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Link Up 2 Golf -- America's "Welcome to Golf" Program
By Rick Reid, Director of Golf, The Course At Aberdeen

I'd like to tell you about an exciting program that is well underway throughout the country. Taught by PGA and LPGA golf professionals, this program is part of an industry-wide initiative to welcome more adults into the wonderful game of golf. This initiative, called "Link Up 2 Golf", is part of the long-term vision and joint effort of golf's industry leaders to continue to grow the game of golf.

As someone who has been in public golf my entire career, I have always felt that the growth of the game was critical to the future of the golf industry. A couple of years ago, I was elected by my peers to the Indiana PGA Board of Directors as Chairman of the "Growth of the Game Committee" for the Indiana PGA Section. The golf industry and rounds of golf have been very flat or stagnant over the past several years. Studies have shown that for as many individuals who take up the game each year, the same number leave the game each year. These growth initiatives are being implemented to attract more players to the game, retain current players, and continue to measure adult beginners' playing habits.

This past 2003 golf season, we implemented "Link Up 2 Golf" here at Aberdeen as Indiana's "pilot program". Since then I have taken the information, programs and schedules and have given feedback to over 300 PGA members at our Fall 2003 Indiana PGA meetings. The PGA of America will be marketing these programs to the American public through TV, print and radio ads this season.

Dozens of host facilities are currently offering or will be offering one or more of these programs at various times of the year. Check with your golf course to see if "Play Golf America" or "Link Up 2 Golf" programs are coming to your area. For more information, visit www.playgolfamerica.org.

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