PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- For the second consecutive year, Play Golf America has continued to see overall increases by PGA Professionals, facilities and consumer participation in terms of program involvement during the first six months of the year, announced Brian Whitcomb, president of The PGA of America.
In addition, Web site traffic to www.PlayGolfAmerica.com is at record levels with more than 440,000 unique visitors through June 30, which exceeds the 2006 total number of 325,045 (35 percent increase). A total of 1,990 facilities have posted events on the Web site, a 36 percent increase over last year’s 12-month total of 1,461 facilities (710 in 2005). In addition, more than 7,800 Play Golf America events have been posted through the month of June compared to last year’s calendar year total of 7,193, a nine percent increase.
“Play Golf America continues to gain traction among PGA Professionals, golf facilities and most importantly, consumers” Whitcomb said. “We are pleased that our PGA Professionals continue to lead the way providing access to the game through innovative Play Golf America programs.”
In 2007, Play Golf America focused on building upon successful programs like PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month, PGA Free Lesson Month, American Express™ Women’s Golf Week and PGA Play Golf America Days while adding new ones such as “July is Family Golf Month” and the PGA of America/Disabled Sports USA Military Golf Program.
Highlights and record-setting numbers in the first six months include:
• The Play Golf America Web site recorded a 35 percent increase in traffic through June 2007 versus the entire calendar year in 2006. During May (PGA Free Lesson Month), there was a record 116,209 unique visitors to the site (previous mark was 111,406 in 2006).
• The number of registered Play Golf America facilities grew to more than 7,300 as of June 30, a nine percent increase from last year’s 12-month total of 6,786 facilities. A total of 1,990 facilities have posted Play Golf America events on the Web site through June, a 36 percent increase (1,461 in 2006).
• More than 7,800 Play Golf America events have been posted on the Web site so far this year compared to last year’s total of 7,193, a nine percent increase.
• More than 8,600 consumers have registered online for programs through June, compared to last year’s calendar year total of 3,742, a 131 percent increase.
• More than 3,100 PGA Professionals, a 15 percent increase from 2006, gave 36,287 fittings during PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month in April. More than 5,800 women received a fitting - a 41 percent increase from 2006. In only its second year of the promotion, equipment and merchandise revenues resulting following the fittings for participating facilities totaled over $8.83 million dollars, a 46 percent increase from 2006.
• PGA Free Lesson Month celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007. The PGA of America and Golf Digest launched the campaign in 1998 and more than 717,000 free lessons have been given by PGA Professionals nationwide in the previous nine years. Along with the Golf Digest Publications, The GOLF CHANNEL and Nike Golf also supported the program. A total of 6,636 PGA and LPGA Professionals participated in PGA Free Lesson Month at 5,353 facilities.
• In May, The PGA of America announced that it joined the America Supports You team, a Department of Defense program that highlights and recognizes citizens’ support for members of the U.S. Armed Services and their families. The PGA of America teamed with Disabled Sports USA to create military golf programs to provide golf instruction for the severely wounded military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The program consists of weekly, two-hour instruction sessions from PGA Professionals over a seven-week period teaching the basic skills and rules of the game; how to use an adaptive cart (if applicable) and showing how golf can be used as physical therapy. These initial clinics were held at sites near the nation’s three primary medical facilities where 80 percent of the military’s severely wounded are being treated (Washington DC, San Diego, Calif., and San Antonio, Texas). The program, along with PGA Professional Jim Estes, was featured on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams “What Works” segment June 14.
• Women continue to be a target market for Play Golf America. A record 1,358 golf facilities across the country hosted American Express™ Women’s Golf Week presented by Golf For Women, which more than doubled last year’s total of 585 (132 percent increase). Joining title sponsor American Express were presenting sponsor Golf For Women magazine and silver sponsor Cobra Golf. In its inaugural year in 2005, 225 facilities hosted the event. The Middle Atlantic Section hosted a program for Women in Government Relations (WIGR) with 75 women receiving free lessons at an orientation and 44 women participating in a five-week PGA First Swing program. PGA Professionals from the Northeast New York Section gave free lessons at the Women’s Health & Fitness Expo in Kingston, NY. Plans are for PGA Professionals to continue giving free lessons at various Women’s Shows across the nation.
• The PGA of America expanded its free-to-consumer PGA Play Golf America Days to potentially all 41 PGA Sections across the country. Through June 30, 39 PGA Sections had scheduled a total of 74 events which exceeds last year’s total of 51 PGA Play Golf America Days – a 41 percent increase. In 2005, there were 12 PGA Play Golf America Days held. More than 23,600 consumers have attended PGA Play Golf America Days so far this year, a 53 percent increase from last year, including more than 1,700 people at Riverbend Golf Course in Kent, Wash. The PGA of America partnered with the National Pan American Golf Association (NPAGA) to host a PGA “Dias Juego de Golf America” (Play Golf America Day) in Austin, Texas, to increase Hispanic participation and help drive membership to the NPAGA. The East Potomac Golf Club hosted a Play Golf America Day in Washington DC targeting African Americans and more than 1,200 people attended the event.
• The PGA of America added “July is Family Golf Month” to its calendar events to provide a structured, yet casual opportunity for families to learn the game of golf together. More than 1,000 facilities hosted grassroots programs such as Family Golf Clinics, Family Play Days, Kids Play Free Programs and Family Golf Leagues, a 775 percent increase from last year’s total of 120 facilities that hosted the pilot program. Golfing enthusiasts and Grammy award winners Vince Gill and Amy Grant, along with their six-year-old daughter, Corrina Grant Gill, serve as spokesfamily for the program.
• The PGA of America again teamed with the National Golf Course Owners Association to promote “Take Your Daughter to the Course Week” July 9-15. It is the second year the program was promoted under the Play Golf America marketing umbrella and eighth year overall. As of June 30, there were 783 facilities hosting the event, up from last year’s total of 732 facilities (seven percent increase).
• “Bring Your Kids to the Golf Range” is a new Golf Digest Publications and Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) initiative promoted under PGA Play Golf America's “July is Family Golf Month”. As of June 30, more than 160 facilities were participating in the July promotion that provides families two buckets of range balls for $20.
Play Golf America, designed to increase participation among new and occasional adult golfers, was developed by The PGA of America, with the support of Allied Associations including: the LPGA, National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA TOUR, USGA and others involved in the annual Golf 20/20 Conference. The program utilizes the www.PlayGolfAmerica.com Web site to serve as a link for consumers to access fun, affordable and informative programs in their area.
The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.
