Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (December 13): Creating a meaningful industry coalition along with youth development programmes are critical to prospects of beefing up interest and participation in golf in Asia.
That was the message from Steve Mona, President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Golf Foundation, in a far-reaching presentation on the final day of the sixth Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS).
In a 30-minute address at Brunei’s award-winning Empire Hotel & Country Club, Mona laid out his vision for how Asia can drive growth and vitality in the golf industry; how Asia can learn from other parts of the world and how Asia can utilise resources that have proved successful elsewhere.
To succeed in growing the game, Mona said Asia needs to develop a solid infrastructure, incorporating governing bodies, professional Tours, trade associations, industry suppliers and tourism bodies.
“The creation of a meaningful industry coalition is essential to drive the growth agenda and bring all entities together,” said Mona.
This body, he added, can seek to influence government legislation and regulation as well as developing and distributing key metrics such as number of golfers and rounds played. “There needs to be one focal point in place. This is non-negotiable,” he said.
Mona also touched on player development programmes, youth programmes and legacy programmes, such as a Hall of Fame and golf museum.
Founded in 1994, the World Golf Foundation’s mission ‘is to develop and support initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values’.
In support of that mission, World Golf Foundation focuses on a variety of initiatives to grow and celebrate the game of golf around the world, including The First Tee and the GOLF 20/20 initiative which pursues programmes to ensure golf’s continued growth and vitality.
Mona said: “All World Golf Foundation initiatives work together to support the growth of the game among youth, women and minorities, while also fostering diversity within the golf industry.
“The World Golf Foundation also supports the golf industry in a variety of other roles, including acting as a centralised vehicle for communicating the industry’s initiatives to the media, initiating research projects to demonstrate the game’s scope and impact, and providing a unified approach to the anti-doping policies being implemented by the major global professional Tours.”
Among other highlights from the 2012 Summit, which attracted more than 200 movers and shakers from the golfing industry, was a welcome address from Brunei’s Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia.
There were also keynote addresses from Mari Elka Pangestu, Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Colin Montgomerie, eight-time European Tour Order of Merit champion, and Jim Singerling, Chief Executive Officer, Club Managers Association of America.
The Asia Pacific Golf Summit is part of a week-long golf carnival in Brunei that also included the the Campus on the Greens conference for course superintendents and the first Intellectual Property Rights Symposium, the 2012 Asian Golf Monthly Awards Gala and the Royal Trophy match play contest between high-profile professional teams from Europe and Asia, captained by Jose Maria Olazabal and Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki respectively.
The week-long activities are being supported by Brunei’s Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and hosted by Brunei Tourism. Event Partners are Golfplan, JMP Golf Design Group and Schmidt-Curley Golf Design.
Business Partners are Atlas, Mizuno, Nicklaus Design, Royal Brunei Golf & Country Club, Titleist and Wilson Staff.
BRUNEI GOLF EVENT DATES 2012
•Asia Pacific Golf Summit |December 11-13|
•Campus on the Greens |December 11-13|
• Intellectual Property Rights Symposium |December 12|
•Asian Golf Monthly Gala Awards Banquet |December 12|
•Royal Trophy |December 14-16|
For further information, please contact Spencer Robinson at spencer@asiapacificgolfgroup.com
*Note: The Asia Pacific Golf Summit was inaugurated in Singapore in 2007. In 2008 it was staged in the southern China Province of Guangdong at Mission Hills Shenzhen before moving to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in 2009 and onto Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, in 2010, and Pattaya in 2011. This year it is being held in Brunei at the sprawling, world-class Empire Hotel & Country Club. For further details, please visit www.golfconference.org and www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com
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