Trade-up programs increase sales and provide value

Tim Fleming, PGA head professional at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, talks about the success of PGA Free Fitting and Trade-Up Month at his facility.

We have two or three demo days each spring, and we like to hold them in conjunction with April's PGA Free Fitting and Trade-Up Month. We do enough business that we'll get at least a couple of the manufacturers' tour vans to stop by for fittings, and we make sure to notify our members in advance about the fitting opportunities. This is a way of offering our members a wider selection of product than we could ever carry in our shop. We use the PGA Trade-In Network and other services for club trade-ins, and we promote that in our demo day and fitting communications to the members. We also make sure to mention it to members as they're trying new clubs; we ask them what they're going to do with their old clubs, and tell them that we can get them shop credit.

Some members keep their old clubs to pass on to their children, but there's no question that my members see the trade-in option as an added value. They don't have to go somewhere else to buy their equipment, they get a great deal, and I get a chance to develop and build a closer relationship with that member through the fitting and sales process.

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More than 3,000 PGA/LPGA Professionals participated in Free Fitting and Trade-Up Month in 2010, giving more than 33,000 free fittings. Not only did these fittings improve the games of the golfers, but this program also provided a boost to the golf industry. Participating facilities showed an average of $3,700 in additional revenue generated by the program, resulting in a more than $7.8 million overall impact to the golf industry last year. Since the program's inception, more than 165,250 golfers have received free fittings, resulting in a more than a $36 million industry impact.

The PGA of America teams with Golf Digest, PGA Trade-In Network, PGA.com Value Guide and Nike Golf to sponsor this equipment-themed consumer promotion during the month of April.

Nike Golf is the official equipment sponsor and is offering an additional trade-in value to help enhance the experience for golfers.

* For more information on PGA Free Fitting and Trade-Up Month and other PGA Player Development programs, please visit PlayGolfAmerica.com.

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