Published by:
Carolyn Loughran
February 09 2024
‘If you’re a Partner and you don’t attend, you really are missing out.”
TGI Golf Partners, assistants and Partner Suppliers descended upon four-time Ryder Cup venue The Belfry this week for the group’s annual Business Conference.
PGA Professionals from across the UK and Ireland attended the two-day event where they take part in educational seminars to enhance their knowledge as well as visit a Brand Showcase.
In the absence of a trade show the Brand Showcase is the only opportunity Partners have to see all all of TGI Golf’s Partner Suppliers in one place to discuss the products and services on offer.
The two-days of educational seminars gave Partners the chance to enhance their knowledge in a 
whole host of subjects from experts including Dave Shillingford and Matt Callandine from RightMarket, providers of TGI’s MyMarketing HUB which has recently seen a substantial upgrade.
Other speakers included TGI Director of Communications Matt Millard who spoke about Email Marketing, Gavin Dear from Shot Scope as well as TGI’s four Retail Consultants – Chris Taylor, Simon Keeling, Peter Smyth and Ricky Gray.
Darren Arber, Head Professional at Halifax West End Golf Club said: “It’s always good to come along to the conference, mixing with fellow TGI Partners sharing ideas, going along to the seminars to expand our knowledge and learning how we can improve our businesses.
“The ShotScope seminar was really useful, explaining how we can use ShotScope to enhance lessons and make tuition more profitable as well as helping the golf club in terms of course development.
“As a TGI Partner, if you don’t attend the Conference you are missing out on a lot of educational material that can help move your business forward and also finding out that as PGA Pros, we all face a lot of the same challenges and sharing ways to overcome these.”
Day two saw Phil Barnard and Mark Hopkins of XPOS gave an insight into the data gathered from their EPOS systems in golf retailing and Richard Barker of the PGA outlined the benefits of the PGA Play app to PGA Professionals in dealing with enquiries regarding both tuition and custom fitting.
In a slight deviation from the norm and in recognition of Eddie Reid, TGI’s Managing Director standing down later in the year, Sky Sports Golf presenter Rob Lee hosted an interview with Eddie – where he shared the journey that lead him to TGI and his philosophy behind the way the Partnership operates.
Ryan Rastall (Howley Hall GC) said: “As always the conference something that I massively look 
forward to, it’s great to get together with other TGI Partners and catch up on what has worked for us and what hasn’t over the past year. It was great to hear from the guys from XPOS as this is something I am looking to change in my own shop and hearing from their insights from other businesses was really useful.
“Catching up with the Retail Consultants is always good it is great to hear what is happening in other businesses and the trends they see when out on the road.
“The awards dinner was also a highlight, seeing Partners and Suppliers recognised for the successful year they have had, good food, a few drinks and all in great venue.”
Eddie Reid closed the conference with an update of the current status of the group and invited Adele McLean, who takes over as MD in April, to address Partners where she thanked the Board of Directors and Partners for their support and stated how much she is looking forward to taking on the role and all that it will entail.
Adele McLean, Group Services Director said: “It was great to see our 11th TGI Golf Business Conference return to The Belfry. It is always a great opportunity for our Partners to get together and tie in some education and spend time with our Partner Suppliers.
“Thank you to all of those who helped to put this together and those who conducted seminars. Congratulations to all the award winners and thanks to all our Partners and Suppliers who helped us raise £9,500 for our TGI Golf Foundation.”
