GOLF Magazine Publisher to Further Distance ProLink as GPS Category Leader
(CHANDLER, Ariz.) – ProLink Solutions – a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProLink Holdings Corp. (OTC BB: PLKH) and the world’s leading provider of Global Positioning Satellite ("GPS") systems for golf courses – announced today that former GOLF Magazine Publisher Christopher P. Wightman has been named President of the newly established ProLink Media division.
Wightman, 43, joins ProLink after five years as Publisher at GOLF Magazine, a Time Inc. property and the world’s most widely read golf publication. ProLink will establish an office in New York, where Wightman will oversee all media operations including advertising sales and partnerships with advertisers seeking access to the high net worth golf demographic viewing ads on ProLink’s golf-cart-mounted GPS screens. Wightman will assume the new position Jan. 2, 2007.
Through Wightman’s extensive media experience and relationships with major national advertisers, ProLink further distances itself as the GPS category leader while his hiring should produce an immediate impact on ProLink’s advertising sales revenues.
"The addition of Christopher Wightman is a huge boost to ProLink’s advertising sales initiatives, and demonstrates our substantial commitment to expose even more major advertising partners to a highly desired and sought-after golfer audience," says Lawrence D. Bain, CEO of ProLink Solutions. "Chris enjoys a sterling reputation in the business world and his contacts and acumen will help ProLink grow in this area. As our advertising strategy unfolds, the value proposition for golf courses to own ProLink’s coveted systems will increase — reducing the barrier of entry for our golf course partners."
As Publisher of GOLF Magazine, Wightman provided business leadership and directed a 40-person advertising sales and marketing staff that generated approximately $70 million in annual revenue. During his tenure, GOLF acquired Golf.com, launched GOLF Magazine Living, produced a reality-television show, and realized net-revenue gains of approximately 100 percent.
"ProLink is leading a paradigm shift in the way ad space is perceived," says Wightman. "ProLink offers the ultimate in targeted demographics to a hard-to-reach audience. With the current competitive pricing, the company’s explosive worldwide growth presents tremendous opportunities for advertisers. I am delighted to join the ProLink team as the company embarks on this exciting new phase in its development."
Wightman also held increasingly vital positions at Golf Digest, including Vice President-National Sales Director and National Resort and Travel Manager, and National Advertising Manager for Golf Digest Woman. His non-golf career includes stints with MTV/Viacom, Chief Executive Magazine and MONY Financial Services. Wightman graduated Penn State University with a degree in Journalism.
A sampling of international advertisers that are on or have used ProLink’s more than 500 advertising-ready GPS screens worldwide include Aquafina, Jaguar, Lexus, British Airways, HBO, Red Bull, Cadillac, and Visa. In addition to national brands, ProLink’s trusted partners include a strong contingent of local and regional advertisers in key markets.
Recent independent tests reveal unprecedented levels of ad "stickiness" (roughly 14 minutes per hole) with more than 70 percent message retention and unaided recall rates among golfers. The company’s innovative ProFit program gives courses access to financing options that provide substantial cash flow from revenues generated by the ads.
About the ProLink System
Innovators of golf GPS technology, ProLink Solutions’ core philosophy is to be a "Trusted Partner" in golf course management. From enhancing golfers’ overall experience and improving pace-of-play, to bolstering revenue streams and creating new profit centers, ProLink Solutions products and services have captured markets both nationally and globally.
Installed at more than double the courses of its competitors, combined, ProLink is featured at more than 500 resorts, private and public courses worldwide, including 2006 Ryder Cup host the K Club in Straffan, Ireland; Valderrama Golf Club in Spain; Dal-Takararazuka in Osaka, Japan; and Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii. The world’s most respected golf management companies have also adopted the innovative technology and marketing richness: Billy Casper Golf, Evergreen Alliance Group, Kemper Sports, and Pacific Golf Management all engage with ProLink.
Golf cart fleets are custom fit with 10.4" high-resolution color monitors that broadcast vibrant, easy-to-read graphics of each hole. Throughout their rounds, golfers continually refer to the screen to pinpoint distances, locate hazards, navigate the golf course and to place food and beverage orders with the touch of a button. The ability to relay medical emergencies and receive dangerous weather condition warnings from the pro shop provides golfers with a full suite of communication tools.
From the pro shop, management utilizes the ProLink system to monitor golf cart fleets and optimize operations using fully integrated, Windows-based workstations. The precise locations of golf carts, color-coded pace-of-play status for each cart, as well as cart battery levels and other wear and tear indicators are readily available. Robust back-end reporting through user-friendly software yields a multitude of course statistics, all designed to raise the bottom line. Courses engaging with ProLink report pace-of-play improvements of up to 30 minutes per round, resulting in four additional rounds per day.
Food and beverage managers are able to post daily lunch specials and/or high margin items on the ProLink units, boosting sales by up to 30 percent. Event planners are able to maximize tournament and corporate outing revenue via the ProLink system. Through its ScoreCast and ScoreMaster software suites, ProLink units offer a simplified-yet-comprehensive tournament set-up that allows for any format and for any number of tournaments to be carried out simultaneously.
ProLink Solutions also offers financial solutions through ProLink Capital for leasing the system, fleet expansions, or course improvements. The ProFit program is another alternative for courses to leverage financing options and generate substantial advertising revenues to substantially reduce or eliminate the system cost.
Risks and uncertainties are described in reports filed by ProLink Holdings, Corp with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information about ProLink, visit www.goprolink.com, call 480.753.2337 or email info@goprolink.com.
Contact:
Rich Katz
703.891.3319
rkatz@billycaspergolf.com
Shane Sharp
803.547.2118
ssharp@billycaspergolf.com
