Fun-filled Days Include On-Site Instruction from PGA Professionals, Equipment Testing, Golf Contests, Product Giveaways and Much More
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (January 18, 2007) Rick Murphy, President of the Carolinas PGA, and Del Ratcliffe, Carolinas PGA Growth of the Game chairman, have announced the dates and locations for the 2007 Carolinas PGA Play Golf America Days. The first Carolinas PGA Play Golf America Day of the year will be held in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, February 24, at the Grande Dunes Golf Club. Subsequent locations include Charleston, Charlotte, Columbia, Greensboro, Hilton Head, and Raleigh. Created to showcase the game of golf in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, Play Golf America Days are presented by The PGA of America.
Play Golf America Days are events held nationwide where golfers of all ages and skill levels receive complimentary group and individual instruction, including first swing clinics for new golfers, from PGA Professional instructors. Carolinas PGA Play Golf America Days will also offer contests, equipment testing areas, entertainment and hands-on product demonstrations from leading manufacturers in the golf industry. Long drive and trick shot specialists, such as current Guinness Book World Record holder Peter Jöhncke (most golf balls {245} hit in three minutes), will be on hand to thrill Play Golf America Day participants at many of the events.
"The response from participants, PGA Professionals, facilities and manufacturers has been overwhelmingly positive the past three years from the markets where Carolinas PGA Play Golf America Days have been held," said Murphy. In 2006, close to 200 Carolinas PGA Professional volunteers took part in the innovative programs designed to introduce the game to new players and encourage existing players to get excited about the golf season. "We are very proud that our PGA Professionals continue to show their commitment and enthusiasm for growing the game by hosting these events, and we are looking forward to making our Play Golf America Days even better this year," stated Ratcliffe.
Launched in 2004, the PGA of America’s Play Golf America program was created to bring back the occasional adult golfer and encourage all levels of our society to enjoy the game. In 2006, Play Golf America shattered its 2005 total numbers, with PGA Professionals, golf facilities and consumers participating at record levels. In 2006, a record number of 6,725 facilities served as host sites for Play Golf America programs, a record 935,281 participants in group lessons at these facilities, and a record 5.2 million total participants in organized play related to Play Golf America. In 2005, 6,018 facilities served as host sites for Play Golf America programs with more than 556,000 participants in group lessons and 4.9 million total participants.
The Carolinas PGA 2007 Play Golf America Schedule:
â?¢ Saturday February 24, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (Grande Dunes Golf Club – Myrtle Beach, SC)
â?¢ Saturday April 21, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Fort Jackson GC – Columbia, SC)
â?¢ Saturday April 28, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Regent Park GC – Fort Mill, SC)
â?¢ Saturday May 5, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Carolinas Golf Practice & Learning Center – Greensboro, NC)
â?¢ Saturday May 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Sea Pines CC – Hilton Head, SC)
â?¢ Monday May 21, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm (Patriots Point GL – Charleston, SC)
â?¢ TBA (Raleigh, NC)
About Play Golf America
Play Golf America is an industry-wide national marketing campaign developed and led by The PGA of America to increase golf participation among new and occasional golfers nationwide. Supported by a variety of allied associations, including the LPGA, National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA TOUR and the United States Golf Association, Play Golf America offers a variety of adult player development programs geared to connect people to the game.
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. The campaign is designed to introduce people to the game of golf, enhance their skills and increase their frequency of play. In support of the campaign, The PGA of America has developed an industry-sponsored web site, www.playgolfamerica.com, which serves as a link for consumers to access adult player development programs in their local markets that are of most interest to them. Programs featured on the web site are designed to be fun, affordable and informative so that adults and their families can enjoy the game, and former and occasional golfers can increase the frequency of their participation in golf.
About Carolinas PGA Section
Established in 1923, the Carolinas PGA Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association has grown to be the largest of the PGA’s forty-one sections with almost 2,000 professional members. The Carolinas PGA Section embraces North and South Carolina as well as a small portion of southern Virginia, representing more than 800 golf facilities. The Carolinas PGA is dedicated to nurturing and improving the quality of the game for the thousands of golfers using its member facilities. PGA professionals are responsible for conducting a variety of golf-related functions which include human resource management, golf shop merchandising, golf instruction, tournament operations, junior golf programs, growth of the game initiatives, golf club repair, administering the rules, public relations and much more. For additional information, contact Stephanie Pendrys, Marketing and Promotions Manager, at (843) 399-2742.
Contact:
Stephanie Pendrys
PH: (843) 399.2742 – Fax: (843 399.1504
)Email: spendrys@pgahq.com
