VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada -- On the opening day of the Golf Business Canada Conference and Trade Show, Gary Player was presented with the inaugural Golf Business Canada Lifetime Achievement Award as a tribute to not only his distinguished golfing career but also his leadership and success in growing the game internationally. Fellow Masters Champion and Canada's own Mike Weir attended via videoconference to congratulate his former President's Cup Captain on the recognition.
Staged in Vancouver, the site of the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics, the Conference was held by the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada. The Black Knight commenced the Conference by conducting a fireside chat at the Opening Ceremonies where he advised golf course owners and operators on how to survive the current economic challenges facing the golf industry: by making clubs more accessible and enjoyable to the entire family, especially for children; and by cutting operating costs through implementation of environmentally friendly maintenance methods. As a traveler to Canada since the 1950's, Player remarked that Canada is a country that 'has it all - an abundance of oil and water and vast open spaces, but Canadians must still do everything possible to sustain these most valuable resources.'
As part of Player's passion for the environment and water conservation, the Opening Ceremonies were sponsored by UgMO, the most advanced underground soil monitoring system for golf courses.
As a spearhead for the return of golf to the Olympics, Player also pointed out that the reigning Olympic golf gold medalist, George Lyon, hails from Canada. Lyon won the gold in 1904, the last year golf was included as an Olympic sport.
For more information please visit www.ngcoa.ca
For further information, please contact Scott Ferrell, President, Gary Player Design
E: scott@garyplayer.com or T: +1 864 477 2720
Lindsey Batavia, Client Services Manager, Gary Player Design
E: lindsey@garyplayer.com or T: +1 864 477 2720
About Gary Player Design
Established by Marc Player in the early 1980s and widely recognized as the most successful international golf course architectural firm in the world, Gary Player Design has branded over 300 layouts with the mark of a champion.
Over its existence, the firm has worked on five continents and in over 35 countries, and prides itself on taking Gary Player's design experience to emerging markets to help develop the game of golf globally. Player's vast experience in the business coupled with over 50 years of experience as a professional golfer have afforded him a unique understanding of the needs of the average golfer; the objectives of the developer, and the concerns of the environment.
The cornerstone of his design approach is to create playable and memorable golf courses within the constraints of a given site, while being ultra-sensitive to the surrounding environment - particularly in the area of water conservation. And the result is a portfolio of award-winning and environmentally-recognized courses around the world. The Design Company presently has over 60 active projects around the world in Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
For additional information and a listing of awards, visit www.garyplayerdesign.com
