The European Institute of Golf Course architects has announced the programme for their annual conference which will be held in Nice at the end of March. The Conference, entitled “Growing the Game”, will look at ways to encourage greater participation in golf.
Among the speakers will be Pierre Lasfargue of the French Golf Federation who will be discussing their intention to build 100 small courses around France, as part of the legacy proposal following their successful bid for the 2018 Ryder Cup. Also on hand will be David MacLaren, The European Tour’s Director of Property and Venue Development, who will talk about how the Ryder Cup promotes the development of the game and what that legacy means for golf.
Many of golf’s leading organisations will also be represented at the conference. Ian Randell of the PGA’s of Europe will be giving the club professionals view on how to grow the game, while Dean Cleaver of the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations (FEGGA) and Hidde Verschuur of the European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA) will also be making presentations on how they see the future of golf.
EIGCA Industry Partners will also get a chance to give their views on the state of the industry, while EIGCA members will be presenting case studies to illustrate what golf courses around Europe are doing to develop the sport.
Announcing the speakers EIGCA President Rainer Preissmann said; “I am delighted that we have been able to gather together such a distinguished panel of speakers for our annual conference. We very much hope to move forward the debate on what can be done to improve participation throughout Europe. Golf has much to commend it, whether it be socially, environmentally or economically and it is in all our interests that we continue to look at ways to encourage more players to take up the sport.”
The EIGCA Conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Resort, St Laurent du Var, Nice on 30th March 2012. For more details please contact Julia Green at julia@eigca.org