longtime Seattle-area golf retailer Puetz will have over 20 indoor hitting cages staffed by all of the major manufacturers. And the show features several state-of-the-art simulators.

But one year after the US Open, Tipping says it’s too soon to tell if the tournament brought scores of new players to the game – rather than just players from outside the area.

“Certainly it put the Northwest on the golf map and we have seen a lot more people come to the area to play golf.
They’ve started and used Chambers Bay as an anchor.”

But the problems that have hampered golf’s growth remain, most notably how much time it takes to play 18 holes.

“I do think the time commitment is still something that’s pretty serious. A round of golf is going to take at least four hours, you’ve got to get to and from the golf course,” Tipping said.

And golf can be maddeningly frustrating, especially for new players.

Tipping suggest starting out at your local driving range, where they can get you going the right way with free or low cost equipment to use, and affordable instruction.

And even before that, you can hit the Seattle Golf Show through Sunday afternoon at the CenturyLink Field Exhibition Center.