The wind of change will be in the air when the 3rd European Golf Business Conference will take place on 5-7 November 2008 in Berlin, instead of Amsterdam where it has been the last two times. The 2007 event attracted a good 230 delegates. But, with a number of impressive speakers and some hot topics to discuss, the expectation will be that this year's conference surpasses the previous ones.

The conference, titled The Big Change, will take place from November 5-7 in the Hilton Berlin Hotel and will see the top business minds in European and international golf come together to debate the demand side of golf changing rapidly. The number of players is still growing each year. But are the new golfers the same golfers? Are their needs the same as our existing golfers?

These and many other questions will be touched in different sessions by specialists from all over the world. With even more impressive speakers to be announced on the program in the coming weeks, the organization already revealed most of them:
Marcel Welling, president of the EGCOA will give the ' big change' presentation. What is wrong with golf in Europe? Where can structures be improved, what is the ideal model to grow the game and thus the business of golf? David MacLaren, director of venue and property at the PGA European Tour Courses, will share his huge experience in golf operations and reveal the secret of really making money with golf operations; KPMG's Andrea Sartori, who will present the figures of the Economic Impact Study for Europe; Peter Walton, president and Chief Executive of International Association of Golf Tour Operators, will help golf course owners to get a better grip on their tourism development; Bill Sanderson, also known as the Golf Business coach, will entertain and fascinate conference delegates with his view on how to market your venue; Laurence Pithie, group golf course manager at Crown golf – the biggest European operator - will speak about green keeping and maintenance issues; Gordon Shepherd from WWF and Jonathan Smith from Golf Environment Europe will give presentations about sustainability in golf; all the way from Dubai, Peter Harradine will come and give a lecture about changes in architecture and Kryddan Peterson will give the answer on how to improve the pace of play on your golf course.

Please visit the website to register and meet the decision makers of golf in Berlin, November 5-7 or read more about the breaking golf business event of the year on www.egcoa.eu/conference2008.

European Golf Course Owners Association
Silodam 117
1013 AS Amsterdam
Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)20.330.6103
Fax:+31 (0)20.330.6105