Rishi Narain – Head of Events, Sponsorship, and Membership at AGIF and Daniel Boongullaya – GM Flora Ville Golf & Country Club
For Indian golf club managers and superintendents, the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF)’s education and networking event—the AGIF Club and Turf Management Conference being held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 27 is a relatively inexpensive and valuable opportunity to be exposed to learnings from industry experts from across Asia, and keep up with rapid technology changes taking place in golf. The one-day event is being held at the top-class Flora Ville Golf & Country Club, about 35 minutes from the city center of Bangkok.
The event will see golf course general managers, superintendents, turf professionals, and industry leaders from across Thailand and Southeast Asia, delivering a platform focused on learning, operational best practices, autonomous maintenance machines, technology, water conservation, sustainability, innovation, and cross-regional collaboration.
India’s Rishi Narain, who has taken on the role of Head of Events, Sponsorship, and Membership for AGIF, is spearheading the organisation and coordination of this event, and commented:
“The AGIF is a true meeting place of industry professionals from around Asia and will be an excellent networking and education opportunity for people from India. Fortunately a couple of younger guys from India have already confirmed their attendance, which will expose them to what is going on around the world.”
The support of Flora Ville GCC General Manager Daniel Boongullaya and the Thailand Golf Course Superintendents Association has been critical for hosting the conference.
Flora Ville Golf & Country Club will host this month’s AGIF Club and Turf Management Conference
AGIF President Chris Gray, who also serves as Head of Sustainable Golf & Agronomy, Asia-Pacific at The R&A, will open the morning session with a segment on Sustainability Best Practices, underlining the ongoing importance of environmental responsibility in course operations.
The day will be divided into three sessions—morning, afternoon, and evening—combining expert talks, panel discussions, product showcases, and optional night golf. Notable program highlights include:
Morning session:
- Chris Gray: Sustainability best practices
- Panel discussion on manpower challenges – Attracting, training, and retaining greenkeepers
Panelists –- Daniel Boongullaya – General Manager, Flora Ville GCC
- Dave Chavalit Surangsee – Thai Country Club
- Adam Calver – GM, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club and AGIF Vice-President
- Interactive open mic: Addressing operational challenges
- Chris Geraghty – Managing Partner, 59Club Asia: Importance of player feedback on course maintenance
Afternoon session:
- Mark Siegel – MD, Golfasian: Golf Tourism – Maintaining Thailand’s Leadership
- Yeon Im-wook – CEO, Smartscore Global: Technology in Golf – Innovations and Benefits
- Andrew Knott – Director, All Thailand Golf Centre: Matching your Practice Areas with Golf Course conditions
- Darren Moore – Director of Agronomy, Stonehill: Getting Your Course ready for a Big Tournament
- Long Nguyen of Jebsen & Jessen will lead a session showcasing new product technologies.
- Jeffrey Eshuis from Centaur Asia Pacific will conduct a live demonstration of an autonomous mower, spotlighting automation and efficiency in turf maintenance.
Evening session:
Attendees will receive certificates of attendance and have the option to play nine or 18 holes of night golf at Flora Ville Golf & Country Club, concluding the day with drinks and dinner for more informal networking.
Upcoming events:
The AGIF has also announced two major events scheduled for later this year:
- Kuala Lumpur (October 29–30) at the Sime Darby Convention Centre, aligned with the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship.
- Vietnam (November 1–2) – details to be announced soon.
These events will further AGIF’s mission of fostering sustainable and progressive practices across Asia’s golf industry.
This year’s AGIF conferences and events are shaping up to be a valuable forum for decision-makers and course managers to gain new insights, share operational experiences, and engage with industry-changing technologies in real time.
For further details, visit – agif.asia