Continue to Learn Conference 2026 - Day 2

Impostor syndrome is more common than you think, even among the most successful professionals. That nagging feeling that you don’t truly deserve your achievements? It’s time to challenge it. In this engaging and interactive keynote, we’ll uncover the root causes of impostor syndrome, explore why high achievers are particularly susceptible, and equip you with practical strategies to silence your inner critic. Through thought‑provoking discussions, real‑life stories, and actionable techniques, you’ll learn how to reframe self‑doubt, own your accomplishments, and build unshakable confidence. Expect a session that’s eye‑opening, empowering, and designed to leave you feeling ready to step fully into your success, without the fear of being ‘found out.’

• Recognising impostor syndrome in yourself and others
• Reframing self‑doubt into confidence
• Owning your success and impact
• Creating a culture of support and positivity

Presented by:

Alice Beveridge

Director and Speaker Tree of Knowledge

Inspirational keynote speaker, first-class facilitator and qualified coach, Alice Beveridge is driving transformational change across the business community. Armed with a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and a degree in Primary Teaching, Alice’s innovative and engaging approach is in demand! Never one to be described as conventional, Alice brings a fusion of proven methodologies and dynamic storytelling to her work. By integrating Lego Serious Play into her sessions, she navigates complex corporate challenges with tangible, solutions. Her expertise isn’t confined to the boardroom; it’s an experiential journey that leaves a lasting impact. A Director at Tree of Knowledge, one of the UK’s most exciting people development organisations, Alice has worked across multiple sectors, some of which include tech, finance, education, health, sport and housing. Alice is on a mission to redefine corporate learning experiences, she’ll leave you inspired, your brain will hurt and your people will ask for more.

New research and development techniques can identify how stress factors impact on the health of turf, and the role of genes in upregulating the plant’s natural response mechanisms. Using the power of Artificial Intelligence to interrogate the immense amount of data gathered in trials, specialist biostimulant scientists can now start to tease out how different products work in different situations – to better combat specific stresses. Backed with comprehensive new on‑course biostimulant trials in the UK, France and the Nordics. With the role of biostimulants becoming ever more important in Integrated Turf Management (ITM) strategies for sustainable turf surfaces, understanding the way different products work, along with where and when to use them, will be essential to get the best possible performance.

• Understand how biostimulants work in plants
• Select the best biostimulant for different situations
• See results of season long biostimulant programmes in the UK
• Gain from longer‑term experiences of Nordic turf managers

Presented by:

Dr Eric Chen PhD

Biologicals Technical Manager EAME Syngenta

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.

New Zealand has a long‑standing heritage in browntop bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris, formerly Agrostis tenuis) breeding and export, primarily due to its ideal growing conditions and expertise in pasture and turfgrass management. This session will provide delegates with an exclusive overview of some key aspects of this heritage.

Browntop bentgrass is a naturalised grass in New Zealand, thriving in its temperate climate, growing well in low‑fertility acid soils and low input regimes. More recent cultivars have been selected for fine texture, drought tolerance, and disease resistance, making them highly desirable (and sustainable) for golf courses, sports fields, and lawns worldwide. New Zealand has a history of selecting and breeding superior strains of browntop to improve turf quality, colour retention, and adaptability to different climates. There has been a focus on low‑input, sustainable varieties that require minimal fertilisation and irrigation. New Zealand’s heritage in browntop bentgrass breeding and export is built on natural advantages, scientific innovation, and strong export infrastructure. The industry continues to grow, with increasing demand for sustainable, high‑performance turfgrass solutions worldwide.

• An appreciation of the history of browntop bentgrass breeding in New Zealand
• How New Zealand has influenced browntop bentgrass production on a global scale
• An insight into what we look to measure in terms of key performance characteristics in our browntop breeding programmes
• How a browntop breeding programme is designed
• What is the future of browntop breeding in New Zealand and how will this affect global supply and product development

Presented by:

Will Bowden

R&D Turf Agronomist & Product Development Manager PGGWTurf (DLF)

Will Bowden has worked in the turf sector for over 20 years. Will began his career in the UK and after graduating from college, eventually reaching a position of Course Manager before relocating to New Zealand in the mid 2000s. Will worked as a course superintendent at Akarana Golf Course (Auckland), before taking up the role of Turf Agronomist for an independent turf consultancy led by Dr Richard Gibbs. After 10 years, Will established his own independent turf consultancy that focused heavily upon R&D and providing independent research to NZ, AUS and European clients. In 2023 Will was selected to become the R&D Turf Agronomist & Product Development Manager for PGGWTurf (DLF) and support the Oceania team (a unique role within the NZ turf sector). Over recent years, Will has been heavily involved in the turfgrass breeding and selection programmes at the Kimihia Research Centre. These programmes include a wide range of cool and warm season turf types. With a passion for environmental sustainability, Will works with NZ turfgrass breeders to screen cultivars for environmental resilience as well as playability performance.

