By MIKE ORLOFF
As part of the 2025 launch of Golf Industry Asia, Co-founder Sean Plunkett and I embarked on our first industry 'Field trip" of the year - first stop Singapore, and Phuket was the second stop on the packed Asia schedule.
After a few years away, I finally made it back to one of my favourite golf industry events — the GB&I PGA Members’ International Conference in Phuket, Thailand.
It's held in such a great location, but also provides the opportunity to spend time with other PGA peers from all parts of Asia, Australia, and the UK. So many old friends that were made over 6 years ago at this same event.
I last attended back in 2018/2019 as a presenter, with big plans to return in 2020… but, well, we all know how global travel hit pause. Fast-forward to 2025, and the timing was perfect.
Now, with GolfIndustry.Asia, up and running, and a renewed focus on the Asian market, this year’s mission is simple: connect, learn, and see where the golf industry is heading next.
L-R Sean, Geoff, Mike and our caddies.
We landed a few days early and kicked things off with a round at Blue Canyon Country Club — my first time playing there. I teamed up with friends Sam Maltby (Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club - Hong Kong), Geoff Black (Elanora Country Club - Australia), and Sean. We played with a couple of Sean's friends who are members, and we had a fun day on one of Thailand’s challenging courses.
This is the course where Tiger Woods famously cut the corner on the Par 4 13th… and stuck it on the green. Standing on that tee box, of course, we all had a go at it, with no success!
The conference officially ran from April 28 to May 1 at the Angsana Laguna Phuket — a resort that ticks all the boxes: beachfront, golf course, great food, great spaces for meetings and mingling.
It had over 50 delegates, 16 speakers, and corporate backing from big names like Toro and Club Car. Hats off to the PGA GB&I team — Robert Maxfield, Wayne Johnson, Richard Barker, and Tristan Crew — for pulling off an event that felt both smooth and meaningful.
This year introduced a split format — attendees could choose between a Coaching Track and a Management Track. I leaned into the management side, and sustainability was front and centre.
Some standout sessions:
Gareth Knight (Toro) shared smart turf care strategies for modern operations.
Andrew Johnston (Sentosa Golf Club) showed how high-end golf and eco-friendly design can go hand in hand.
Jonathan Wallett delivered a fantastic talk on building scalable golf academies with clear structure and standards.
Over in the coaching sessions, it was all about developing the complete golfer. Highlights included:
Dr. Ian Peek on mental game and tour-level mindset.
Kiran Mistry on the importance of physical conditioning.
Steven Furlonger on how 3D motion tech is changing instruction.
I especially enjoyed Carl Heaton’s session on AI and digital marketing — a real eye-opener for me. An area I want to embrace more in my work, and where I'm lagging.
Other big moments:
Brad Burgess (STS) introduced Zoysia Lynkz, a new turfgrass with real potential for Asia.
Araya Singhsuwan (AGS) gave an inspiring personal talk on her leadership journey.
Will Hewitt (59Club) made data and benchmarking surprisingly fun and impactful.
Mark Reeves (BRG Group) brought his usual humour and wisdom on managing multi-site operations.
Nick Redfern (Foresight Sports) demoed the QuadMAX launch monitor — cutting-edge gear.
The content was great during the day, but the real magic happened in the conversations between sessions, at dinners, and out on the golf course.
Monday night’s Welcome Party was a relaxed, fun way to kick things off. Wednesday night’s Gala Dinner on the beach was a highlight — warm weather, barefoot in the sand, great food, and great company. Doesn’t get much better.
We wrapped the week with a round at Laguna Golf Phuket, reminding all of us why we got into this business in the first place.
One of the standout memories for me was attending the 59Club Awards Night on Tuesday at the beautiful Banyan Tree Phuket. This invitation-only event recognised clubs and individuals from across the region for outstanding performance.
Sean and I were proud to present the Greenkeeper of the Year 2024 award (on behalf of Golf Industry.Asia) to:
🟢 Brad Revill – Nikanti Golf Club, Bangkok
A massive congrats to Brad — well deserved.
(L/R Sean Plunkett, Staff accepting on Brad's behalf, Mike Orloff)
There was one quote from the week that really hit home. Paul Wilson, MD at Laguna Phuket, said:
“Working overseas can feel isolating at times. This conference reminds us that we’re part of a bigger community.”
And that’s exactly it.
This wasn’t just another industry event. It was a chance to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, exchange ideas, and walk away inspired.
To the PGA GB&I team — brilliant job. And to everyone who made the trip, thanks for the chats, laughs, and insight.
Wayne Johnson said it best as he wrapped things up:
“This year marked a big step forward. The new format gave real choice, and the energy was fantastic. We’re already planning 2026.”
