WARSAW will become the centre of golf business in Europe and beyond when it hosts The 2nd Golf Business Conference from 23-25 April 2008.
The conference, organised by Golf Poland, will see a who's who of international golf business experts speak in one of the fastest-growing golf regions in Europe.
All of the speakers (listed below) have built up a wealth of experience and knowledge of golf across the globe and will outline trends and successes throughout the golf industry to an eager audience.
The conference, which is sponsored by the Toro company and being held in the Westin Hotel in Warsaw, is a great opportunity to not only gain access to some of the world's top business experts but to network with others in the golf industry.
The event will kick off with a golf tournament at The First Warsaw Golf & Country Club - where anyone scoring a hole-in-one will win a workman from sponsors Toro - before heading into two days of conference.
Marek Podstolski, president of PGA of Poland, said: "Each step brings more and more development to golf in Poland and in the Central and Eastern Europe region.
"There are many very good golf courses where big tournaments can be played. With the help of educational programmes of the PGA of Poland the number and professionalism of golf teachers continues to rise. This is, without a doubt, the region in which we will observe a dynamical development of this sport."
Piotr Mondalski, president of the Polish Golf Union, said: "During recent years, with the help of golf promotion programmes held by the Polish Golf Union, we have noticed a considerable increase in the number of golfers in Poland.
"We hope that the Golf Business Conference will increase the understanding of this sport at local government level and stimulate further interest in building golf courses, especially public ones which will allow members of Green Card Club to train and bring their abilities up to a higher level. Public golf courses will play a crucial role in increasing number of golfers."
Pawel Lewinski, organiser of the 2nd Golf Business Conference, said: "Organisation of conferences in Poland is a very important factor stimulating golf development in our part of Europe. This type of meeting, when people with various experience in many aspects of golf industry gather in one place to share their knowledge and opinions, is very important."
Speakers:
* Denise Adams - vice president of Kitson & Partners and an international expert and author of over 80 club programmes for golf clubs all over the world.
* Mark Casey - International Development and European Solheim Cup Director
* Tony Bennett - Director of Education for the PGA's of Europe with experience in developing coach education frameworks, retail centres, academy structures and learning pathways.
* David MacLaren - Chief Executive of PGA European Tour Courses, which consists of 11 facilities in different countries
* Marek Podstolski - PGA of Poland President
* Michael Pask- Senior Vice President IMG, the biggest company in the world involved in sports marketing
* Terry Coates - Chairman CECTA and one of the most renowned experts in tourism industry with a special emphasis on golf tourism
* Jerry Kilby - Club Manager Association of Europe with long term experience in managing some of the best courses on the continent
* Geoff Russell- founder Golf Business News and media specialist
* Lodewijk Klootwijk chief executive of the European Golf Course Owners Association.
* Jeff Howes - an internationally acclaimed golf course architect with an impressive worldwide portfolio
Agenda:
Wednesday, 23rd April 2008
08.00 Registration desk open
09.30 Coach to The First Warsaw G&CC from hotel
10.30 Toro machinery show
11.00 Start of Golf Poland Tournament
18.00 Coach back to hotel
20.00 Welcome dinner
Thursday, 24th April 2008
08.45 Welcome and the Conference opening by Pawel Lewinski
09.00 Michael Pask "Successful Criteria in Golf Course Development" discussion
10.00 David MacLaren "How to Make the Most Money Out of Your Golf Venue" discussion
11.00 Networking Coffe Break
11.30 Jerry Kilby "Profitable Club Management" discussion
12.30 Denise Adams "The Current Pulse in Membership Marketing" discussion
13.30 Lunch
14.30 Marek Podstolski "The Marketing Role of PGA Pro"
14.45 Terry Coates "Golf Tourism in Central Europe" discussion
15.45 Geoff Russell "Making the Most of Media Opportunities" discussion
16.45 Networking Coffe Break
19.30 Gala Dinner
Friday, 25th April 2008
09.00 Lodewijk Klotwijk "The Role of Golf Course Owner" discussion
10.00 Jeff Howes "In Course Design Making in Tough is Easy, Making is Easy is Tough" discussion
11.00 Networking Coffe Break
11.30 Mark Casey "Ladies Professional Tournament Golf in Europe" discussion
12.30 Tony Bennett "Golf has great prospects" discussion
13.30 Close of The Conference by Pawel Lewinski
13.45 Lunch
The main sponsor of the conference is again Toro company.
Supporting sponsors are: Jeff Howes GolfDesign, Syngenta and Eurobest.pl
Official carrier of the conference are Polish Airlines LOT.
Media : Golfbusinessnews.com, Golf Digest Cz&S, Golf Course Architecture, Sportplus, Golf&Life, Golf, Golf24.pl, Warsaw Voice, Manager Magazin, nSport and Azalea Group
Honorary Patrons are : PGA's of Europe, PGA of Poland, Polski Zwiazek Golfa, EGA, CECTA, EGCOA, CMAE.
Conference organiser is Golf Poland company - contact person Pawel Lewinski biuro@golfpoland.pl, tel. no. 48 503-041-628 or tel/fax 48 42 215-66-13
More information on www.golfconference.eu