PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Throughout the month of July, affordable family fun is just a short par 3 away as PGA and LPGA Professionals nationwide encourage families to hit the links through special activities during the fourth annual Family Golf Month.

Family Golf Month provides a structured, yet casual, opportunity for families to learn the game of golf and spend uninterrupted quality time together. Every family member -- young and old -- can participate and receive the benefits a round of golf provides, including fresh air and beautiful outdoor scenery as well as a healthy dose of exercise.

Nationwide, approximately 1,000 golf courses have registered to host Family Golf Month programs, with over 2,000 unique family golf opportunities currently listed on PlayGolfAmerica.com. Examples of the kinds of activities offered during July, and throughout the summer are below:

Family Golf Program
Bring Your Kids to the Golf Range Program
Jeff Robinson, PGA Head Professional
Capital Golf Center, Raleigh, N.C.
Carolinas Section

FORMAT:
Capital Golf Center hosts complimentary youth clinics every Saturday at 10 a.m. and noon.

Jeff Robinson provides instruction and skills challenges for junior golfers, offers drinks/snacks/ice cream at snack bar, including free freeze pops, to kids.

Hosts local First Tee chapter and offers complimentary range balls.

Only golf range in the area and draws families and junior golfers who live locally.

Capital Golf Center also has lights for evening hours/activities.

COST:
Youth Clinics are free.
Offers discounts on buckets of golf balls to attract new golfers and families.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Average 200-300 kids participating in summer youth clinics.

Generates steady junior and family range business even in current economy.

Family Golf Program
Ken Manthis, PGA General Manager
Brightwood Hills Golf Center, Coon Rapids, MN
Minnesota Section

FORMAT:
Weekend special every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night where anytime after 3 p.m., if any group has a junior golfer (age 17 and under), everyone in the group can play for $6 per person. The promotion is especially popular with parents introducing their daughters to the game. (Brightwood Hills is a nine-hole facility).

Friday and Saturday nights are typically slow nights since there is no league play those evenings and Ken Manthis is able to fill the course with families and junior golfers on weekend evenings.

COST:
$6.00 per person (normal fees $13.00 for adults, $12.50 for seniors)

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Fills the golf course on a normally slow weekend evening.

Has grown junior golf program to more than 200 participants.

Generated rounds and increased revenue for a normally slow time.

Family Golf Matrix
Bob Baldassari, PGA General Manager
PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
South Florida Section
Minnesota Section

FORMAT:
Pay-Per-Hole Program for parents and children under 17 is offered year round.

Families play as few or as many holes as they like using PGA Family Tee markers.

COST:
Starts at $7 for the first hole and varies according to the number of parents and children participating

As more holes are played, the cost per hole drops.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Since promotion began in 2008, more than 200 family rounds (one round per family) have been played, with 75 percent of these rounds occurring since March 1, 2009.

Family Fun Nights
Dennis Johnsen, PGA Club Manager
Pine Meadow Golf Club, Mundelein, IL
Illinois Section

FORMAT:
Family Golf Nights starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday through August, for parents and children

USGA Snoopy rule books provided for children and parents to review rules of the game at home

If juniors play at least four holes during the family golf night activities, they receive a soft drink and a snack.

All play is from PGA Family Tee markers.

COST:
$10 per person.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Generated 400 extra rounds of golf during promotion in 2008.

In 2009, promotion has produced 40 rounds of golf per weekend.

Range business increased due to junior golfers wanting to practice for weekend play nights.

Increased adult play as children practiced during the week.

Dive-Ins and Drive-Ins
Troy M. Flateau, Director of Golf
Peninsula Golf and Country Club, Millsboro, DE
Philadelphia Section

FORMAT:
Dive-In Teen Pool Party is offered for ages 13-18 from 8 to 11 p.m. Attendees swim while watching the movie.

Drive-In Movie Night is held on the driving range throughout the summer. Families are assigned a golf cart to drive down to the range, where a movie screen is set up. They can then choose to watch the movie from the cart or sit on a blanket with a picnic. Popcorn is provided. Reservations are required.

Families come out prior to the Dive-In or Drive-In to play golf, many using PGA Family Tee markers.

COST:
Dive-In and Drive-In programs are free.

Family golf -- Kids play free with paid adult.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
The Dive-In movie nights attract around 150 people.

The Drive-In movie nights attract around 250 people and have encouraged more play among teenage golfers.

Family rounds have tripled since 2008, when the programs were implemented.

Family Golf Camps and Clinics
Thomas R. Snoots, PGA Professional, Manager
Northwest Golf Course, Silver Spring, MD
Middle Atlantic Section

FORMAT:
Parents and children can register to participate in a two-day golf camp held on consecutive Saturdays for two hours each day. Camps are available until October 10.

Parents to learn how to play golf with children.

Children learn basic essentials including etiquette, safety, grip, stance and fundamentals of the golf swing.

One adult is required to participate with every child.

The first Saturday day is spent at range with a concentration on short irons. The second Saturday is spent concentrating on long irons, woods and chipping.

Free Family Golf Clinics are offered through September 12.

Once a month on Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m.

Includes an hour of instruction, hot dogs, chips and sodas and course time afterwards.

Weeknight Deals
Available from 5-10 p.m. every weeknight. Implemented PGA Family Tee markers and rebranded "Tiger Tees" to help junior golfers.

Includes the round of golf, golf cart and family scorecards that designed for junior golfers.

COST:
Family Golf Camp is $80 per session.

Hour-long golf clinics are free.

Weeknight golf deals cost $10 per player or $40 for a family of four.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Since the camps began in April 2009, the course has received good response to the program, with an increase in family rounds.

The Family Golf Clinics and Weeknight Deals have also provided an increase in adult and junior traffic for the course.

Family Fun Nights
Mark A. Holiday, PGA Director of Golf
Bridger Creek Golf Course, Bozeman, MT
Pacific Northwest Section

FORMAT:
Families can choose to play either 4- or 5-hole short courses on the second and fourth Sundays throughout June, July and August.

Tee times begin at 5:30 p.m. for the 4-hole course and 6:30 p.m. for the 5-hole course.

Golf carts and course time are included in the cost.

All holes have special tees set up for the junior golfers and are color-coded according to distance from the hole.

Special family scorecards are designed to correspond with the special tees.

Attendees to the course's junior golf camps receive a free pass for the Family Fun Nights.

COST:
The 4-hole course is $6 per person.
The 5-hole course is $7 per person.

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Now in its fifth year, the program has provided a dramatic rise in family play for the course.

Most Family Fun Nights are completely booked each time.

By offering a free pass to those participating in junior golf camps, the program has gained attention.

As more children participate in the program, there has also been an increase in adult play, season pass sales and equipment sales.

Family Play Days, Clinics and Contests
Doug Carlton, PGA General Manager
Tijeras Arroya Golf Club
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
Sun Country Section

FORMAT:
Free Family Golf Clinics on Saturdays at 2 pm.

Parent/child putting clinic and contest that coincide with Mother's Day and Father's Day.

A four-hole family scramble event (July).

Twilight rates and flexible hole options (4-, 6-, or 9-holes).

Eight week "Golf For Kids" Saturday morning program (free use of starter clubs for beginners).

PREVIOUS RESULTS:
Increase of food and beverage sales due to families eating before and after clinics.

Family and beginner programs have increased golf club sales drastically.

Spring Fling Scramble teams have increased with family team participation.

Consumers can find a complete list of facilities that are participating in Family Golf Month, along with details on specific events and online registration, by zip code on the Play Golf America Web site at PlayGolfAmerica.com.