Golf Channel Airing "National Instruction Day" in Partnership with PGA of America, Wednesday, May 4, with Live Clinics from Top PGA Instructors
Eight Live Hours of Clinics to Feature Renowned PGA Professionals: Breed, Hall, Haney, Harmon, Leadbetter, McCormick, McLean & Utley
ORLANDO, Fla. –
Golf Channel – in partnership with the PGA of America – announced its plans for the inaugural “National Instruction Day,” airing on Wednesday, May 4, and featuring a dedicated day of live programming devoted to helping golfers improve their game. National Instruction Day will bring together several of the most respected and recognized PGA Professionals in the game – a culmination of a 100-day campaign celebrating the PGA of America’s Centennial – staging live clinics on Golf Channel, originating from golf courses around the United States, and spanning across four time zones, beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
“National Instruction Day may be the most impactful instruction initiative we’ve ever engaged in at Golf Channel,” said Kevin Schultz, senior director of lifestyle content for Golf Channel. “And that’s significant, given that instruction has been a pillar of our brand from the very beginning. With the support of the PGA of America and its Professionals, for the first time ever, we’ll be able to assemble the game’s most distinguished instructors on one given day, with one goal in mind: to help golfers play better and have more fun.”
“When the PGA of America’s founders gathered a century ago, they made it their mission to elevate the golf profession. The cornerstone of their plans was teaching the game,” said PGA President Derek Sprague. “We’re thrilled to partner with Golf Channel to present National Instruction Day, which will be celebrated from coast-to-coast and dedicated to the generations of PGA members who have ensured that all may enjoy the game of a lifetime.”
Each of the six golf course locations participating in National Instruction Day will feature a lead PGA Professional, along with two guest instructors working in collaboration on a live, one-hour clinic from their respective location. Participating PGA Professionals include: Michael Breed, Martin Hall, Hank Haney, Craig Harmon, David Leadbetter, Cameron McCormick, Jim McLean, Stan Utley, along with several others, including PGA President Sprague and PGA Secretary Suzy Whaley. The schedule of programming airing throughout the day, as well as corresponding instructors at each site includes:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4: NATIONAL INSTRUCTION DAY SCHEDULE (all times ET)
7 a.m.-10 a.m.
Golf Channel’s Morning Drive (Orlando, Fla.)
Special Guests: Pete Bevacqua, CEO, PGA of America (in-studio);
Blair O’Neal & Jeff Ritter (in-studio co-hosts for National Instruction Day)
10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Baltusrol Golf Club (Springfield Township, N.J.)
Lead Instructor: Michael Breed
Guest Instructors: Lou Guzzi, Tom Henderson
Special Guest: Derek Sprague, President, PGA of America
11 a.m.-Noon
Ibis Golf & Country Club (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Lead Instructor: Martin Hall
Guest Instructors: Jim McLean, Craig Harmon
Golf Channel Host: Sara Brown
2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Keeton Park Golf Course (Dallas)
Lead Instructor: Cameron McCormick
Guest Instructors: Tony Martinez, Randy Smith
Golf Channel Host: Matt Adams
4 p.m.-5 p.m.
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Lemont Township, Ill.)
Lead Instructor: Stan Utley
Guest Instructors: Todd Sones, Kevin Weeks
Golf Channel Host: Charlie Rymer
6 p.m.-7 p.m.
Golf Channel’s Golf Central (Orlando, Fla.)
Special Guests: National Instruction Day instructors
7 p.m.-8 p.m.
Fossil Trace Golf Club (Golden, Colo.)
Lead Instructor: Hank Haney
Guest Instructors: Trent Wearner, Sandy LaBauve
Golf Channel Host: Brian Crowell
8 p.m.-9 p.m.
TPC Harding Park (San Francisco)
Lead Instructor: David Leadbetter
Guest Instructors: Suzy Whaley, Secretary, PGA of America, Josh Zander
Golf Channel Host: Lisa Cornwell
9 p.m.-11 p.m.
Golf Channel Studio A (Orlando, Fla.)
Lead Instructors: Michael Breed, Martin Hall
Guest Instructors: Mike Bender, Cheryl Anderson
Blair O’Neal and PGA Professional Jeff Ritter will participate in National Instruction Day, as hosts throughout the day from Studio A at Golf Channel’s World Headquarters in Orlando. O’Neal and Ritter will help viewers transition from one live clinic location to the next, expanding upon tips and themes offered at each clinic location leading up to the live, in-studio two-hour primetime show airing at 9 p.m. ET. Golf Channel’s Morning Drive will prepare viewers for the day of instruction ahead, welcoming O’Neal and Ritter in-studio for an overview of the clinics. Additionally, Pete Bevacqua, CEO of the PGA of America, is expected to join Morning Drive that day, along with Breed and Hall, who will offer a preview of their respective clinics.
National Instruction Day also will serve as an exclamation point on the PGA of America’s celebration of its Centennial in 2016. The 100-day celebration campaign began with a tribute from the PGA’s “Outdoor Demo Day” during its annual PGA Merchandise Show in January, which featured ceremonial tee shots with PGA Professionals from each of the 41 PGA Sections, along with members of PGA Junior League Golf. National Instruction Day on Wednesday, May 4, will mark the 100th day of the campaign. Since January, Golf Channel has been airing PGA Section spotlights on Morning Drive, profiling a charitable, social or educational program initiative taking place within each of the 41 PGA Sections.
ABOUT GOLF CHANNEL
Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available in more than 200 million homes in 84 countries and 11 languages around the world. Golf Channel features more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, including tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, The Open Championship, Olympics, and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Golf Channel’s digital platforms, headed by GolfChannel.com, deliver unmatched coverage of the world of golf. Fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Live Extra and NBC Sports Live Extra and select programming is simulcast via SiriusXM’s PGA TOUR Radio. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; GolfAdvisor.com, the world’s largest golf course ratings and review resource for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour.
About the PGA of America
Celebrating its Centennial, the PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter and find us on Facebook.
Media Contact:
Jeff Szklinski
Golf Channel Communication
407-248-3267
Jeff.Szklinski@golfchannel.com
Jamie Carbone
PGA of America
561-624-8446
jcarbone@pgahq.com
