Birmingham, England: Having worked at The PGA of Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) since 2006, and serving as Chief Executive for the last seven years, Robert Maxfield has been part of huge changes at the governing body.

But how does he look back on his tenure so far and what are his big aspirations for the coming years?

In the latest episode of GBQ TV, host Sarah Stirk speaks to Maxfield on a wide range of topics, including:

• How PGA Members are at the heart of everything the Association does and wants to achieve in the future.
• How the role of the professional has changed and how it will continue to evolve.
• How PGA Excel is allowing PGA Members to zero in on their skills and abilities and maximise them.

Maxfield also discusses how golf is changing, with the Covid pandemic creating a participation boom as well as driving different habits.

The value of coaching in the modern world, how formats need to evolve and how technology will play its part and whether golf businesses can use AI to their advantage are also addressed.

At the head of a business that represents more than 8,000 members, Maxfield is in the perfect place to give an expert opinion. 

He said: “Look at the IPSOS (market research company) study. The figures speak for themselves. There is a massive proportion now that are engaged and interested in golf. 

“I think 22 million people – that’s a huge percentage of the population – have engaged in some type of golf. That might be watching golf on the TV. It might have been reading about it. 

“Sixteen million have had a golf club in their hand at least once a year over the year that we tracked it, of which 11 million have never played on a golf course. Six million have played traditional golf. That’s nine, 18, or members of clubs, and many of them aren’t nowadays. 

“That’s 11 million people that are now engaged in golf in some form. It might be putting through a dinosaur. It might be smashing balls on a range. That’s huge. 

“And to me, if we say: ‘Well, you’re only a golfer if you’re on a golf course’, I don’t think that’s right. If you’ve got a club in your hand and you were playing on the driving range two or three times a week – my kids have got friends of theirs that only play on driving ranges – I think they are golfers. What else are they?”

*To watch the interview, please click this link: https://www.gbqdigital.com/features/gbq-tv-ep2-ewhjh?dm_i=4RU1,10BGG,5GQMKB,4PHCG,1

**The PGA of Great Britain and Ireland is an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.