Amex Plays Lifestyle Strategy With PGA Partnership

American Express struck a deal to become an official patron of The Professional Golf Association of America, teeing up a particular appeal to its golfing card members with special access to tickets for PGA events and exclusive on-site activities.

Amex will provide cardholders with opportunities for advance ticket purchase to PGA tournaments, along with on-site experiences at each event. At the upcoming PGA Championship in Tulsa, OK, card members will receive a complimentary one-on-one golf lesson with a PGA pro at the PGALearningCenter, and receive a personalized golf swing analysis.

They can also visit an Amex hospitality suite and participate in a silent auction to benefit the PGA Foundation. A hand-held “myLeaderboard” device will be available on the course on a complimentary basis for members who would like to keep track of the tournament competition.

Amex is still formulating special activities for other PGA events. Special travel packages are available for the PGA Grand Slam in Bermuda this October.

Starting Sept. 4, Amex cardholders can buy a limited number of tickets to the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Gold Club in Louisville, KY, before the tickets go on sale to the public in a members clubhouse at AmericanExpress.com/Golf. Amex plans to announce other PGA-related benefits to its members over the next several months.

“The beauty of the PGA relationship is not at the events themselves, but working with PGA professionals for other sorts of things,” said Rich Lehrfeld, Amex vice president of global sponsorship and event marketing. “Ultimately, what we want to do is to build opportunities around lessons or other activities.”

The association with The PGA of America is further step in establishing the company’s links in golf, and reinforcing links with its golfing customers. Amex struck a partnership with the United States Golf Association last December that provides cardmembers access to special travel packages to golf tournaments.

It’s all part of a “holistic” approach to engaging Amex customers—and drawing new ones—through the events, and other golf-centric features related to card membership. Cardholders can, for example, apply points they accumulate through product purchases to buying golf equipment from select suppliers.

Some of the special benefits for PGA will be available to all cardholders. Other opportunities, such as access PGA tour personalities at hospitality suites, will be available to Platinum cardholders only.