Ever wondered if you can work better with your management committee, green chair or green committee? The unique thing about private member golf clubs is that qualified greenkeeping professionals are asked to work with volunteers who possibly have little training or experience beyond playing the game, and just to help matters still further, they change every few years! It is categorically not the members fault, but you would never set a business up like this, and it’s not your club so there are some things you have to live with. This session will help you to “leverage the governance you’ve got” and gradually turn the dials to a more business‑like set up with a more effective relationship between Golf Course Management (the qualified professionals) and Club Committees (those elected by the members to oversee the course). There is a scoring system to measure just how bad governance can get, but more importantly to help you make progress with those volunteers at the club, who like it or not, have your career in their hands.

Together, you will be able to work with your staff and committees to focus on what is important and lead the golf course in the right direction.

• Discuss ideal (and less than ideal) protocols and behaviours of the golf course committees
• Rate your club’s performance and measure your golf course leadership handicap
• Create a simple action plan to improve the leadership of your golf course
• Help your committee members to fulfil their role effectively

Presnted by:

Kevin Fish

Director Contemporary Club Leadership Ltd

Kevin has over 20 years of experience in the Club Industry.  A former Club Manager at the Glen Golf Club in North Berwick (1999-2008), Kevin was named the UK Golf Club Manager of the Year in 2004. He was in the first group of Europeans to be awarded the CCM (Certified Club Manager) qualification in 2008.  Kevin went on to work for the National Governing Body for golf in Scotland (SGU) for 7 years, leading a team providing support to hundreds of Scottish Golf clubs.

As the Chairman of the CMAE Education Policy Board Kevin was responsible for bringing Management Development Programme (MDP) education to club managers in Europe. He regularly tops the presenter charts at MDP events whilst sharing his knowledge of Club Governance, Business Planning, Committee Politics, Customer Service and Professional/Personal  Development, as well as addressing the annual CMAA World Conference of Club Management more than a dozen occasions.

In 2014 Kevin became the first European to be invited on to the CMAA Committee for Professional Development, the body that oversees the curriculum and qualifications for the club industry across the globe.

In this session, we dive into the concept of neurodiversity, how it impacts individuals and how it can be helped in the workplace. With key focus on ADHD and autism, the aim is to bring understanding and empathy to these conditions and help make more neurodiverse friendly workplaces.

• Understand the autism spectrum
• Understand ADHD
• Learn why phrases like “we’re all a bit autistic” or “we’re all a bit OCD” are not helpful
• Understand changes that can be made to make a more neurodiverse friendly workplace

Presented by:

Dave Cottrell

Lead Trainer Mental Health Educator

Dave Cottrell aka Mindset By Dave is a Mindset coach and a lived experience educator around Mental Health. With his own history of living with Type 2 Bipolar Disorder, Dave brings a unique and relatable persepctive to mental health education that you cannot find in a text book.

Dave speaks passionately and insightfully on topics such as depression, anxeity, stress and coping strategies, eating disorders and more. In the past 3 years Dave's work has earned him three prestigious awards including a Points of Light Award from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, for Dave's work bringing mental health education to children and their families over the pandemic. This work along with the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Trust and their "Change Talks" team also received a nomination for the Health Services Journal (HSJ) Mental Health Innovation of The Year in 2022 and then went on to receive the Chairman's award at the Time To Shine awards 2023.

Golf courses are often seen purely as sporting venues, but at Carnoustie Golf Links, we’re redefining what these landscapes can offer. This session will explore how the sustainability department is building a stronger relationship between the Links and the local community by showcasing the golf course as a thriving nature reserve. Through partnerships with schools, nature groups, and public engagement initiatives such as guided walks, educational presentations, and our annual BioBlitz, we’re fostering a deeper appreciation for the biodiversity that exists within our fairways. The BioBlitz, in particular, plays a key role in connecting the people of Carnoustie with the land, encouraging hands‑on involvement in citizen science and conservation.

Attendees will gain insights into how golf courses can serve as vital green spaces, balancing playability with environmental stewardship. This session will also provide practical strategies that other golf venues can adapt to enhance their own community engagement and environmental initiatives, helping to position golf courses as valuable assets not just for sport, but for nature and local communities alike.

• Understanding golf courses as ecosystems
• Engaging communities in sustainability
• Shifting perceptions of golf and nature
• Practical strategies for community involvement
• The future of sustainable golf management

Presented by:

Craig Boath

Head of Sustainability, Carnoustie Golf Links Carnoustie Golf Links

Craig Boath is the Head of Sustainability at Carnoustie Golf Links. Throughout his tenure Craig has been instrumental in hosting multiple major tournaments, including three Open Championships, two Senior Opens, and one Women’s British Open. His commitment to sustainability has been evident through various initiatives, such as the development of habitats to support native bumblebees, which earned Carnoustie the Operation Pollinator Award in 2016. Under his leadership the Links have undertaken significant eco-regeneration projects including the planting of 1,000 trees to enhance local biodiversity and the ongoing conservation efforts for the small blue butterfly. Craig’s efforts have not only enhanced the ecological value of Carnoustie Golf Links but have also garnered recognition, including the Climate Action Award at the 2021 IAGTO Sustainability Awards, as well as the inaugural Sustainability Award at The Golf Course Awards 2024.

