European Golf Business Conference 2025
Connecting Golffacility Owners & Operators from across Europe
Europe’s leading event for golf facility owners & operators!
Driving change. Sharing insight. Making connections. From single-course operators & multi-site leaders alike. This is your conference...
Program:
Sunday 9 November – Optional Activities:
Golf – Palheiro OR Santo de Serra & Madeira wine Tasting (optional & extra fee = 135,- for transport – buggy – golf – 3 course lunch inc drinks / Madeira wine tasting + 30,- Arranged by Golf in Madeira)
Levada hike (optional & extra fee)
Sunday 9 november – Arrival day
- Registration desk open 13:00–17:00
Monday 10 November – Official Opening Day
- 08:00 Golf Outing at Offical Conference Course Santo de Serra (Optional & additional fee)
- Departure at 08:00 – golf at 09:30 l Including transport, lunch, drink & snacks
- 13:00 – 17:00 Registration Desk Open
- 16:00 – 16:45 National members meeting
- 17:00 Opening & Keynote Speaker – Steven Smith
- 18:00 Welcome Cocktail Reception
- 20:00 MCO & sponsor diner – invite only
Tuesday 11 November – Conference Day
- 09:00 – 18:00 Full-day program with keynotes and sessions l Coffeebreaks & lunch included
- 20:00 Roof top Dinner
Wednesday 12 November – Site Visit & Target groups
- 08:30 Presentation & Visit to Ponta do Pargo Golf Course
- A Nick Faldo design. A unique look behind the scenes of a new course construction
- 12:30 Lunch at Saccharum – Q&A on Ponta de Pargo – Transport back to Savoy
- 15:00 – 16:30 Afternoon breakout – sessions on various subjects
- 18:00 Farewell Cocktail
Thursday 13 November – Extra option to extend your stay:
- organized by World Golf Awards: Golf Palheiro & Gala Night 100,- ex VAT
What we bring you in Madeira
How do I future-proof my driving range and turn it into a profit center?
→ Trackman, Toptracer & Inrange together share how to implement and monetise technology – at any type of facility.
How do we welcome and retain the next generations of golfers?
→ DJ Flanders (Troon, managing 900+ courses worldwide) shares data-driven insights into the expectations and demands of 4 generations of players and staff.
What does the future of our industry look like?
→ Jay Karen (NGCOA, USA) offers a preview of what is coming to Europe, based on U.S. trends that often runs ahead.
What is the global governing body’s vision for golf?
→ Hugo Mills of The R&A talks the future of golf, the new strategy and what it means for facilities. Golf 2023 will be addressed by Paul Woodham in the workshop
How can we design a course that sticks – and makes us feel good?
→ Stephen Smith (Neuroscientist) introduces The 14th Principle – showing how emotions shape memory and decision-making.
How do global shifts impact the future of sport – and golf?
→ Bartel Berkhout (Sports Leadership institute) takes you on a whirlwind through geopolitics, societal change, emerging markets and fading borders. He shows how these global forces reshape sport as a product and what that means for golf facilities.
How do we deal with water as our most crucial resource?
→ Toro and TerraRad showcase practical smart irrigation and water management solutions.
In a future full of technology, what remains most important?
→ Monique Landman (Unchain) shows why the future of golf is human – from high tech to high touch.
How do I position my golf course as an attractive employer?
→ Michael Herd (KK&W) explains how employer branding can make your facility the place where people want to work.
And what about Europe’s host country?
→ Learn from the Portuguese GDP Impact Study and hear from Nuno Sepúlveda (Details) and national representatives how golf contributes to the economy and society.
Speakers
More speakers will be announced!
So come back and check who will give you further insights of the industry!
Registration Fee
Includes: Welcome cocktail – Conference – coffee/lunch/dinner – transport – site-visit – lunch – sessions – farewell cocktail
Additional fee Monday Golfouting – 65,-
Regular fees are for members & GCAE partners only. For board members of national associations, special rates apply
All fees are ex VAT.
Sponsors & Partners
This conference is made possible in collaboration with the brands driving progress in golf!
Want to connect with Europe’s golf facility leaders — and have your brand present at the annual GCAE Conference?
Email office@gcae.eu to get information to discover our partnership packages.
Hotel Savoy Palace
If you are going all the way to Madeira, you might as well stay somewhere spectacular!
That is why we partnered with Savoy Palace — the official conference hotel of the European Golf Business Conference 2025.
Savoy Palace is a five-star The Leading Hotels of the World resort that brings boutique-style charm to a grand hotel experience. Inspired by the lush landscapes and rich traditions of Madeira, it offers comfort, refinement and authentic hospitality — all in the heart of Funchal.
Prefer something a little more urban? Next door you’ll find Hotel NEXT, the vibrant and contemporary sibling of Savoy Palace.
Book either hotel with our special conference rate, use code : Golftogether25
Valid for both Savoy Palace and Hotel NEXT
Applies to the two official conference nights: 10–12 November 2025
PLUS: Enjoy up to three extra nights before or after — at the same reduced rate
Includes local taks & service charge, breakfast, acces to gym & indoor swimming pool / excludes tourist tax 2,- pppn
Please note:
Savoy Palace is the official conference hotel, but you are welcome to stay wherever you prefer.
Uniting Golf owners & operators
GCAE
Why attend?
Connect with peers from across Europe & beyond
Discuss solutions to your daily business challenges
Get inspired by bold strategies and proven success stories
Enjoy optional golf and warm island hospitality
This is not just another event — it is where golf operators meet to exchange ideas, build strategic partnerships and invest in the future of their facilities. From 9-hole clubs to multi-course venues, if you own and run a golf facility, this is where you belong.
About the GCAE Conference
The conference focuses on the business side of golf: operations, staffing, customer experience, pricing, sustainability & technology. It is about practical insight and future-proof ideas, designed for those who lead the golf experience.
This is an investment in you and in your team. In your network and your strategy.
Let’s Play Together!