Brad Gould;
The Grove
“The Grove has been a pioneer of golfing inclusivity since it opened and the owners were passionate about having a product which is accessible to all. I understand that comes at a certain price point, but we are always trying to make that accessible. From day one, we’ve never had a strict dress code — the only rule was that you couldn’t have metal spikes on your golf shoes.”
Marcus Doyle;
Druids Glen
“I’m passionate about what I do, and I love what I do. When I set out on my golf management journey, I kind of had a dream that one day I could become general manager of my home golf club or something like that. But I think I’ve surpassed my every expectation by becoming director of golf at Druids Glen. It’s just something I’m so proud of because I’m an Arklow man. I grew up here, and this is my home.”
Kerry Shields;
Drumpellier Golf Club
“It benefited me that I wasn’t a golfer because members wouldn’t see me and then want to talk about their round of golf. They wouldn’t worry me about the golf course. They would email me about it, but I wouldn’t stand and get into an argument about bunkers, about greens, because that’s not my forte. I’ve got a head greenkeeper Colin Powrie who’s done it for 30 odd years who knows exactly the answers to give them.”
Karl Hepple;
Stoke by Nayland
“Because I work in the industry, I quite often walk into clubs and I put myself in the place of a 23-year-old woman. Because I know that’s the demographic that we miss in golf. And I say, so am I comfortable here, and nine times out of ten, it’s no. Whereas you don’t have that at Stoke by Nayland. You have an environment where pretty much every demographic of person is comfortable and wants to spend time.”
Nathanaël Pietrzak-Swirc;
UGOLF International
“UGOLF has been growing the game of golf in France for more than 40 years and is now a key figure in the French and European golf market. Having spread our wings to Spain, Germany and beyond Europe, our aim is to take our unique formula for success to far reaches of the globe. We are excited for what the future holds as we enter a new era with the launch of UGOLF International.”
Terras Da Comporta;
Portugal
David McLay-Kidd knew he had the chance to be involved in something very special when he first set eyes on the landscape at Terras da Comporta and was asked to design a golf course one hour south of Lisbon. Surveying the scene and the plot of land, McLay-Kidd immediately saw the possibility to build a links course in Portugal that could match some of the best in the world.