Free pedometers from Humana for spectators at the Utah Championship in Sandy

Sep 9 2009

Have you ever wondered how many steps you take during a round of golf? You can find out for sure — and maybe even win a prize — during the Nationwide Tour’s Utah Championship, thanks to a promotion from Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), the official health benefits company of the PGA TOUR.

From Sept. 11 through Sept. 13, Humana will be providing spectators at the Utah Championship in Sandy, Utah, with free pedometers to chart the number of steps they take around the Willow Creek Country Club. The promotion is called Walk It Tee to Green^SM. Each person who walks at least 7,000 steps will be entered to win an iPod Nano. Anyone who walks 10,000 steps or more will be entered into a drawing for an iPod Touch.

Earlier this year, Humana brought the Walk It Tee to Green program to three PGA TOUR stops: The Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas and the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis. Altogether, spectators at these events took nearly 9 million steps, which equates to 4,621 miles or roughly the distance from Salt Lake City to Liverpool, England. Walkers also burned 406,732 calories.

“The Walk It Tee to Green is a nice complement to a number of initiatives we’re doing in Utah, including one to get kids active,” said Earl Hurst, Humana’s Utah market president. “The nice thing about golf, in particular, is that it’s the only sport that you can actually get exercise while you’re watching it.”

“Some studies show that the average golfer walks around five miles or more during each 18-hole round,” he continued. “And walking can reduce an individual’s likelihood of heart disease, while increasing good cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.”

Participants can pick up their free pedometers by registering at the Humana booth. They can return to the booth throughout the day to check the steps “leaderboard.”

People who can’t attend the Utah Championship can participate by visiting www.humana.com/walkit and finding out all the ways a person can win by walking. Online participants will be entered in a sweepstakes to win a golf getaway that includes a lesson with a Golf Digest ranked teaching professional, deluxe, double-occupancy accommodations, and two round-trip airline tickets.

http://www.humana.com