Agenda

Choose one of the sessions below

Session 1: Owner Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Pat Kelley | Partner, Advance Golf Partners | President, Deep Dive Golf Consulting
Chris May | Senior Vice President | Supreme Golf Solutions
Brooks West | Owner | Franklin Bridge Golf Club

Selling Hope — An Open Conversation on How to Use Subscription Programming and Dynamic Experience-Creation to Drive Top-Line Revenue

We’re covering crucial back office strategy and proven methodology in the realm of pricing, subscription programming, and overall revenue management. Brooks West (Owner, Franklin Bridge Golf Club) hosts this session with experts Pat Kelley and Chris May to examine all angles of golf operation revenue. They’ll share the secrets to creating a sales culture within your team and explore why many are finding success in bringing a Netflix subscription model to golf. From proven dynamic pricing tactics to effective emotional sales guidance, we’ll dive into the analytics and take YOUR questions in an audience-led strategy Q&A.

Session 2: Operations Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Kelli Corlett, LPGA | Director of Golf Operations | PGA Junior Golf Camps

Marc Haddad | Founder, PGA Camps | Owner, H5 Sports Group

Rejuvenate Your Junior Programming — The Positive Ripple Effects of Reeling In (and Retaining) New Golfers

Regardless of your golf operation’s size, scale, climate or market, the value proposition of rejuvenating your summer camps and year round programs for juniors has never been higher. With new players flocking to the game brings new tactics to 1) recruit them to your course, 2) coach them and turn these casual customers into enthusiastic golfers, and 3) retain them with proven, year-round marketing strategies (and much more!). Marc Haddad and Kelli Corlett will share the simple ways to keep your junior programs in-house and your revenue pipeline flowing.

Session 3: NGCOA Research Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Adam Jaffe | Partnerships Lead | Google Search
Alex LaRoche | Director of Marketing + Sales | CourseCo
Robbie Wooten | President | Impact Golf Marketing

A Modern Guide to Golf Marketing — Your Back-Office Blueprint

We’ll unpack and dissect the newest NGCOA member-exclusive research report, “A Modern Guide to Golf Marketing”, with the author Robbie Wooten (Impact Golf Marketing), featuring insights and real world applications from Alex LaRoche (CourseCo). These seasoned golf marketing experts will further illustrate some of the top takeaways and newest marketing trends revealed from the report so that you can quickly and effectively apply these tactics at your golf business. Alex and Robbie will also be joined by Adam Jaffe, Partnership Lead at Google Search for a comprehensive look at the role that the Google Business Profile plays in facilities’ operation strategies.

Choose one of the sessions below

Session 1: Owner Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Session 2: Operations Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Session 3: NGCOA Research Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Cathy Harbin | Owner, Pine Ridge Golf Course | President, NGCOA

Jon Last | President | Sports & Leisure Research Group

The Doctors Are In — Need-to-Know Results from the 2025 Golf Business Pulse Report

Jon Last (Sports & Leisure Research Group) returns to Golf Business Conference and will share eye opening, business-critical trends emerging from the upcoming 2025 Golf Business Pulse Report. Jon will be joined by Cathy Harbin (Owner, Pine Ridge GC and President, NGCOA) who will illustrate when, where and how to apply these at your golf facility to meet the moment and bolster your operation. This report, exclusive for NGCOA members and GBC attendees, has once again surveyed hundreds of golf course owners and operators, taking their temperature on topics spanning the golf industry landscape.

Choose one of the sessions below

Session 1: Owner Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Topic: AI + Hospitality

Session 2: Operations Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Ian James | Chief Executive Officer | RetailTribe

Aligning Staff with Business + Customer Goals

Session 3: NGCOA Research Track

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

Joseph Saracino | President & CEO | Cino Security Solution
Harvey Silverman | Contributor, Golf Business | Founder, Silverback Golf Marketing

Cyber Risk And Data Protection — Shield Your Golf Business From Greens To Screens

Haven’t been hacked yet? Let’s keep it that way. Criminal cyber intrusions are perpetrated by people you’ll never see. No business is too small to be ignored. NGCOA researcher and author Harvey Silverman, along with cyber security expert Joe Saracino, CEO of Cino Security Solutions, will dissect the new NGCOA Research report and brief you on the existing dangers, best practices, and current solutions to protect your business from falling into the hands of cybercriminals.

