5th Golf Innovation Symposium: Schedule of Events

Speaker Bios: English l Japanese 日本語でのスケジュールはこちらをご覧ください Symposium Home

All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)

Times, presentations and speakers are subject to change

Watch Live

Symposium Opening and Welcome | 1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.
- Tsunetada Takeda, Japan Golf Association (JGA)
Introduction: Advancing the Game | 1:10 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.
- Mike Davis, USGA
USGA/Cisco Partnership | 1:25 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Rob Neumann, Cisco
USGA Challenge Statement: Improving golfer experience and reducing resource consumption | 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
- Rand Jerris, USGA
Snapshot of Japanese Golf Facilities: Presenting research conducted for the Symposium | 1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
- Shigeki Mitsuishi, Yano Research
- Ray Cronin, Club Benchmarking
Video: Golf and Urbanization | 2:15 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
International Models for Golf: Insights from around the world for strengthening facility management and operations | 2:20 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
- Kimberly Erusha, USGA
- Jay Karen, National Golf Course Owners Association
- Gerard Kennedy, Golf Australia
BREAK | 3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Investing in Innovation: Ideas for improvements in course design, land use, maintenance equipment and golfer engagement | 3:45 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Moderator: Nobuya Ishizaka, Golf Digest Online
- Jeff Blume, American Society of Golf Course Architects
- Dana Lonn, Toro
- David Pierce, USGA
- Masaharu Fujita, Hamanako Country Club
New View of Data: USGA GPS Service case studies at Kasumigaseki CC and Crandon Golf | 5 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- Scott Mingay, USGA
- Ryoichi Ohno, Kasumigaseki Country Club
- John Sanford, Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne

Fireside chat: Golf and the Olympics | 8:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
- Moderator: Sho Tobari
- Shigeki Maruyama: Japan Olympics golf coach; winner on the Japan Tour and PGA Tour
- Koji Murofushi: Sports Director, Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; 2004 Olympics

What Golfers (and Non-Golfers) Tell Us: Presenting research conducted for the Symposium | 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
- Shigeki Mitsuishi, Yano Research
Opening the Door: Programs to foster participation among the next generations of golfers | 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
- Yoshihiro Nishi, Hong Kong Golf Association
- Kiichi Sorimachi, Rakuten Gora
Video: ‘Come and Gather and Enjoy’ | 9:30 a.m. – 9:35 a.m.
Defining Golfer Experience: First look at new research that identifies the most important factors impacting satisfaction | 9:35 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
- Eric Brey, University of Wisconsin-Stout
- Kris Schoonover, University of Wisconsin-Stout
BREAK | 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Measuring Golfer Experience: A solution for listening to golfers | 10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
- Jacob Buksted, Players 1st
The Power of One Minute: How a small change can improve the experiences of elite golfers | 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
- Lauren Johnson, USGA
- Andy Yamanaka, JGA

Video: Reversing the Trend | 12:55 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
The Value of Golf in an Urban Ecosystem: A case study from the Natural Capital Project | 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Brian Horgan, University of Minnesota
Can Short Courses Save Golf? Participation, experience and finances of short courses | 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Moderator: Benjamin Warren, Artisan Golf Design
- Forrest Richardson, Forrest Richardson & Associates
- Robert Roussille, Golf Up
BREAK | 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The Reality of Simulators: What the golf industry can learn from how indoor facilities are introducing newcomers to the game | 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Moderator: Bruce Lucker, Signature Group
- Tommy Lim, Golfzon
- Akihiro Konno, Golfzon

Video: Redefining Golf Facilities | 3:30 p.m. – 3:35 p.m.
What is a Golf Facility? Panel discussion about creating opportunities for participants | 3:35 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
- Moderator: Erik Anders Lang
- Edwin Roald, Eureka Golf
- Federico Valdez Adame, Mexican Golf Federation
- Nobuya Ishizaka, Golf Digest Online
- Rand Jerris, USGA
The Road Ahead: Recap and next steps for advancing the game in Japan and around the world | 4:20 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.