IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jamie Carbone



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IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 19, 2005

Contact: Jamie Carbone

8446.

jcarbone@

PGA PROFESSIONALS COMBINE TALENTS, PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS TO HOST PLAY GOLF AMERICA EVENTS, ATTRACT MORE PLAYERS TO THE GAME

PGA Professionals get involved in various activities to promote golf

and attract more players to the game.

|Southern Texas PGA Gets Innovative at Shell Houston Open |

|Visitors at this week's Shell Houston Open on the PGA Tour, will witness plenty of great golf. They also will have the opportunity to |

|improve their own game and to take advantage of an outstanding special offer, thanks to Play Golf America programs presented April 20-24, by|

|the Southern Texas PGA in the Section's Presentation Area. |

|The Southern Texas PGA efforts are part of several innovative events staged by PGA Sections nationwide. |

|The STPGA's Free Lesson campaign during the Shell Houston Open will serve as an unofficial kickoff for The PGA of America's Free Lesson |

|Month, which is part of the Play Golf America program and is co-sponsored by Golf Digest, Nike Golf, Golf For Women and The Golf Channel. |

|Visitors to the STPGA Presentation Area, which will be located near the Shell Houston Grand Entrance and Expo Tent at Redstone Golf Club, |

|may sign up for free individual 10-minute lessons that will be presented by the STPGA and its membership. A number of prominent Southern |

|Texas PGA Teaching Professionals will be on hand to provide instruction. |

|Several hitting bays adjacent to the STPGA Presentation Area will be used for full-swing instruction, and Southwest Greens has constructed a|

|375-square-foot putting green that will be used for putting instruction and a number of putting contests. |

|The STPGA Presentation Area will be open Wednesday, April 20, through Sunday, April 24. The free lessons will be available Wednesday through|

|Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |

|All golfers can log on to find Southern Texas PGA Professionals who are taking part in PGA Free Lesson Month. For more information about the|

|STPGA's series of free lessons, visit the STPGA Presentation Area during the Shell Houston Open. For more details about PGA Free Lesson |

|Month and Play Golf America, please visit . Also, a special STPGA GolfPass package is available during the Shell Houston |

|Open |

| |

|STPGA junior and senior programs are also featured at Presentation Area. In addition to the two special programs described above, visitors |

|to the STPGA¹s Presentation Area at the Shell Houston Open will have the opportunity to discuss several other STPGA programs with staff |

|members and Professionals including: STPGA Little Linksters, a developmental program for juniors ages 7-12, with operations throughout |

|Southern Texas; and STPGA Junior Tour- A competitive program for juniors ages 12-18, with operations throughout Southern Texas. |

|Carolinas PGA marks its first Play Golf America Day |

|The Carolinas PGA Section hosted its first Play Golf America Day, April 2, at Leatherman's Learning Center in Charlotte, N.C. |

|Despite rain, bitter temperatures and strong winds, the event attracted approximately 400 participants. Led by PGA Professional Del |

|Ratcliffe, who operates three facilities, the program was deemed a success. Some 35 PGA Professionals assisted at the event. |

|"The Leatherman's Learning Center worked tremendously well," said Steve Dibo, area manager for Ratcliffe Golf Services. "We had Peter |

|Johnke, a trick shot artist from South Africa, who put on two wonderful shows. It was very entertaining." |

|Leatherman's Learning Center, formerly the Michael Jordan Golf Learning Center, features a two-tiered practice range, a short-game area, |

|putting area and three greens. The Play Golf America Day attracted representatives from eight national vendors. |

|"Our job is growing players," said Dibo. "Play Golf America falls perfectly in line with what we are doing here. Del has always compared |

|golf to the ski industry. He said that, 'If you put on skis, and you go down a slope and break your leg, you're not going to be a skier. You|

|have to go down the bunny slope first, then graduate to the top. |

|"In golf, we have closed the bunny slopes. Del believes that by developing learning centers and a course - Sunset Hills Golf Course - you |

|can keep people in the game." |

|Sunset Hills accommodates beginning- to intermediate-players, with tees ranging from 2,300 to more than 6,000 yards. |

|"Del built a learning course, and it is great to see how many will return when they are not intimidated by distance," said Dibo. |

|The Play Golf America Day in Charlotte featured a wide-ranging public relations campaign. Play Golf America Day was featured in a 30-minute |

|segment on the "Play Golf Charlotte" golf show, which aired on the local UPN affiliate. |

|Among other media promotions, there were 30-second Play Golf America Day PSAs that ran three times during prime time programming for two |

|weeks before the event on the local UPN affiliate. |

|Participants and supporters included: The local EWGA chapter, Carolina Golf Association, Junior Tournament Golf and Global Golf. |

|Northern California PGA Hosts Play Golf America Weekend Open House |

|The Northern California PGA Section hosted a section-wide Play Golf America Weekend Open House scheduled at courses and range facilities |

|throughout Northern California and Northwestern Nevada, April 16-17. |

|The Play Golf America Open House was designed to welcome local residents to nearby golf facilities, so they can learn more about player |

|development programs, including clinics and classes for new and returning golfers. PGA Professionals provided free golf tips and clinics to |

|attendees. |

|"The section-wide Play Golf America Open House is our way of warmly welcoming new players to the game and former players back to the sport,"|

|said NCPGA Growth of the Game Director Carol Pence. "Our plan was to make this a fun and memorable day for all who choose to participate." |

|Courses and clubs participating in the 2005 NCPGA Play Golf America Weekend Open House included: |

|Belmont Country Club, Fresno, Calif. |

|Blue Rock Springs Golf Club, Vallejo, Calif. |

|Dryden Park Golf Club, Modesto, Calif. |

|Fort Washington Golf & Country Club, Fresno, Calif. |

|Golden Gate Park Golf Club, San Francisco |

|Green Tree Golf Club, Vacaville, Calif. |

|Los Lagos Golf Club, San Jose, Calif. |

|Mather (Calif.) Golf Course |

|Moffett Field Golf Course, Sunnyvale, Calif. |

|Napa (Calif.) Golf Course at Kennedy Park |

|Poppy Hills Golf Course, Pebble Beach, Calif. |

|Poppy Ridge Golf Course, Livermore, Calif. |

|The Ridge Golf Course, Auburn, Calif. |

|Washoe County Golf Club, Reno, Nev. |

|Whitney Oaks Golf Club, Rocklin, Calif. |

|Wildhawk Golf Club, Sacramento, Calif. |

|Wildhorse Golf Course, Davis, Calif. |

|Windsor (Calif.) Golf Club |

|For more about the Northern California PGA visit . |

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