In this session, Sam MacPhail, CEO of Golf PEI, will break down the ABCs of Destination Marketing—Audit Your Assets & Data, Build Partnerships, and Content & Storytelling—into a simple, repeatable playbook any golf course can use to grow demand. Sam shows how to audit digital assets, understand your customer data, build strategic collaborations, and create compelling storytelling that drives long-term interest. Attendees will leave with a practical roadmap to elevate their course from a place to play into a destination worth travelling for.

Whether you’re a high-traffic resort course, a local municipal facility, or a hidden gem off the beaten path, this session delivers actionable tools you can put to work immediately.

Key Takeaways:

• Audit your assets & data to understand your strengths, gaps, and opportunities.
• Build partnerships with accommodations, tourism boards, and local businesses to expand reach and create high-value offers.
• Create content & storytelling that fuels FOMO, showcases your experience, and differentiates your course.
• Use insights to iterate—track demand, digital performance, and guest behaviour to refine your marketing over time.

This fast-paced, hands-on workshop will show restaurant operators how to transform their menus into powerful profit tools. In just 45 minutes, you'll learn the principles of menu engineering, how to analyze item performance, cost out recipes accurately, and position high-margin dishes to drive sales and improve your bottom line.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand your menu’s profit drivers by learning how to identify which items make money and which ones hold the business back.
• Gain confidence in pricing decisions by using data-driven insights to price strategically, not emotionally.
• Develop an actionable menu improvement plan.
• Leave with a clear framework to adjust, promote, or remove items for maximum profitability.
• Increase profit margins without raising costs by discovering subtle design, layout, and sales strategies that lift revenue per guest.

The landscape of leisure and golf is evolving rapidly. This session uncovers the latest insights on consumer and golfer behaviors, generational priorities, and economic perspectives in Canada offering a forward-looking view towards 2026.

Come explore what golfers want, how and where consumers are allocating their spending, how priorities are evolving, and which trends are expected to shape the industry. This session delivers actionable insights for operators ready to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognize shifting leisure priorities and evolving golfer expectations to tailor experiences and offerings.
• Learn how golfers view the economy and political climate and how these perspectives influence travel, spending, and participation.
• Delve into the growing economic divide among golfers and what that means to your operation.
• Examine the sustainability of the golf boom and why balancing High Tech and High Touch experiences is a critical factor for success in an increasingly digital world.
• Discover how gamification and expanded engagement strategies are transforming the golf experience and operational opportunities for facilities.

Discover how to future-proof your golf business with a strategic approach to succession planning. What happens when it’s time to pass the torch? Without a clear plan, years of hard work and legacy can be left vulnerable. This session will guide owners and operators through the essential steps of succession planning—helping you protect business continuity, maximize value, and set the stage for long-term success.

Whether you’re considering a family handoff, a management buyout, a third-party operator, or a sale, you’ll learn how to evaluate your options, align them with your financial and personal goals, and create a roadmap that ensures your vision carries forward.

Key Takeaways:

• How to define your long-term vision and legacy for your golf business.
• Understanding business valuation and what drives enterprise value.
• Identifying and preparing the right successors to lead into the future.
• Pros and cons of succession options: family transition, management buyout, third-party management, or sale.
• Building a transition plan that balances financial outcomes with legacy goals.

No matter the size or type of facility, every golf business faces the moment when it’s time to raise the stakes with a new strategy. This session takes you inside GolfPEI’s playbook—showing how one destination used strategic planning, research, and guest feedback to sharpen its competitive edge and deliver results that can be applied across the industry.

From identifying the need and mapping “the path forward,” to turning insights into action, this case study offers practical lessons that any golf destination, multi-course operator, or single facility can apply to elevate marketing communications and stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognize when your club / business / operation is ready for a new strategic plan
• Use proven tools (SWOT, goal setting, research) to guide decisions
• Turn guest feedback into actionable insights
• Build marketing strategies that truly differentiate your property

Step into this session and leave with a playbook of strategies you can bring back to your own facility. It’s a winning hand of ideas designed to help you strengthen your position and keep your business ahead of the game.

