Executive Partners
Participating Companies
Golf Business Technology Conference 2025 Why you should attend
Golf Business Technology Conference is the must-attend B2B event that is exclusively dedicated to discussing advanced technologies and business services for the Golf Industry. The event agenda is designed to help Golf Course Owners and Operators stay on the cutting edge while creating new and meaningful connections with industry peers. Learn to better manage your course like an investment and understand the latest advancements in tech and entertainment whilst taking home powerful and innovative ideas that can improve your bottom line.
The 2025 conference will welcome attendees globally and will cover topics in Sustainability, Revenue Generation, Golf Entertainment, Operational Efficiency, Club Management, Leadership and much more …
- All-inclusive access to conference
- Participation in networking events
- Access to +50 speakers
- Invitation to Networking Lunches
- Access to VIP Lounge area
- Refreshments and Hor d'oeuvres
- Invitation to Networking Breakfast
- Invitation to Evening Drinks Reception
2025 Conference Speakers
Jay Karen
CEO, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA)
Jay Karen
CEO, National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA)
Jay Karen is the CEO of National Golf Course Owners Association, where he leads the golf industry’s trade association and initiatives to support the success of the $102B golf industry. In his role at NGCOA, he has chaired the board of the American Golf Industry Council, and served on the Golf USA Tee Time Coalition board, a joint initiative with the PGA of America, and the advisory board of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CBS Radio, New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, the Golf Channel, Golf Digest and many others call upon Jay for his insights on the golf industry. Jay has also served as CEO of two associations in the lodging and hospitality industry, and he is a certified association executive by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Jay currently serves on the board of directors of ASAE and the US Travel Association. Golf Inc. Magazine named Jay among the top 25 most powerful people in golf. Jay has been an Honorary Commander for the Joint Military Base in Charleston, is a member of the Golf Writers Association of American and is an Associate Member of the PGA of America.
Jonathan Smith
Executive Director and Founder, Geo Foundation
Jonathan Smith
Executive Director and Founder, Geo Foundation
As founder and executive director of GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation Jonathan has been a pioneer in the golf and sustainability movement for two decades, bringing a positive vision, progressive strategic direction, collaborative ethos and a genuine passion to helping usher all parts of the industry to the forefront of sustainability. The Foundation is now a trusted advocate and solution provider for golf’s sustainability and climate action in 75 countries, collaborating with more than 50 golf associations spanning greenkeeping to professional Tours and national governing bodies.
Tiffany Cherry
Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability Strategist
Tiffany Cherry
Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability Strategist
Appointed head of Women and Girls Engagement for Golf Australia in 2021, Tiffany was responsible for re-writing Australian Golf’s Women and Girls Engagement strategy. During her two years in the role, Tiffany devised and executed a number of initiatives with significant increases in new markets, while supercharging existing ones. An upturn in key metrics, including junior and teenage girls, women in decision making roles, converting alternate golfers into members, and introducing sustainability measures as a key value proposition for younger markets, punctuated her impact.
Additionally, Tiffany was one of Australia’s leading sports presenters and producers, with a media career spanning three decades and three continents across television, film, radio, print and digital media. She has been nominated for and won a number of awards as a producer and presenter, and is an in-demand keynote speaker, emcee and facilitator.
An MBA graduate on Innovation and Leadership, and qualified physiotherapist who operated her own practise, Tiffany was the first woman AFL (football) TV commentator and was co-host of the 2012 Summer and 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 Commonwealth Games. Tiffany also hosted ESPN’s SportsCenter from her US base in Connecticut, covering many of the biggest sporting events in the world, and was an international reporter for CNN.
James Wright
President of GOLF+
James Wright
President of GOLF+
James Wright has been President of GOLF+ since February 2022, intent on growing golf by making it more accessible.
James has a degree in Mathematics and Theology from Georgetown University and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. His first job was as a caddie at Knollwood Country Club in Elmsford, NY, which sparked a broader passion for the sport. James spent eight years on the trading floor at Goldman Sachs before moving to Austin, Texas to pursue an MBA. James worked as a Venture Fellow at S3 Ventures in Austin during business school, where he met a company called WIN Reality during a diligence process. James joined WIN Reality to help scale their VR baseball training solution for a year prior to meeting the founding team of GOLF+.
Over the past two years, James has led business and partnership efforts at GOLF+. James spearheaded a Series Seed fundraise led by Breyer Capital, with participation from Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, and Mike Trout. He has helped expand the course portfolio of GOLF+ to include iconic venues like The Old Course at St Andrews, Pebble Beach, and Pinehurst No. 2. In January 2023, GOLF+ initiated a partnership with the PGA TOUR that allows GOLF+ players around the world to participate in live professional tournaments like the PLAYERS Championship from the comfort of their homes.
Michael Malone
VP Sales EMEA at TrackMan
Michael Malone
VP Sales EMEA at TrackMan
As the VP Sales EMEA at TrackMan, Michael oversees the sales and distribution of the world's leading ball flight measurement technology for sports, especially golf. specializing in ball-flight theory, hardware and software training, product demos, and educational workshops.
