PGA of America reports hospitality sales for 39th Ryder Cup at record level

MEDINAH, Ill. (Feb. 7, 2012) -- The PGA of America is pleased to announce that official hospitality sales for the 2012 Ryder Cup are tracking at a record level, with an enthusiastic response from international, national, regional and local companies. The Ryder Cup is golf's most patriotic and prestigious international team competition and will be played Sept. 25-30 at historic Medinah (Ill.) Country Club.

An initial offering of 53 chalet and clubhouse packages was progressively increased to 76 to accommodate demand. In total, the 2012 Ryder Cup currently has hospitality involvement from nearly 250 different companies. To help sales start strong, Ryder Cup officials froze pricing from the 2008 Ryder Cup held at Valhalla Country Club in Louisville, Ky., and offered a five percent price incentive for those that committed by Oct. 31, 2010.

"We are extremely pleased with the response to our official Ryder Cup hospitality offerings and excited to welcome a number of new corporate faces to the mix," said Michael Belot, director of the 2012 Ryder Cup. "The Ryder Cup is one of the preeminent events in all of sports, and the successful hospitality sales we've seen are a true testament to the incredible excitement that continues to build around this event coming to the great city of Chicago. A limited number of hospitality options remain available, but we don't expect them to last long. I would encourage any interested companies to act now."

As the only authorized sales force with official on-site 2012 Ryder Cup hospitality packages, The PGA of America has developed creative hospitality offerings at various price points for companies of all sizes. Packages are available to accommodate anywhere from 10-150 people per day. Hospitality packages are all-inclusive providing a premium on-course experience with parking, food, beverages and alcohol. An added benefit for clients is the PGA's concierge service that can help with accommodations, ground transportation, and other entertainment options in the Chicago area.

"The Official 2012 Ryder Cup hospitality packages offer a world-class experience for businesses and their guests," said Larry Sinclair, sales director for the Ryder Cup. "However, it is important to stress that the only way to get the full experience on the grounds of Medinah is through official hospitality packages sold by the PGA of America. Unauthorized hospitality packages can be found for nearly every major event and often provide customers with an experience different than what was advertised, so we strongly encourage any business interested in purchasing a corporate hospitality package to come directly to The PGA of America."

For more information or questions regarding other hospitality sales offers, please contact Sinclair at 502-245-2000, lsinclair@pgahq.com or visit online at rydercup.com/2012.

About the 2012 Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup, among the last great professional sporting events where winning, and not prize money, is its own reward, spans 37 competitions over 82 years. The competition was born in 1927, when enterprising English seed merchant Samuel Ryder commissioned the casting of a gold chalice that bears his name. The U.S. Team defeated Great Britain, 9 1/2 to 2 1/2, in the inaugural matches in Worcester, Mass.

Since then, the Ryder Cup has expanded to involve the finest players of Europe. Except for a span (1939-45) during World War II and following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks upon America, the Ryder Cup has been held biennially with the U.S. and Europe alternating as host.