This workshop is designed specifically for individuals who want to turn their clubhouse dining experience into a profitable, well-run operation. You'll learn a step-by-step approach to building a food & beverage program that complements your course, attracts new golfers, and drives year-round revenue.

Through a simple framework, we'll explore how to identify the right concept for your unique market, build systems for consistency and accountability, and create a menu that balances quality, speed, and profitability. Whether you’re managing a small snack bar or a full-service clubhouse, this workshop will give you actionable tools to elevate both guest experiences and financial performance.

Key Takeaways:

• Define your F&B Identity: Align your program with brand, guest expectations, and local market opportunity.
• Build Systems for Consistency: Operational tools that ensure every shift runs with quality—even when you're not there.
• Engineer for Profit: Design and price a menu that maximizes margin and drives per-golfer spend.
• Sustain Growth Year-Round: Extend revenue with events, catering, and off-season strategies.

If you’re an owner, manager, or team member at a golf club, cybersecurity might feel overwhelming—or worse, like someone else’s problem. In this clear, no-jargon session, you'll learn how to protect your organization from cyber threats. With nearly half of all cyber attacks targeting small and mid-sized businesses, it's not a matter of if, but when. The good news? You don’t need a massive budget or technical background to make a big impact. Gain practical, budget-friendly strategies from a 26-year cybersecurity veteran who knows how to cut through the noise and get results.

Key Takeaways:

• Who is responsible for keeping your business secure—it might not be who you think
• What tools and services are essential—and which ones you can skip
• Where to focus your security efforts for the biggest return on investment
• When to act, how often to review, and what timelines matter most
• Why hackers target businesses like yours—and how to make yourself a less attractive target

By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with a clear, actionable roadmap to strengthen your business’s cyber defenses—no tech speak required.

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue—it’s a business survival issue. Make sure your club is ready.

This session is designed to help you capitalize on the surge of golf content, the rise of influencers, and the influx of new golfers—whether you’re private, public, busy, or wide open. Learn how to build a confident social presence, translate influencer buzz into bookings, and remove barriers for newcomers without sacrificing your brand.

Key Takeaways:

• Create a strong, sustainable social media presence across your team.
• Turn influencer messages into measurable profit at your course.
• Adopt a practical game plan to welcome new golfers at any type of facility.

Ready to step up into your first leadership role in the golf industry? This interactive session is designed specifically for first-time managers and aspiring leaders, whether you're a new GM, Head Pro, Restaurant Manager, or future golf course owner.

Stepping up means more than just a title change. It's about mastering the fundamentals that separate good managers from great leaders.

Perfect for first-time NGCOA Canada Conference attendees and up-and-coming professionals ready to make their mark in golf course management, the session will cover:

• How to navigate the tricky transition from peer to boss
• Motivating teams across multiple generations
• Handle conflict with confidence

First impressions matter — especially for new golfers. This interactive workshop explores how facilities can make every golfer feel welcome from the start. Learn how to recognize the subtle barriers that discourage participation and discover proven strategies to create a more inclusive, engaging, and enjoyable experience for all.

Key Takeaways:

• Gain practical tools and strategies to make your golf course or operation more inviting to new golfers.
• Learn how to identify and remove common barriers that discourage participation.
• Explore effective communication and teaching techniques that help new golfers feel comfortable, confident, and eager to return.

Every successful operation thrives when commitments turn into action—and yet, even the most dedicated teams sometimes struggle to follow through. This engaging and interactive session explores the psychology behind motivation and accountability, helping owners, operators, and managers better understand what drives both their own behaviour and that of their teams.

Participants will discover practical tools and simple coaching techniques to strengthen follow-through, foster accountability, and build a positive, action-oriented culture. By learning how to inspire rather than enforce, you’ll walk away ready to empower your staff, elevate team morale, and enhance both operational performance and guest satisfaction.

Through a mix of teaching, exercises, and open dialogue, this session will be informative, energizing, and designed to spark meaningful change across your team and your business.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand the psychological drivers behind motivation and accountability
• Learn practical coaching techniques to inspire consistent follow-through
• Build a culture of ownership and teamwork that enhances staff morale
• Strengthen your own leadership habits to model accountability
• Improve operations and guest experience through a more engaged team