Sweepstakes Boosts Response to PGA Free Lesson Month
May is The PGA of America’s annual free lesson month, and the organization is boosting response with a sweepstakes sponsored by several promotional partners.
The lessons are designed to grow the game of golf at the amateur level. It involves thousands of PGA Professionals at thousands of golf facilities offering free 10-minute lessons. The partners, who provided sweepstakes prizes, include The Golf Channel, Golf Digest, Golf Digest’s sister publication, Golf For Women and Nike Golf, which is also the official sponsor for the third consecutive year.
Every golfer who takes a free lesson, and the instructor, will be entered for a chance to win the grand prize. That package includes a three-day golf getaway vacation to Orlando, an appearance on The Golf Channel, a custom-fit set of Nike Golf clubs and Nike Golf footwear and apparel. The PGA professional who conducts the most lessons will also receive the grand prize.
One hundred second-place finishers get a PGA First Swings Guide and either a dozen Nike Mojo golf balls or a Golf Digest Breaking 100-90-80 book.
This is the eighth year of the event, and each year the participation grows. Last year, more than 92,000 people signed up for free lessons from 4,993 professionals, according to The PGA of America spokesperson Jamie Carbone. The addition of the sweepstakes his year has pushed that number to more than 6,700 PGA professionals.
“We want to encourage people to go out and take a free golf lesson, whether they are a regular player or want to be introduced to the game,” Carbone said.
The roster of PGA Professionals and their respective facilities is posted on Playgolfamerica.com, PGA.com and Golfdigest.com. Consumers can register for the sweepstakes at those Web sites, as well as at Golfchannel.com.
To support the effort, the May issue of Golf Digest includes an inserted sign-up and sweepstakes registration card. The initiative is also promoted in Golf Digest’s publications, which reach 10 million readers, according to the company.
PGA Free Lesson Month is one of several programs designed to grow and stimulate participation in the game of golf under Play Golf America, a national marketing campaign that is supported by the golf industry.