Morten Bisgaard
CEO & Co-Founder of Players 1st
Morten Bisgaard
CEO & Co-Founder of Players 1st
As the CEO & Co-Founder of Players 1st, Morten led the creation of an innovative business, positioning the company as a global leader in customer experience solutions for golf clubs. Players 1st excels on delivering survey solutions to shape the future of golf and with extensive expertise, Players 1st seeks to understand the challenges experienced by any golf club
Gareth Macklin
Founder and CEO of Obbi
Gareth Macklin
Founder and CEO of Obbi
Gareth Macklin, Founder and CEO of Obbi, has played a pivotal role in managing a workforce of over 650 employees over the last 2 decades. Faced with a need for tailored software solutions within the Macklin Group, Gareth spearheaded the development of Obbi, a comprehensive platform designed to streamline business processes in safety, compliance, and training, particularly tailored for clubs. Obbi, the culmination of Gareth's entrepreneurial spirit and industry knowledge, empowers clubs to have enhanced productivity, reduced costs, and improved compliance and risk management for its users.
James Cronk
President of Cronk Group
James Cronk
President of Cronk Group
James Cronk is a club industry leader with over 30 years-experience in the golf and service industry. He has presented keynote sessions and workshop seminars at major golf industry events around the world, including the NGCOA Canada National Conference (18 times), the Asia Pacific Golf Summit (6 times including India in November 2019), the European Golf Business Conference (3 times including Portugal 2020), the CMAA World Conference (twice) and many more. In 2022 he was the keynote speaker at the Australian Club Managers Conference in Melbourne.
A former golf professional and club manager, James’s has real life experience in the industry, and his success as a leader is evident in the recognitions bestowed upon himself and his teams, including his facility being recognized by Golf Digest as having the ‘5th Best Customer Service in North America’ and being rated by BC Business Magazine as one of British Columbia’s ‘Top Ten Employers’.
His company CRONK GROUP helps clubs and organizations achieve their goals and increase their profits by improving their systems, their service, and their people. In 2022 James and his business partner Scott Masse launched GOLF INDUSTRY GURU, a global on-line training platform for golf clubs featuring tools, tips, templates, videos, and blogs from many of the world’s leading golf and hospitality industry gurus.
James Wilkinson
Founder of Albatross
James Wilkinson
Founder of Albatross
James Wilkinson is the founder of Albatross. A golf and sport marketing agency who help solve brands greatest challenges by bringing game changing digital ideas to life.
Ian Blunt
Marketing Manager of Inrange
Ian Blunt
Marketing Manager of Inrange
In his professional career, Ian has worked with companies such as BDO, Panasonic, Coca-cola and Commonwealth Bank of Australia - he also spent 5 years traveling the world working in the cruise ship industry. And the common thread between the many roles he has fulfilled along the way - was his focus on the customer. Within Inrange Ian has helped build out the customer and player journeys, as well as create a brand vision for what the next generation of off-course golf venues will look like. His expertise lies in identifying the win-win-win situations within the market where the player, range owner and Inrange business are all involved in the success of any campaign, activation or event.
Gavin Robinson
Gavin Robinson BSc. Hons, PGA Fellow, CM Dip
Gavin Robinson
Gavin Robinson BSc. Hons, PGA Fellow, CM Dip
Gavin has been working in the golf industry for 25 years in a variety of roles. As a golf professional, Gavin secured a Director of Golf role in a prestigious Country Club in Mexico and after 5 successful years he was recruited to become Club Manager of another exclusive Country Club. In 2013 Gavin took on his final project in Mexico, to manage a high end Public Golf course, a new concept for the country.
Gavin returned to the UK in 2018 and took on the role of Professional Development Manager of the GCMA. This is where his passion for good governance was ignited having a close working relationship with the governing bodies and Club managers.
After another spell back running a Private Members Club in Surrey, Gavin got his Masters Certificate in Corporate Governance and joined the Board of Afriyea Golf Academy as a Non -Executive Director (NED).
Gavin’s mission is to have a positive impact on the quality of the governance of Private Members Clubs which will result in better managed clubs and a more attractive environment for current and future members.
Samantha Kelly
Social Media Trainer | Author | TEDxSpeaker
Samantha Kelly
Social Media Trainer | Author | TEDxSpeaker
Samantha Kelly is one of the top Twitter (X) experts and is also proficient in LinkedIn and all things social media strategy. With an engaged following of over 70k Samantha helps businesses stand out online and build communities around their brand.
Author of 'The little book of Twitter Magic', Global keynote speaker and multi award winning business woman, Samantha understands entrepreneurship and small business and understands the challenges business owners face and how people buy from people.
TJ Schier
President | Brand Growth
TJ Schier
President | Brand Growth
TJ Schier has walked many miles in operators’ and owners’ shoes. TJ has cracked the code on what it takes to ignite a team of top performers focused on delivering amazing guest service. He currently consults in the golf entertainment and competitive socializing space as President and founder of SMART Restaurant Group
TJ is the former Chief Operating Officer of BigShots Golf owned by ClubCorp/Invited. BigShots Golf was the second largest player in the golf-entertainment venue space and grew quickly under his watch before being sold to the largest competitor in the space.
Prior to that, he spent two decades as a leading speaker and consultant in the guest service, employee retention and franchise space, delivering hundreds of speeches to operators, owners, GMs and industry associations. TJ also built dozens of guest service and employee/manager training programs for quick-service, contract feeder, casual and fine dining brands.
During that time, he was also a multi-unit franchise owner Which Wich Superior Sandwiches for over a dozen years. His group won numerous industry awards and recognition for their unique approach to hiring and training. Prior to starting his speaking and consulting business, he spent 18 years at Chuck E Cheese’s, leaving as VP of Field Support.
He has written numerous books used by thousands of business leaders and over 100 articles on guest service and motivating today’s generation and has a BBA and MBA from the University of Texas.
Venue
The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
16 Skipper St, Belfast BT1 2DZ