Jodie Docherty

Sustainability Coordinator Carnoustie Golf Links

This session highlights the importance of proactive collaboration between water retailers, wholesalers, and golf courses in the UK. It explores sustainable water management, resource efficiency, regulatory compliance, climate resilience, and economic benefits. Strengthening these partnerships ensures long‑term water security, cost savings, and environmental stewardship, contributing to a more sustainable future. In addition to discussing the policies and legislation currently in place, the session will look at demonstrating the relevance of these to golf through a series of case studies and initiatives at golf facilities across the country.

• Understand sustainable water management
• Gain insight into best practices for optimising water use on golf courses while minimising waste and environmental impact
• Recognise the value of collaboration and learn how proactive relationships between water retailers, wholesalers, and golf courses drive efficiency and long‑term sustainability
• Navigate regulatory compliance

Presented by:

Mike Gray

Project Lead - Water Efficiency in Golf Castle Water

With extensive experience of the golf industry as PGA Commercial Director and Assistant Ryder Cup Director and now working in the Water Industry I have a particular interest in Water Security within Golf. Currently leading a project at Castle Water in relation to Water Efficiency by building proactive relationships with our Golf Course customers, helping them understand and embrace the topic of Water Efficiency as a part of their collective sustainability strategies and how the introduction on SMART metering can help reduce water consumption / reduce bills and provide early notification of leaks.

BIGGA CEO, Jim Croxton, will talk through the Association’s new strategy and associated targets before discussing his lessons from a lifetime in golf that can help our members navigate the modern golf club workplace.

• Understand the BIGGA strategy to elevate golf greenkeeping
• Understand how engaging with the strategy can help greenkeepers in their workplace
• Learn how to identify the real expectations and challenges within a workplace
• Understand how to take advantage of this knowledge and the perils of not doing so

Presented by:

Jim Croxton

Chief Executive Officer

Contact Jim

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.

This session will discuss moving your career potential to the next level, looking behind the process of executive and head hunted positions within the golf industry. Taking time to consider all the impacts that are made both positively and negatively for candidates and understanding the pitfalls that will equip candidates to excel their career to the next level.

• How to be recognised as a credible candidate for exclusive positions
• Learn all the do’s and don’ts that lead to positive and negative impressions
• How to present yourself through the recruitment stages
• How to talk about and sell yourself
• How to secure a successful career

Presented by:

Mr Lee Strutt MG, CGCS, PGDip

Director of Golf Courses and Estates Loch Lomond

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.

Michael Herd

Head of International Search & Consulting Koppline Knuebler & Wallace

Executive Search and Consulting professional within the global club industry. Partnered with premier clubs and resorts across the world, including the UK, Ireland, Europe, Middle East, China, Australia and New Zealand in delivering search mandates and consulting services. At KK&W, I’m focused on expanding our presence outside the US while continuing to provide tailored solutions and guidance to clubs around the world. My approach combines strategic insight, talent development, and a deep understanding of the unique needs of each club and resort.

Bethpage State Park (New York) is a 1,500 acre State Park available to everyone. Most famous for its Black Course, host of the Ryder Cup in 2025, Bethpage is also home to five golf courses in total, a polo field and picnic area with wooded walks and bike trails. For the past 30 years, park staff have created pollinator gardens throughout the property, monitored resident wildlife populations and hosted students, gardeners, biologists in an effort to educate and engage the community. Andrew Wilson will describe these efforts and the role of park staff in demonstrating the value of golf and greenspace for our neighbours.

• How the team at Bethpage manage the diverse areas at the park
• How ecology is managed over such a wide area
• Impacts of hosting the Ryder Cup on the site
• How the team engage with the golfers and the community to promote the value of golf

Presented by:

Andrew Wilson

Director of Agronomy Bethpage State Park

Andrew Wilson is the Director of Agronomy Bethpage State Park. Wilson has been at Bethpage State Park for over 35 years and has served as Director of Agronomy since 2010. He earned an English Degree from Fairfield University before graduating from Rutgers Professional Golf Turf Management Program in 2000 with High Honors. Wilson has been a GCSAA and LIGCSA member for over 20 years. During his time at Bethpage, Wilson took part in the planning and preparation for the 2002 and 2009 US Opens and as Director lead the Bethpage team for the 2012 and 2016 Barclays PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoff events, plus the 2019 PGA Championship. He had the privilege of working with Frank Rossi, Ph.D., and Jen Grant, Ph.D., on the Green Course Project at Bethpage which explored solutions for reducing pesticide and fertilizer inputs to golf courses. Bethpage has hosted local university students and professors, Girl Scouts, gardening and wildlife groups to improve and promote wildlife habitat and the role golf courses play in providing valuable recreation and green space for the local community. In 2025 Andrew and the team at Bethpage hosted golf's premier event, the Ryder Cup.