Continue to Learn Conference 2023 - Monday

John Kemp has worked in the golf industry for 18 years and holds a BA in Golf Management, a Professional Diploma for the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, CMDip from Club Managers Association of Europe and is an R&A Greenkeeping Scholar.

As Project Manager - Golf Course 2030 at The R&A he is responsible for leading the industry to develop practical solutions to the key sustainability priorities for golf courses globally.

Dr Marie Athorn joined the RSPB in January 2020 to undertake the role of Business Conservation Advisor to The R&A as part of the partnership between the RSPB and The R&A. Conservation and ecology have always been her passion and Marie has shaped her career in these fields. Marie has played golf her whole life and felt this role was a great opportunity to combine those two things and use her job to increase awareness and support for biodiversity conservation on golf courses.

Lara is golf course superintendent and agronomist at Marco Simone G&CC, which will host The Ryder Cup in 2023. This will be the first Ryder Cup to take place in Italy, while the venue will also host the Italian Open in May 2023. 

The course opened in 1989 but in 2018 was redesigned by European Golf Design and Tom Fazio II, with the work finally completed in 2021 to include longer holes and more bunkers.

Agronomical engineer having a complete education about turfgrasses, golf courses construction, irrigation, drainage and landscaping in some of the best institutions.
Former Superintendent at Le Golf National, Paris. Le Golf National hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup Matches.

Currently working as Director of Agronomy for T.A.S and Director of Agronomy at Marco Simone Golf Club, site of the 2023 Ryder Cup Matches.

Eric Chen is the specialist Biologicals Technical Manager for Syngenta Turf & Landscape across Europe, Africa & Middle East (EAME). With the growing importance of biological products to enhance the agronomy of turf management, his role is to further develop the company’s exciting new technologies. Eric graduated in crop and soil sciences from Beijing Forestry University in China, before continuing education and research at Michigan State and Rutgers University in the US. He gained his PhD in plant biology with emphasis on turfgrass management from Rutgers University.

During his work in the US he also pioneered new techniques to enhance management of turfgrass stress due to biotic and abiotic factors and published numerous research papers. Since moving to Europe and the UK, Eric has worked as a research scientist at the internationally acclaimed STRI (formerly the Sports Turf Research Institute) at Bingley in Yorkshire. He has been involved with collaborative university and commercial businesses to instigate, trial and develop precision plant management tools and techniques.

Zach joined the Green Section in the spring of 2016 as an agronomist in the Central Region. He is based in the Columbus, Ohio, office and conducts visits in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada as well as providing educational outreach throughout the Central Region.

Working on a golf course during high school inspired Zach to pursue a degree in turfgrass science at Penn State University. Upon completing his degree, he worked as an assistant superintendent at St. Clair Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pa., French Creek Golf Club in Elverson, Pa., and Bidermann Golf Course in Wilmington, Del. Zach went on to become the South Course Superintendent at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Del., where he spent four years before joining the USGA Green Section.

Jim has been CEO of BIGGA since 2011 and is a passionate campaigner working on behalf of the UK's greenkeepers. Having grown up on a golf course, Jim has a lifelong passion for the golfing industry and he regularly speaks to the leaders at all of golf's governing bodies to promote greater respect and improving working conditions for golf's greenkeepers.

Martin was a Police Officer for 27.5 years, for 23 of those years he was an operational Authorised Firearms Officer. Within this specialised field of police work he deployed in a variety of capacities, armed response, close protection, counter terrorism, firearms command and was a nationally qualified Firearms Tactical Advisor.

Upon retiring 9 years ago, Martin took up the game of golf and joined his local club at Ingestre Park. He then became involved in Management Committees and subsequently the board of Directors. Since April 2021, he has held the position of Greens Director and hase conducted a full review of the Greens Department, a very steep learning curve coupled with a major redevelopment of the golf course due to the HS2 trainline.

Dr. Frank Rossi (@fsr3) is an Associate Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University where he leads the Turfgrass Science Program and teaches courses in horticulture, turfgrass science and food systems. He has advised more than 25 graduate students who have gone on to contribute to both the study and practice of turfgrass science, water quality protection, as well as Veterinary Medicine and Organic Golf Course Management.
He’s published scientific books, chapters, articles, columns, videos, and podcasts, mostly because he can’t stop talking about grass. You can hear him on the popular “Frankly Speaking” Podcast @Turfnet.com.

