NEWS

PGA Family Course Program brings families together on tee box

By PGA of America
Published on

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The PGA Family Course Program provides an enjoyable golf experience to family members of all ages and skill levels. The PGA of America and U.S. Kids Golf have partnered with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to place PGA Family Course Tee Markers at many of its municipal courses nationwide to make golf more accessible to families.

The PGA Family Course Program enables golf facilities to turn their regulation 9- or 18-hole course into a "short course" experience through the use of PGA Family Tee Markers. These markers allow any existing course to adapt to beginner or younger golfers, resulting in a more time-friendly and affordable golfing experience in which families tee off from the same place and play at the same pace to shoot similar scores. The introduction of shorter, family-friendly courses coincides with Play Golf America's Family Golf Month and Get Golf Ready initiatives, both of which are designed to make the transition into the game of golf easy for new golfers of all ages. To find a list of the PGA Family Courses, go to PlayGolfAmerica.com.

To date, more than 1,000 courses nationwide have the ability to host the PGA Family Course Program. Through the partnership with the NRPA, The PGA of America has donated 55 sets of Family Tee Markers and support materials to municipal courses within the NRPA system for each of the last two years, with hopes to continue the partnership in the future.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with The PGA of America as we work to engage families to easily enjoy the game of golf together," said Nancy Logan, senior manager of partnerships for NRPA. "We thank The PGA of America for their understanding of the health and wellness benefits that parks and recreation provides to more than 300 million Americans, as well as the important role they play in the development of golf participation."

"The Family Course Program has been one of the most successful programs I've seen in more than 35 years as a golf professional. It's amazing to see how happy families are when they're on the course together," said Dennis Johnsen, PGA Professional at Pine Meadow Golf Club, a Jemsek family-operated facility in Mundelein, Ill. "The Family Course Program is also a great tool for teaching kids the important components of the game – from making a tee time, to cart etiquette, to paying a greens fee."

Similarly, The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association joined to launch TEE IT FORWARD, a new national initiative to inspire golfers to play from the set of tees best suited to their abilities. TEE IT FORWARD encourages all golfers to play regulation courses at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance, enabling them to have more fun and potentially speed up play.

For more information on Play Golf America, PGA Family Courses or TEE IT FORWARD, consumers can visit PlayGolfAmerica.com. The site allows users to find and register at participating facilities in their area by searching their city or zip code.

Celebrating its 95th year, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission of its founders: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in a multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.