• GolfBox
• Marketing and Sales
• proplanner.golfbox.dk

Certified PGA Teaching Professional

• 15 years experience as a PGA Professional
• Member of the PGA of Denmark
• 10 years as the Head Professional at Danish leading golf college
• Full time professional on third level tour (EPD Tour, Nordic League and Challenge Tour)
• Club Professional in Aarhus Golf Club and Ikast Golf Club
• Region and National coach at Danish Golf Academy for 7 years
• Trackman Certified Level 2
• TPI Certified Level 1
• Started at GolfBox in 2017 as export and sales manager

• Chief Executive
• PGA of South Africa
• www.pga.co.za
• @pgasa

Ivano grew up in Johannesburg and has played the game of golf since the age of 9. After completing his National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Ivano turned professional and competed on the Sunshine Tour from 1998 to 2002. He joined the PGA as an apprentice in March of 2001 and became a full member of the PGA in August of 2003.

Ivano has been fortunate enough to open the Zebula Golf Estate in Limpopo, work as the Head Professional at the Sun City resort and manage/co-own the Dale Hayes Golf Events business. In July of 2011 he was appointed the Chief Executive of the PGA of South Africa and has taken the PGA to another business level under his leadership. He is currently a Class Fellow Member of the PGA of South Africa and continues to drive new business opportunities for the PGA and its Membership.

• U.S. Kids Golf Foundation
• Director of Player Development
• uskidsgolf.com
• @juniorgolfguy

John Godwin is Director of Player Development for the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation. The Foundation’s initiatives include over 1800 annual competitions, the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teachers Award, and its Player Pathway curriculum.

In 2012, John co-founded the organization’s Certified Coach program. Since then, over 4,000 golf professionals from 49 states and 37 nations have participated in the training.

John is a PGA Master Professional and currently serves as President of the Georgia Section.

He has been the Rocky Mountain Section Player of the Year and Teacher of the Year and the Georgia Section Junior Golf Leader recipient. In 2004, he was selected as the National Junior Golf Leader by the PGA of America, its highest honour for youth golf development.

He is a graduate of Florida State University. He resides in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

• President of the France 2018 Ryder Cup Committee
• Vice President, French Golf Federation
• www.ffgolf.org

The 56-year-old Pascal Grizot has two passions in his life: business and golf. He spent 20 years of his life setting up and buying major retail companies.

Away from the business world, Pascal has also proved himself to be a talented golfer, winning a number of individual titles (28 grands prix and the French Amateur Championship) and team competitions (18 French and two European championships and the Anderson Memorial). A vice president of the French Golf Federation’s Elite Committee, he has also been the captain of France’s men’s teams for the last seven years, presiding over the country’s maiden Eisenhower Trophy win in 2010 and, a year later, victory in the European Amateur Team Championship, an event in which the French finished second in 2007.

Pascal’s greatest triumph, however, came in taking charge of the Ryder Cup project and playing an instrumental part in France being selected to host the prestigious competition in 2018. Drawing on all his creative and lobbying skills, he built up a fruitful and constructive relationship with the European Tour, with his attention to detail proving crucial in bringing the Ryder Cup to France.

• PGA of Czech Republic
• Director of Education
• www.pga.cz
• @pgaczech

Born 1984 in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic. In 2008 graduated at Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, and at 2014 finish Ph.D. studies at the same faculty.

From 2010 college teacher and since 2014 researcher at Sport Science Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University.

Field of scientific interest is postural stability, 3D kinematics and kinetics in patients, healthy population and athletes, with special focus on golfers. Author or co-author of more than 30 publications in international scientific journals.

Since 2009 full qualified golf professional and since 2014 Director of Education and Board Member in PGA of Czech Republic.

• South African Golf Development Board
• Managing Director
• www.sagdb.co.za
• @granthepburn

Over 20 years coaching around the world on the PGA Tour, European Tour and Asian Tour.

National Coach for the South African Golf Development Board since inception in 1999.

Managing Director of the South African Golf Development Board since 2012 and CEO of GolfRSA since it’s inception in 2015.

GolfRSA is the governing umbrella body for all of amateur golf in South Africa.

Grant is also a proud member of the South African PGA.

• PGA of Denmark
• Secretary
• www.pga.dk

Steffen Jacobsen is 57 years old. He has played golf since 1971. He started his working career in the advertising industry.

He has worked in all aspects of the golf industry since 1993 including Trainee PGA Professional, Sales Rep at Daiwa Golf, Sales Manager at Wilson Golf, Shop Manager at Super Golf and Pro Golf Scandinavia, Done Titleist demodays and worked as a Club Manager at Benniksgaard Golf Club and Blokhus Golf Club.