Wednesday, January 22

Breakfast

Rosen Centre, Salon Level

All remaining activities take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)

Registration & Badge Pick-Up

OCCC West Concourse, W109 Foyer 

Pledge to Be a Welcoming Golf Course and Welcoming Golf Professional

OCCC West Concourse, W110

Cathy Harbin | Owner, Pine Ridge Golf Course | President, NGCOA
Jennifer Bermingham, PGA, LPGA | Director of Golf Programming | Invited Clubs
Richard Brown, PGA | PGA Education Faculty Member | PGA of America
Blake Jirges, PGA | Director of Golf | Coto De Caza Golf and Racquet

Hosted by Cathy Harbin — a PGA Master Professional, former PGA National Board of Directors, President of the National Golf Course Owners Association, and Owner of Pine Ridge GC — and featuring a group of panelists, experts and leaders throughout the golf industry, this in-depth and interactive 90 minute workshop will walk you through the training and criteria required to become a certified Welcoming Golf Course and Welcoming Golf Professional. You will be trained on the barriers and hidden interactions that a new golfer faces and provided the information to lay the groundwork towards creating a welcoming pathway — so that you leave this workshop as a pledged welcoming golf course or golf professional. Equip yourself and your team with the tools to ensure your facility is welcoming to new golfers and learn the special nuances of golf instruction for new golfers.

Finding the Sweet Spot in Public/Private Partnership — Success Stories from Four Corners of the Industry

OCCC West Concourse, W110

John Ashworth | Co-Founder and President, Linksoul | GM, Goat Hill Park
Dan Burke | CEO, First Tee of San Francisco | Golden Gate Park Golf Course
Damian Cosby | Executive Director | National Links Trust
Steve Leary | Former Mayor of Winter Park | Managing Partner of Flange Skillets International
Ed Mate | Executive Director, Colorado Golf Association | CommonGround Golf Course
Matt Ginella (Moderator) | Founder & CEO, Fire Pit Productions

Matt Ginella, Founder & CEO of the Fire Pit Productions, former Golf Channel host and Sports Illustrated columnist, hosts this power panel composed of leaders in the municipal sector of golf from coast to coast. Discover how public/private collaboration has reinvigorated the golf scene in metropolitan communities and how parts of this formula can help you reimagine your operation. From best practices in negotiating with local and regional governments to lessons learned on the funding and financing side, the panel will lift up the curtain on strategy involved in achieving success with such intricate projects and share their vision in terms of what lies ahead for our industry.

Thursday, January 23

Case and Point  — New-Age Pricing Models with Proven Results

OCCC West Concourse, W230B

Jeff Hoag | Co-Owner | Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center
Shane Riley | Director of Golf | Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center

Jeff Hoag (Co-Owner) and Shane Riley (Director of Golf) from Scott Lake Golf & Practice Center (MI) recently embarked on implementing the use of dynamic pricing and will reveal a case study and blueprint yielding positive, revenue-boosting results while increasing customer retention. Many of these pricing tactics can be applied at courses regardless of facility type, regional market and customer base. Provide your business with real, meaningful growth by increasing rounds — you don’t need an IT degree to do it!

Leadership Links — Lessons Learned in the Art of Team Building

OCCC, Clubhouse Stage

Matt Bryant | General Manager & Director of Golf | Green Valley Ranch Golf Club
Tom Bugbee | Chief Operating Officer | CourseCo, Inc.
Mike Woods | Director of Golf, Haggin Oaks | Partner, Morton Golf
Harvey Silverman (Moderator) | Contributor, Golf Business | Founder, Silverback Golf Marketing

Building a team of dedicated, loyal, and productive staff members is an art and a science. In this interactive panel discussion moderated by Golf Business contributor Harvey Silverman, meet and learn from three team-building experts who cover the gamut of public course operations in terms of size and scale. Hear their secrets and advice on building teams for success.

Friday, January 24