The Golf Consultants Association is to stage its first annual conference – The Business of Golf – in October 2005, at the St Andrews Bay Hotel, Scotland.

Delegates will hear about golf development and the importance of golf to the worldwide economy, including how sport drives tourism, what makes an attractive golf destination, and the feasibility of associated housing developments.

Speakers include former Walker Cup GB & Ireland player and captain Peter McEvoy OBE, who has advised on the development of many golf courses around the world. Peter Walton of the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, golf architect Howard Swan, Roger Pride of Wales Tourist Board and Mike Round of The Golf Foundation are also scheduled to speak.

Chairman of the Golf Consultants Association Mike Shields told Golf Course Architecture: "We expect 150 delegates including golf course owners and developers, golf property developers, investors in golf, national golf governing bodies and trade associations, and national and regional tourism officials from around the world. The conference is a unique opportunity for organisations involved in golf development to learn from the experience of others." The conference will consist of presentations with Q&A sessions and frequent networking opportunities. It will be divided into phases on feasibility – the process of deciding the feasibility of a project, market research and market positioning; finance – the financial aspects of golf course development, with reference to design and development, and; management – advice on the marketing and operational management of a successful golf complex, and event management.

The Golf Consultants Association is a trade association of UK golf businesses. Its 2005 conference is sponsored by government agencies UK Trade & Investment, Scottish Development International and WalesTrade International, as well as numerous golf businesses. Golf Course Architecture is the official media sponsor.

For more information, visit the conference website or contact Jacqui Baldwin of the Golf Consultants Association on +44 2476 414999.

This article first appeared in issue 1 of Golf Course Architecture, published in July 2005.