One hundred directors and managers of golf courses from all over Spain have gathered for three days at La Finca Golf & Spa Resort in Algorfa, in the province of Alicante, where they have participated in the VI Technical Conference organized by the Spanish Association of Golf Managers-AEGG, an essential forum for discussion and communication body that has the support of the institutions and the collaboration of the entire industry related to this sport.
The conference opened on November 10 in the afternoon with a round table composed of managers and representatives of territorial federations, which discussed various topics of interest to directors of golf courses with the intention of improving communication channels and feedback between them and the federation bodies. Afterwards, real cases were presented, providing successful solutions of which all the attendees took good note, such as cadastral valuation, forced expropriations, negotiations with clubs without courses, and even the specific case of the union of golf courses in Madrid in relation to the Hydrological Confederation of the Tagus.
On the 11th, specific training sessions were held for managers, covering topics such as course maintenance and its relationship with greenkeepers, energy management and cost reduction, how to increase sales in golf course stores by improving staff training and product distribution, and technological applications to control the flow of play and slow play. These and other topics of great interest were discussed during three days at La Finca Golf Resort, the Alicante complex that has a large hotel next to three courses: La Finca, Villamartin and Las Ramblas.
One of the presentations that attracted the most attention was the one given by Professor Domènec Biosca: “From managing a golf course to leading a 360º destination”. The famous author of 33 books and 2,200 articles, who has participated in the restructuring of more than 75 companies in crisis, gives 150 conferences a year and is an expert in management and training of tourism companies, enthused the managers present at La Finca Golf Resort with statements such as these: “Golf has a soul. It is the sport with the most values. It brings more light with a smile than a power plant, and it’s also free. The AEGG has already united almost all the managers in Spain and if you support it, it will end up uniting the whole of Spanish golf”.
Managers and directors from different parts of the country -including the islands- also took the opportunity to hold the AEGG General Assembly, share their points of view and ask questions to their colleagues, demonstrating that they are a true team, all rowing in the same direction, despite the opposing interests given the idiosyncrasies of the different clubs and courses they manage.
Salvador Álvarez Escobar, president of the AEGG: “In 2009 we timidly founded the Andalusian Association of Golf Managers, but since we extended it to the rest of Spain at the end of 2012, we have become a very united collective and we notice that we have more and more weight and we are more and more taken into account. I want to thank Manuel Lozano, our manager, not only for his commendable work in the organization of these conferences but for everything he has achieved and is carrying out for the AEGG: in 2015 ten training courses have been given, we have a job bank that is constantly moving, very beneficial agreements have been signed for the courses with different companies and collaborating entities, the queries of the associates are answered immediately… For all this, every day I am more convinced that the Spanish Association of Golf Managers makes sense and is an authentic forum of essential debate for the industry of this sport”.
The VI Technical Conference concluded yesterday, November 12, with the annual Championship of Directors and Managers of Golf Courses and a surprise: the first classified will represent Spain in the Ryder Cup Hispano-Lusa to be played in Portugal in the spring of 2016, promoted by Greenmowers and the AEGG. As in previous editions, the meeting had no cost for the members of the Spanish Association of Golf Managers.
The Spanish Association of Golf Managers was established to promote and defend the professional and corporate interests of its members (190 today). Its founding objectives are to organize, promote, develop and represent the profession of Director and/or Manager of Golf Clubs and Courses, ensuring the professional and ethical level of its members.
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