He has been the manager of the Danish PGA for the past 4 years.

• PGA of Spain
• Head of Training
• www.pgaspain.com
• @jvpgolfcoach

Full-time coach at Masia Golf Academy and Club de Golf El Bosque in Valencia, Spain.

I have been teaching and coaching for the last 15 years and I am Head of Training for the PGA of Spain.

I do training for coaches on the PGA of Spain CPD Program.

I am also a member of the Confederation of Professional Golf Golf Development Team.

As a player I was a member of the first scholarship program for juniors of the RFEG (now known as the Blume program), and as a Professional, won the PGA of Spain Championship in 2013.

• Thomas International
• Development Consultant
• www.thomasinternational.net
• @NaomiRichesMBE

At the 2012 London Paralympic Games Naomi achieved what some athletes only dream of; winning a Gold Medal at a home Games in front of a home crowd.

Naomi was diagnosed at just 8 weeks old with a visual impairment and this brought with it many challenges, both in terms of her own ability but also the attitudes and behaviours of others.

In 2004 she was unexpectedly offered the chance to trial for the Great Britain Adaptive Rowing Team; Naomi seized the opportunity not knowing where this might take me.

Over the next 10 years Adaptive Rowing transformed into Para-Rowing; a full time Lottery-funded Paralympic sport and it was incredibly exciting for Naomi to be part of that journey. Her own journey as part of the GB Squad culminating with the title, Paralympic Champion.

Naomi’s 10 years in the squad were by no means easy with many obstacles to overcome and numerous set backs but the resilience Naomi had cultivated at school, her ability to adapt and work within the ever-changing environment and her determination to see the positives in the world around her, kept her fighting.

Now retired from full-time sport, Naomi works as a Client Development Consultant at Thomas International.

• The R&A
• Executive Director – Governance & Chief of Staff
• www.randa.org
• @RandA

David Rickman is The R&A’s Executive Director – Governance, a post he has held under different titles since 1996.

David is responsible for The R&A’s governance functions (Rules of Golf, Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and Handicapping).

He is also The R&A’s Chief of Staff, responsible for operational oversight of R&A strategy as well as HR, IT and Facilities.

David is Chief Referee at The Open and the Ricoh Women’s British Open.

Born in St Andrews, David and has a degree in Business Studies and Accountancy from the University of Edinburgh.

• The Intelligent Core
• Director
• www.theintelligentcore.com
• @TIC_core

Linda Segerstam is the founder and Director of ‘The Intelligent Core’ teaching Pilates movement training for golf. She has worked with major sports and corporate brands for 20 years and is also a PGA level 1 golf coach. Linda is specialised in Pilates Fitness for Golf and worked with Body Control Pilates, the largest Pilates teaching organisation in Europe, developing the Pilates for Golfers teaching programme. Linda and her team are very passionate about making golfers healthier and stronger, and also helping golf clubs understand how adding fitness services can translate into more revenue.

Linda is a BCP Level 3 Pilates instructor, brand ambassador for several golf related brands, an associate member of the UK Parliamentary Golf Group, a writer and speaker, most recently at the golf industry’s leading event, the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, US.

• Thomas International
• Global Account Director
• www.thomasinternational.net
• @ThomasInt_UK

Jonathan works in the global accounts team at Thomas International.

He is responsible for managing and developing Thomas’s global accounts and strategic partnerships, working with stakeholders to realise the value of the Thomas tools.

He began his career at Coca Cola before entering the software industry.

During the last 7 years Jonathan has worked in the HR space, working across HCM, learning and development, and, most recently, assessments.

He is passionate about the Thomas tools and looks forward to working with PGA Europe to demonstrate their impact on their people, teams and cultures.

He holds a degree in Politics from University of Liverpool and an MBA from Manchester Business School, University of Manchester.

• PGA of Norway & Norwegian Golf Federation
• Head of Training

Anders Thelberg is 43 years old and was born and raised in Sweden but moved to Norway in 1997. Anders has during his years in Norway been working on all levels of Norwegian golf as a PGA Professional and is today working as the Head of Training for both PGA of Norway and the Norwegian Golf Federation.

For the last 6-7 years, Anders has been the project manager for the new PGA-education that unifies the PGA of Norway, the Federation, the Confederation of Sports and the academic system.

Anders will in an honest way share his experience from the past 6-7 years of the project with all the ups and downs that naturally follow as an individual, a team or organization decides to walk up a new path.