PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (March 7, 2006) -- In the market for new golf clubs? The PGA of America wants to help make it easier for you to choose the ones that are right for your game and to get them more affordably. During the month of April, PGA Professionals nationwide will be participating in the inaugural PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month, the latest initiative under the Play Golf America umbrella designed to grow and stimulate participation in the game of golf.

"The PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up program will remind the public that PGA Professionals provide expert advice on club fitting as well as help golfers trade-in their old clubs. This program can only help break down that barrier of cost when golfers are thinking of new clubs," said Andy Engelbrecht, PGA Head Professional at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. "It is important to get a proper equipment fitting from a PGA Professional, as properly fit golf equipment will result in more consistently-struck shots, which leads to a more enjoyable overall golf experience."

During PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month, participating PGA Professionals across the country will provide free 15-minute expert equipment fitting sessions and complete a "Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month Equipment Profile" for every golfer they fit, to ensure that the equipment they currently own, or the new equipment they plan to purchase, is the right fit for their game.

PGA Professionals participating in PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month can be located via the Internet at both playgolfamerica.com and PGA.com/fit. In addition to giving a free fitting, these PGA Professionals are also authorized PGA Trade-In Network participants, allowing golfers to trade-up to new, fitted golf clubs more affordably, by accepting their used golf club trade-ins at fair market values based on the PGA.com Value Guide, The National Standard for Golf Club Values.

PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month targets golfers of all skill levels and seeks to increase their participation, performance and enjoyment of the game, while at the same time raising the awareness, relevance and competence of PGA Professionals in the eyes of consumers as equipment technology and fitting experts.

"PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month is a great example of a program created by The PGA of America aimed not only at growing the game of golf, but also making it more enjoyable for all participants," says Roger Warren, president, The PGA of America.

PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Month is offered by The PGA of America in partnership with Golf Digest, PGA Trade-In Network, and PGA.com Value Guide. The April issue of Golf Digest, on newsstands in early March, will include the consumers' PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Card, which they can take to any participating PGA Professional to be completed. PGA Professionals participating in the program will be promoted online at both playgolfamerica.com and PGA.com/fit.

As an added incentive, every golfer who experiences a free custom-fitting session and sends in a PGA Free Fitting & Trade-Up Card is entered for a chance to win an Ultimate Fitting Experience at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., from The PGA of America and the following golf club manufacturers: Adams Golf, Callaway Golf, Cleveland, Cobra, MacGregor, Mizuno, Nike Golf, PING, TaylorMade and Titleist.

Notable statistics about custom-fitting, trade-ins and sales
* At active trade-in facilities, 70 percent of wood sales involve a trade-in
* At active trade-in facilities, 50 percent of iron set sales involve a trade-in
* Average Driver repurchase cycle time is 2.7 years
* Average Fairway Wood repurchase cycle time is 3.5 years
* Average Iron set repurchase cycle time is 3.3 years
* Average Putter repurchase cycle time is 2.2 years

Contact: Rebecca Seelig
561/624-7671
rseelig@pgahq.com