Frank has had a long career advocating for excellence in environmental stewardship and is passionate about firm, fast, safe, playing surfaces and
recognized throughout his career as among the most influential people receiving the 2017 John Reid Lifetime Achievement Award from the Metropolitan Golf Course Supt. Association and the 2018 GCSAA President’s Award for Environmental Stewardship.

Frank is married and the father of three children, Past-President of his local school board, and a Gentleman Farmer specializing in humanely and pasture-raised Heritage Breed pigs and poultry (@belcantofarm).

Christian Spring trained in Environmental Science at the University of Stirling and stayed there to study for his PhD focusing on soil science. Christian joined STRI in 2005 and has spent his whole career carrying out practical applied research into all aspects of turfgrass management and science. Christian’s current role within STRI is as Principal Scientist, where he works across the whole of STRI Group to support each business with the technical and science needs. Education and training is an essential element of disseminating practical science, as well as ensuring science is focussed on the challenges and problems faced by turf managers. Christian is a passionate and enthusiastic educator and communicator on all matters turf, soil and surface management related.

Deborah founded Lagan Valley Scientific to support the amenity industry through independent research, consultancy, and education. With almost 20 years experience in interdisciplinary research, she combines plant health with molecular biology techniques in her consultancy. She supports turf managers identify pests & diseases routinely through The Turf Clinic which specialises in the identification and management of plant parasitic nematodes.

Jeremy has been involved in the golf course business since 1976. In that time, he has worked throughout Europe, the United States and Africa.

Prior to graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Turf Management Jeremy spent time as a Course Manager in the UK. After graduating, he worked for the design company of Robert Trent Jones Sr, first as a construction manager, following which he became a Design Associate and Senior Projects Coordinator. Based predominantly in the US, Jeremy was involved in the largest single golf course design project in history – the Alabama State Retirement Fund commissioned Robert Trent Jones to design and construct 18 golf courses under one contract. During his time with the company, Jeremy was also responsible for the company’s European Operations based in Spain. In addition to his design function, he specialised in construction management and logistics.

Jeremy joined European Golf Design in 1994, becoming Managing Director two years later. In addition to overseeing the successful day-to-day operation of the Company, his specific responsibilities include meeting with potential and existing clients, assisting in the initial analysis of projects and then overseeing the Company’s services for each of its projects. Given the wide geographic range of the Company’s business and the equally wide range of clients for whom the Company is working, Jeremy is acutely aware of current trends as they relate to golf resort development, together with the technical, financial and practical issues that result. Jeremy is a frequent speaker at international conferences and seminars as well as a regular contributor to magazines and periodicals.

Lee Strutt is the Director of Golf Courses and Estates at Loch Lomond. Lee was previously Director of Agronomy at Cabot Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Lee has been in the greenkeeping industry for more than forty years and has combined his time working on different style golf courses and cool season turf types. He has worked on links to Parkland to Members clubs to worldwide ranked courses. He has managed both operational golf courses as well as undertook construction and grow in’s with world renowned golf architects.
Lee has a passion to help, contribute and develop the next generation of turf managers and this has manifested through teaching and speaking at events around the globe as well as being involved with Bigga’s FTMI (Future Turf Managers Initiative).
Lee has also held a deep interest in team development and culture change within the workplace. Identifying barriers and developing solutions that benefit both the team and individuals but also to benefit the business.

Phil has successfully led organisation change throughout a career spanning over 35 years in the golf industry and is recognised as one of golf's most progressive thinkers.

Today's Golfer claimed that Royal Norwich was the “blueprint for clubs of the future” before going on to achieving runner-up in World Golf Development of the Year after its successful £17m relocation in 2019 under Phil’s stewardship.

Phil is the founder of Golf Transition Management (GTMgolf) where he guides clubs through evolutionary change or 'full on' revoluntionary change, depending on what's required. He is also a founding partner in GC Media. He has been a PGA member for over 30 years and past chairman of the GCMA.