Barcelona, Spain: The ninth European Golf Business Conference hosted by the European Golf Course Owners Association [EGCOA] has been hailed as ‘the best to date’ with over 500 golf courses represented from 27 countries, writes John King.
The EGCOA’S VISION 2020 project, which was developed to provide a roadmap for the sustainable development of the European golf industry, was unveiled at the event and was received with open arms by the industry.
The message from the USA, from China, from all over Europe was the same: yes, there are problems but there are also answers. The project provided the platform for what was three days of inspirational solutions for the European golf business.
Day one opened at Real Club de Golf El Prat, with the sixth edition of the European Multi Course Owners meeting. The meeting played host to representatives of Europe’s leading multi course owning organisations who gathered to discuss and collaborate on solutions to run more profitable and sustainable golf facilities.
Day two was opened by EGCOA president Alexander Baron von Spoercken who gave delegates an insight into the latest developments in the European golf industry laying the foundation for the unveiling of the VISION 2020 project results.
Sander Allegro, the projects lead consultant opened the Revealing VISION 2020 session with an animation video developed by the EGCOA which summarises the results into the key opportunities for the future of European golf.
With communication being an essential factor in sharing the projects outcomes, the EGCOA along with their national owners associations, launched www.thefutureofgolf.eu to provide an interactive platform for the industry to get inspired and interact.

Lodewijk Klootwijk, EGCOA Director, Mike Hughes, CEO of the NGCOA (USA), Steve Mona, CEO of the World Golf Foundation and Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills China, were among the high-profile speakers on day two when Friendship, Fun, Family, Flexibility and Female were the key words.
Day three opened with discussions on family and females in golf. Scilla Hokholt, EGCOA Board Member and Chairman of the Norwegian Golf Course Owners Association, opened a panel session with the question ‘Is golf really female & family friendly?’
Now, as sustainability concerns and expectations rise across all aspects of life, the golf community is well positioned to provide environmental and social benefits.
Kelli Jerome, Director of Operations for the Golf Environment Organisation, summed up where sustainability can fit into all four key opportunities of the VISION 2020 project.
Geoff Russell of www.golfbusinessnews.com closed the conference with an insightful and humorous summary of the week’s events.