The National Golf Course Owners Association of America, the largest trade association of its kind with local, state and national chapters and international affiliates – with a membership of more than 7,200 facilities in the USA will be fully represented at the Asia Pacific Golf Development Summit 2008.
The NGCOA has confirmed that it will be sending its deputy chief executive officer, Mike Tinkey, to deliver the closing address at the Summit scheduled to be held at Mission Hills, China on 2-4 December.
The NGCOA’s endorsement of the Summit is further acknowledgement of the importance and relevance of the Summit to the golf industry in the Asia Pacific region.
To date more than 60 of the best brains in the global golf industry have committed themselves to congregate in post-Olympics China to map out the future of golf in Asia.
“This Summit is already down as the biggest single golf business show ever held in Asia and this is evidenced by the fact that some of the most important personalities in golf will be present to deliver major position presentations on the current and future trends of the industry,” explained Mike Sebastian, managing director of Asia Pacific Golf Development Conferences Pte Ltd, the owner and producer of the summit.
Golf in Asia has never before commanded such great universal interest and importance. It is an acknowledged fact that Asia is the final frontier for the expansion of golf.
Sebastian says that the three-day Summit at Mission Hills has been meticulously planned to address the most important needs and challenges of the industry in Asia.
“We are happy to note that the Summit attracted well over 100 qualified speakers and panelists and while we would have liked to have the whole lot at the Summit, we had to exercise focus and bring on board those speakers and panelists who had something very tangible to contribute,” Sebastian said.
The final list of speakers and panelists has been confirmed and it reads like a Who’s Who of the golf trade. “There will be heads of multi-national corporations and consultants from various disciplines in attendance and their coverage of topics will be very thorough and comprehensive,” according to Sebastian.
He went on to explain, “For anyone from Asia, attending a major golf industry conference in America is a very costly exercise. We’ve decided to cut through this and stage an event in Asia that will allow more people in the trade to attend without busting the bank and one of the selling points of the Asia Pacific Golf Development Summit is that it is specially programmed to shift the spotlight on matters specific to Asia, which is never the case with any of the major trade shows held in America.
“Here we will highlight local challenges, opportunities and problems and give it an Asian twist and this is what will make this Summit really meaningful to Asian golf course operators,” said Sebastian.
The theme of the Summit is: Making Asia World Class and Keeping It That Way.
The programme format for the Summit has been designed to allow delegates to attend all main keynote sessions during which time they will be able to listen to experts addressing topics ranging from club management, membership marketing, effective use of equipment, turf maintenance and a host of other related topics so essential in the running of a successful golf club in Asia.
The afternoons will be devoted exclusively to panel sessions where experts will be huddled together to discuss specific topics and delegates will be permitted to participate in active dialogue with the panel members.
The Summit is not going to be all work – a full social and entertainment schedule has been lined up. The formal functions will include:
• A Special Welcome Reception hosted by Mission Hills Group.
• A gala Chinese banquet hosted by Nicklaus Design Inc.
• A gala awards banquet hosted by Club Car.
• Networking cocktail receptions hosted by John Deere and the Rain Bird Company.
The following awards programmes are also slated to be held at the Summit:
• The Toro Company’s Award for the most eco-friendly golf course in Asia.
• The E-Z-Go/Jacobsen Asia Pacific Lifetime Achievement Award.
• The Asian Golf Monthly Golf Course Awards.
“The programme is value-packed in terms of content, entertainment and social networking and anybody who is anybody at all in the industry in Asia must make a concerted effort to attend the Summit – there is a lot to be learned and gained by your attendance,” Sebastian pointed out.
Delegate registration is now open and full details on programme content and registration information can be obtained at the Summit’s web site at: www.golfconference.org
To speak in person to one of the organising team call Georgina Wong or Tom Hutton at Tel: +65 6323 2800.