2008 PGA - Play Golf America National Events
2008 PGA Play Golf America National Events:
April -– PGA Free Fitting & Trade Up Month – “Trade-Up to More Distance”
Throughout the month of April, PGA Professionals across the country will provide free 15-minute expert equipment fitting sessions at participating facilities. The PGA of America teams with Golf Digest, the PGA Trade-In Network and the PGA.com Value Guide to sponsor this equipment-themed consumer promotion. More than 3,100 PGA Professionals, a 15-percent increase from 2006, helped 36,300 consumers find the appropriate equipment to help them play a better game of golf and have more fun through the use of properly fitted and most current equipment.
May – PGA Free Lesson Month
Celebrating its 11th anniversary, PGA Free Lesson Month is designed to reach new golfers and help existing golfers improve their game with free, 10-minute golf lessons conducted by participating PGA Professionals nationwide throughout the month of May. Last year, a total of 115,500 free lessons were given by 6,630 PGA Professionals at 5,353 facilities across the country. PGA Free Lesson Month is a growth-of-the-game initiative between The PGA of America, Golf Digest, The Golf Channel, Golf For Women and Golf World.
June – American Express™ Women’s Golf Month
Due to the overwhelming success of Women’s Golf Week over the past three years, Women’s Golf Week has been extended to Women’s Golf Month in 2008. Women’s Golf Month is aimed at increasing the participation of women in golf and to make learning and playing golf fun in a women-friendly environment. Participating facilities nationwide offer complimentary golf instruction to women 14 years of age and older. Last year, a record of 34,200 women attended Women’s Golf Week events at a record 1,358 facilities across the country. More than 68,000 women nationwide have been introduced or re-introduced to the game of golf over the past three years during American Express Women’s Golf Week.
July – Family Golf Month
Throughout the month of July, participating facilities will offer programs, including Family Golf Clinics and Family Golf Play Days for a nominal fee along with Kids Play Free promotions. These programs provide a structured, yet casual opportunity for families to learn and play the game of golf together and promote golf as a regular family recreation activity for all participants. In its second year, more than 1,000 facilities hosted Family Golf Month events, an 823 percent increase from 2006 (120 facilities).
July 7-13 – Take Your Daughter to the Course Week
The PGA of America teams with the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) to promote “Take Your Daughter to the Course Week” during Family Golf Month. This is the third year the program is promoted under the Play Golf America marketing umbrella, and the program’s ninth year overall. A total of 1,339 facilities participated in the promotion, an eight percent increase from 2006, with 84,500 consumers participating, a 13 percent increase from last year. Of the 84,500 who attended the promotion, 38 percent were new customers and 29 percent were new or beginner golfers. Take Your Daughter to the Course Week is designed to introduce young girls to the game of golf and encourage family interaction on the course. Participating golf courses nationwide will offer a free clinic for young ladies throughout the week and will also offer complimentary green fees to a young lady accompanied by a paying adult.
July – Bring Your Kids to the Range
Bring Your Kids to the Golf Range, a Golf Digest Publications and Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) initiative promoted under July is Family Golf Month, is in its second year. In its inaugural year, 177 facilities participated in the program.
August 29 – September 1 – Patriot Golf Day
Patriot Golf Day, jointly supported by The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association, is scheduled for Aug. 29 – Sept. 1. The inaugural event, inspired by Capt. Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional and USGA member from Broken Arrow, Okla., was held at over 3,200 facilities in 2007 raising more than $1.1 million to support the families of veterans who have been injured or perished in the line of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.
