Golf’s leading developers, top management company executives and other industry leaders recently gathered at La Quinta Resort and Club in California for what most attendees described as one of the best Golf Inc. conferences to date.
More than 450 industry leaders participated in the event, including top executives from PGA of America, ClubCorp, KemperSports Management, CNL Income Companies, Marriott Golf, OB Sports Golf Management, Century Golf Partners/Arnold Palmer Golf Management, ValleyCrest Golf Course Maintenance, CB Richard Ellis and Troon Golf.
The Golf Inc. Conference is one of the highest-rated educational events in the industry. More than 91 percent of attendees rated the overall conference as “good” or better. Over 70 percent rated the conference’s speakers as “excellent” or “very good”, and an additional 24 percent rated them as “good.” 95 percent rated the educational sessions as “good” or better and 96 percent said they plan to attend another conference.
“We were delighted with the response to the conference from our attendees, exhibitors and sponsors,” said Golf Inc. publisher Katina Cavagnaro. “Our first-ever International Symposium was very well received, and the entire conference provided the high quality educational sessions and rewarding networking activities that our attendees have come to expect.”
In addition to 33 educational sessions, a 34-booth exhibit hall and a golf outing at the legendary La Quinta PGA West Stadium Golf Course, attendees enjoyed more than eight hours of networking time including two morning breaks, a networking reception in the exhibit hall and a networking luncheon on Wednesday afternoon.
Golf Inc.’s “Most Admired Operators,” members of Golf Inc.’s “Most Powerful People in Golf” for 2007 and representatives of “The Fastest Growing Management Companies” of the last year were also in attendance, and were honoured for their achievements at the annual Golf Inc. Awards Gala. Gala attendees were treated to a pre-dinner cocktail party, followed by a multi-media presentation highlighting the evening’s honorees.
With golf course construction booming internationally, Golf Inc. premiered its first ever International Symposium. The pre-conference session kicked off 1st October and attendees were treated to industry experts from all reaches of the globe, such as Tenniel Chu, executive director of Mission Hills Golf Club, Andrea Sartori of KMPG Travel, Leisure and Tourism Group, Steve Forrest, principal of Hills/Forrest & Associates, Rudy Anderson, vice president of investments of CNL Income Co. LLC and many other international golf leaders.
“Congratulations for putting together such well-oiled shows,” said attendee and speaker Lynn Shackelford, vice president of acquisitions for Touchstone Golf. “It is interesting how it has evolved into a show where the industry leaders meet and listen to one another speak about the state of golf course management.”
The next conference, to be held 21-23 April at Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, will feature an awards gala that recognizes Golf Inc.’s “Development of the Year,” “Clubhouse of the Year” and “Renovation of the Year” winners. The event will also include three keynote sessions, more than 30 educational sessions and eight networking events. Details on this event will be available online in late November at www.golfincmagazine.com