Industry Leaders Gather at Royal Automobile 

Club, as UKGF and The R&A Unite 

on Golf’s Future

We were thrilled to host a sold-out 

GolfBIC Members’ Dinner last night at the historic 

Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, with industry 

leaders coming together to discuss the current 

position of the golf industry and its future.

 

A keynote address by Mark Darbon, 

Chief Executive of The R&A, concluded the 

evening. Addressing a room of golf club owners, 

operators, and disrupters - a particular favourite 

of UKGF Chairman Richard Haygarth - Darbon

emphasized the notable growth of the industry 

across both traditional and new formats, and 

highlighted the R&A’s commitment to the game’s 

growth worldwide.

 

During his address, Darbon touched upon 

several strategic pillars for the future of the sport,

including uniting the sport across more than 

150+ territories around the world, inspiring new 

and existing generations through the various 

R&A Championships and providing leadership for

a positive future in golf in partnership with valued 

industry bodies.

 

"The strength of our industry lies in our ability to 

work together,” said Doug Poole, CEO of the 

UK Golf Federation. "Having Mark Darbon here to

speak directly with our members is a massive 

step forward. It signals a new era where 

governing bodies and facility operators are 

moving in the same direction, continuing to build 

upon the growth that the industry has seen in 

recent years”.