The PGA Partners With BGIA To Grow The Game Through New PGA Play Initiative

The Professional Golfers’ Association has announced a long-term, strategic partnership with the British Golf Industry Association (BGIA) that will see both organisations working together to promote the game and increase participation in the UK and Ireland. 

At the heart of the partnership will be the PGA’s new PGA Play platform, which enables connections between PGA Professionals and golfers looking for lessons, and provides various instructional and inspirational golf content. BGIA members will support and promote the new initiative and PGA Professionals to their customers and audiences.

BGIA, which is the lead trade body representing UK manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of golf products and services, boasts members that include some of the biggest brands in the industry. These companies enjoy a long-standing and viral relationship with PGA Professionals working at venues across the UK and Ireland.

This strategic alliance continues the momentum created by last year’s announcement that The PGA was to join forces with BGIA to support and champion growth across all aspects of the game. The partnership enables BGIA to support a key growth initiative in PGA Play that is encouraging more people to get into golf and making the game more enjoyable for those already playing by helping them to improve through lessons.

Robert Maxfield, Chief Executive of The PGA, said: “I’m delighted we are partnering with the BGIA to help increase participation and promote golf even more widely. Collaborating with the BGIA and its membership will enable us to work together to help grow the game and reach an even greater audience of would-be and improving golfers. We look forward to working with them on this exciting initiative.”

With a combined reach that numbers in the millions, BGIA members have a huge opportunity to promote golf to the widest possible audience through PGA Play, allowing them to drive awareness of the platform and share instruction content from their playing and coaching ambassadors to inspire more people to try lessons or activities hosted by PGA Professionals.

Martin Wild, Chairman of the BGIA, said: “The BGIA is delighted to support the PGA’s new PGA Play Platform. This strategic partnership of two of the game’s most influential stakeholders is something that excites our members greatly. Golf enjoyed an incredible boost during Covid and it is important that we not only retain but continue to grow participation.

“The PGA Play platform will play a major part in promoting our wonderful game and encourage more people to take it up.  With some exciting developments for the platform in the pipeline, the BGIA and its membership will play a major part in its promotion through their incredible reach to golfing consumers.”

Recognising the many benefits of custom-fitting, PGA Play will also provide details of fitting events being hosted by PGA Professionals in association and on behalf of the major golf brands that are part of the BGIA. This will be supplemented by publication on PGA Play of a wide range of educational information and content on the subject, helping golfers to better understand the importance and impact of custom fitting.