L/R - Mike Orloff, Rick Shiels, Sean Plunkett and Ben Styles at the recent Vietnam Golf Course Owners Summit in Hue.

Golf Industry Asia (GIA), the dedicated business-to-business (B2B) news, jobs, and event marketing platform for the 48-country Asian golf market, today announced the celebration of its first anniversary, marking a successful inaugural year of connecting and showcasing the region's dynamic industry.

Launched by industry veterans Mike Orloff (Australian and US PGA Member) and Sean Plunkett (GB/I and Hong Kong PGA Member), GIA successfully addressed a critical information gap, creating the first centralized platform for golf industry professionals across Asia.

Key Accomplishments in Year One:

• Established a Central Hub: Successfully launched www.golfindustry.asia as a leading dedicated B2B resource for news, jobs, and events, uniting the Asian golf community.
• Built Awareness and Network: GIA toured facilities and attended key regional events, earning a reputation for providing previously "incredibly hard and rare to find" industry information (Sean Plunkett).
• Showcased Regional Growth: The platform has begun fulfilling its core mission by highlighting amazing clubs, professionals, and unique cultures across the region.
• Secured Foundational Partnerships: The platform’s launch was supported by founding corporate partners, including Shanx Mini Golf, 59Club Asia, BRT Agronomy, and HandiCaddie.

Initiatives undertaken:

• PGA International Conference (Thailand)
• Industry Field Trip (Thailand)
• Vietnam Golf Owners Summit - Run by 54/PIF (Vietnam)
• Industry Field Trip (Vietnam)
• Asia Golf Industry Federation Summit (Malaysia)
• Industry Field Trip (Indonesia)
• Industry Field Trip (Singapore)
• NZGIC Whole of Golf Conference (New Zealand)
• Industry Field Trip (New Zealand/Australia)

Looking Ahead: Key Initiatives for 2026

As the Asian golf market continues its explosive growth trajectory, GIA will focus on accelerated connectivity and expansion:

• Deepening Content: Increase exclusive interviews, facility spotlights, and best practice articles to enhance knowledge sharing.
• Growing the Job Market: Develop the job platform into the premier resource for talent acquisition and career opportunities across the 48-country region.
• Strengthening Partnerships: Expand collaborations with industry associations and corporate partners to support regional development projects.

"Our first year was about building and strengthening our network and telling the stories of growth that are happening across Asia," said Co-Founder Mike Orloff. "2026 will be about accelerating the connectivity that the Asian golf industry deserves.

We want to be along on the ride to tell every story of growth to help inspire the industry."

GIA remains committed to being the essential resource for professionals driving the future of golf in Asia.

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About Golf Industry Asia: Golf Industry Asia is the News, Jobs, and Event Marketing Platform for the golf industry in Asia, founded by Mike Orloff and Sean Plunkett to connect and share knowledge across the 48-country Asian market.

For more information or to contact:

• Sign up for the newsletter https://www.golfindustry.asia/#footer
• https://www.facebook.com/GolfIndustryAsia
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/golf-industry-asia/
• Mike Orloff Mike@golfindustry.asia
• Sean Plunkett Sean@golfindustry.asia

About

Mike Orloff

Mike Orloff is a US and Australian PGA Member with more than 35 years of industry-wide experience, including 18 years working for two of the biggest international golf management companies in Australia and the USA – American Golf Corporation and ClubCorp.

Based on the Gold Coast, Australia, Mike consults with clients directly as well as via workshops and conferences in New Zealand, Australia and Southeast Asia.

Mike utilises his experience in the golf, club, leisure and resort industries to bring a refined approach to assisting clients.

Golf Industry Central was created by Mike in 2008 as a major golf industry portal for the Australasian region – offering news, jobs and operational advice all in one place. In 2015, the Golf Recruitment Central platform was launched to keep up with demand for the promotion of roles as well as recruitment services for the Australian/New Zealand market.

Sean Plunkett

Sean Plunkett is a member of both the Great Britain & Ireland and Hong Kong Professional Golf Associations, as well as an accredited member of the Club Management Association of Europe.

With more than 14 years’ experience within the Golf and Hospitality industry, Sean has worked at some of the world's most influential private member clubs and hotel resorts, including the Paul McGinley Golf Academy at Quinta Do Lago Resort, The Gleneagles Hotel and The Hong Kong Golf Club.

During his time within the industry, Sean has hosted some of the largest sporting events in history in both the men’s and women’s games, including The Solheim Cup, Aramco Team Series, European Tour, Asian Tour and LIVGolf.

Sean is a Director at Global Talent Solutions, where he leads an Executive Search Recruitment team specialising in the Global Golf and Hospitality industry. He helps/consults with clubs and resorts across the world to strategically recruit top professional leaders.