NORWALK, Conn. -Thousands of PGA Professionals and industry leaders attending the annual PGA Fall Expo will have access to valuable seminars and association services provided by The PGA of America, organizing partner of the event, Sept. 12-14, 2006, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The PGA of America is a key presenter in the free "PGA Fall Expo Trend Seminar" that opens the show on the morning of Sept. 13th and, within the PGA Fall Expo education conference, will present seminars open to all attending industry professionals on the PGA Certified Professional Program, PGA PerformanceTrak and Play Golf America initiatives. Additionally, The PGA will provide a PGA Employment Center as a networking hub for the entire industry and a comprehensive PGA Member Business Center for PGA Members and Apprentices. PGA Professionals also will have the opportunity to participate in a PGA Challenge tournament within the Sept. 12th PGA Fall Expo Golf Outing and Testing Day at Bali Hai Golf Club and network with fellow industry professionals during the Sept. 13th Opening Night Reception, sponsored by Yamaha, at The House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.
"PGA Professionals can look forward to an extensive menu of business programs within a compact timeframe at this year’s PGA Fall Expo," said PGA of America President Roger Warren. "Not only is it an effective use of their time, but participation in the Expo’s business and networking programs can positively impact the growing success of their golf operations at home."
"Our partnership with The PGA builds better shows and better business tools for the industry," said PGA Golf Exhibitions Vice President and Show Manager Ed Several. "This year’s PGA Fall Expo features a tremendous combination of valuable business programs, more than 300 of the industry’s top manufacturers and the spectacular setting of top destinations in Las Vegas."
The inaugural "PGA Fall Expo Trend Seminar," which tees off Sept. 13, presents emerging equipment and apparel trends along with ways to profit from them. The seminar, located on the show floor, is free to all attendees. This new addition will feature "On & Off Course Retail Product Sales Trends from Golf Datatech," presented by Tom Stine; "Today’s Apparel Trends," by Haysun Hahn of Futuremode; and "PGA Tools to Measure and Enhance Your Performance," by Paul Metzler of The PGA of America. The forum will include both presentations and open discussions providing interactive opportunities to ask questions and learn how to turn trends into profit.
The PGA Certified Professional Program Seminar will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13, 9:30am – 10:15am, in Breakers Room A. The seminar is led by PGA PGM Faculty Member Greg Martzolf and provides an overview of The PGA’s Certified Professional Program. The PGA Certified Professional Program enables Professionals to participate in a five-step curriculum online to achieve certification in their choice of six career paths: general management, golf operations, instruction, retail, executive management, and ownership/leasing. Professionals can obtain certification in multiple areas of concentration. Currently, there are over 3,500 PGA Professionals who have begun the process of obtaining certification.
The PGA PerformanceTrak Seminar will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2:15pm – 3:15pm, in Breakers Room A. This session is led by Paul Metzler, Director of Consumer Marketing, Player Development and Research for The PGA of America and will provide attendees with an overview of PGA PerformanceTrak, an industry resource to help PGA Professionals and their employers access monthly and annual operating performance. Attendees will learn about key performance indicators used to monitor and assess facility activities, analysis of monthly rounds played including course utilization statistics, benchmark tools to compare results internally and in relation to other like facilities, best practices to enhance operations and financial models to assist with annual budgeting, capital improvements and golf facility development or acquisition.
A Play Golf America Seminar will be held on Thursday, Sept. 14, 12:45pm – 1:45pm, in Breakers Room A. The seminar is led by PGA PGM Faculty Member Don Cook and provides an overview o the industry-wide Play Golf America program. The Play Golf America campaign is designed to introduce people to the game of golf, enhance their skills and increase their frequency of play, by posting innovative programs available in the local area of the consumer on www.playgolfamerica.com. Play Golf America’s objectives are to reach 17 million golfers who have expressed a desire to play golf and the 14 million occasional golfers who play between one and seven times per year.
At the Golf Outing & Testing Day, PGA Professionals, VIP buyers and industry leaders will have the opportunity to test equipment, apparel and accessories in actual playing conditions with a double shot-gun, best ball format. With tee times beginning at 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., players will be able to test top products at each hole, vie for several prizes throughout the outing, including a hole-in-one contest for a car and a chance to win $10,000. Additionally, PGA Professionals can participate in a PGA Challenge tournament, where two-man teams compete within the outing format for a $1,000 prize. All outing participants will receive manufacturer tee gifts, beverages, breakfast and a BBQ lunch. Reservations to participate in the outing are first-come, first-serve and available online at www.pgaexpo.com.
Open to PGA Members and Apprentices, the PGA Member Business Center, Booth #1201, provides a private meeting area offering business services, the PGA Golf Shop and access to PGA staff and services from virtually every department of the Association including membership, the PGA Credit Union, employment, PGA Links, PGA Golf Plus Retirement, merchandising, PGA Exchange, instruction, player development, PGA golf properties and more. PGA Members may register their attendance in the PGA Member Business Center to earn two MSR hours.
The PGA of America’s PGA Employment Center, located within the PGA Member Business Center, is open to all industry professionals and has been expanded to become the networking hub of the PGA Fall Expo floor. Computer terminals will be available to access job boards, as well as post and find industry positions. Private meeting rooms will be available for interviews and PGA career consultants will be on hand to assist employers and members with career advancement and placement opportunities.
The PGA Fall Expo is an industry event and not open to the public. PGA Members, golf buyers and industry professionals can register, make travel arrangements and hotel reservations online at www.pgafallexpo.com or by calling 1-800-840-5628. PGA Members receive 2 MSR hours for attending the PGA Fall Expo and 1 MSR hour per class attended (maximum of 4 MSR hours per day). PGA Members can register easily with their member ID and golf buyers will need to show proof of industry status. Members of golf’s allied organizations and other industry professionals also may easily utilize online registration.
The 2006 PGA Fall Expo is an exclusive national pre-season booking event for elite manufacturers & buyers featuring the game’s latest products & trends when it matters most for the business of golf. Thousands of PGA Professionals and golf retailers will join more than 300 manufacturers such as Callaway Golf, Nike Golf, Bridgestone Golf, Wilson Golf, Cutter & Buck, Fila, MacGregor Golf, Jack Nicklaus Sportswear, Lilly Pulitzer, Full Swing, Tour Edge, Winn Grips and Yonex at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., to undercover new products, companies and trends while benefiting from the opportunity to participate in education forums, product testing and professional networking functions.
The PGA Fall Expo, organized in partnership with The PGA of America, is one of four leading golf trade shows in PGA Worldwide Golf Exhibitions’ global golf portfolio including the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando; the Ontario PGA Golf Merchandise Show in Toronto, Canada; and the PGA Merchandise Show of Australia in Queensland.
Contact:
Sherry Major, PGA Golf Exhibitions
954.432.1949
smajor@reedexpo.com
Jamie Carbone, PGA of America
561.624.8446
jcarbone@pgahq.com
