From 29 April to 1 May 2026, representatives from 20 emerging golf nations across Europe gathered in Vienna for The R&A Emerging Markets Conference, hosted at the Austrian Golf Federation's Performance and Competency Centre. The three-day event brought together 32 delegates, united by a shared ambition: to grow and diversify the game of golf in their respective countries. The European Golf Association was proud to be part of this collaborative effort, which represents an important step forward for the development of golf across the continent.
The scale of the opportunity is hard to ignore. The 20 nations in attendance collectively represent a population of nearly 150 million people yet currently account for just 180,000 engaged golfers. Encouragingly, the sport is gaining ground faster there than almost anywhere else in the world, with participation growing at more than five times the global average rate.
The conference drew on a wide range of expertise, with speakers from organisations including Erasmus, the International Golf Federation, Smash Swing, Golf Pod, and Golfway sharing practical insights and, in some cases, concrete opportunities for federations to take home.
A central theme throughout the conference hosted by The R&A was strategic planning. Federations were guided through a structured process of self-assessment, covering their national golf landscape, key challenges, measurable goals, and realistic budgeting. One of the most energising aspects of this process was the open exchange between delegates, who quickly discovered how many challenges they share in common. Far from being isolated in their difficulties, federations left with a stronger sense of community and the confidence that comes from knowing others are navigating similar journeys.
Funding was another major focus. Delegates were introduced to the concept of Social Impact measurement, a framework for quantifying the health and well-being benefits of sport that can support applications for government and institutional funding. Delegates also heard from Erasmus+ and the International Golf Federation about programmes that many federations were previously unaware of, opening new doors for financing sport development projects at both regional and international level.
The conference also shone a light on practical, low-cost facility solutions designed to bring golf to new audiences. Companies including Smash Swing, Golf Pod, and Golfway presented innovative models suited to smaller spaces, from simulators and top-tracer ranges to compact Par 3 courses with artificial turf. In a particularly exciting development, both Smash Swing and Golf Pod offered to provide a facility installation to one federation each, with all participating federations invited to apply through The R&A.
The final theme was perhaps the most inspiring. Delegates shared concrete examples of what cross-border collaboration can achieve: one federation described how a joint junior competition with neighbouring countries had meaningfully grown overall participation, while another explained how collaboration on a women's competition had an identical effect. For many in the room, these were not just good stories but a clear blueprint to take home to their own countries.
A sincere thank you goes to The R&A for bringing this event to life, to the Austrian Golf Federation for opening their outstanding facilities, and to the many speakers and partners who contributed. The EGA looks forward to seeing these ambitions take shape across the continent.
