Annual Meeting 2023

Ben Martin has an extensive catalogue of experience as a consultant focusing on real estate economics, with a particular emphasis on resorts, hotels, marinas, waterfronts, residential, leisure and mixed-use development. He has completed projects across a broad range of countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa and his clients have included government organisations, leisure and entertainment providers, property development companies, financial institutions, development corporations and local authorities. Mr Martin is involved at all stages of the study process, from preliminary site reviews to the design and development of tailor-made financial models that reflect the recommended development programme for the project. Having gained more than 28yrs of experience as a consultant in this sector, he is now the Global Director of Hospitality Advisory Group at HKS Inc.

Mark Chapleski joined Troon in 1999 and has more than 30 years of experience in the golf industry. Prior to joining Troon, Chapleski was a successful collegiate golfer and played professionally before entering the golf business working at several top private and resort properties.

Chapleski joined Troon as Director of Operations in Asia where he spent four years in Japan, during which time, Troon consulted on behalf of a variety of investment banks conducting due diligence on over 200 golf courses. He was appointed to Area Managing Director for Troon Middle East in August of 2004, where he was responsible for overseeing Troon’s activity at some of the top golf courses in the region. In March 2017 Chapleski was named President, Troon International Division and in July 2021 promoted to Executive Vice President, Troon International.  The International Division has overseen the development of more than 20 new facilities during his tenure and are currently responsible for 45+ properties in over 20 countries.

Dave Sampson is an Architect at European Golf Design, the golf course design company of the European Tour and IMG.

At the end of 2002, Dave graduated from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Architecture and Building Arts.

After moving back to the UK in early 2003 he spent six months working as the cricket analyst for Surrey County Cricket Club, prior to joining a London based architectural firm as a Design Associate, where he was involved in design detailing, production of working drawings, and project facilitation.

In 2002, Dave was the successful winner of the Golf World Design-A-Hole Competition, which led to him joining European Golf Design as a Design Associate in late 2004.

In 2008, he was promoted to the position of Designer, and is now directly responsible for project designs, management, supervision and on-site construction inspections.

Dave was the lead designer on the recently opened tournament course at Zavidovo PGA National Russia, a course which won the 2011 Best New Design in Russia award, and was also a finalist in Golf Inc’s 2012 Best New Course in the World.

Back in 2013, he also completed and oversaw design and construction works on the redevelopment of the Evian Resort golf course, France, in preparation for The Evian Championship, the new 5th major on the LPGA tour. In association with the golf club & the LPGA, Dave is currently involved in advising & overseeing continual annual improvements.

In 2009, Dave completed design works on the Safaa Golf Course at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. His other project in the region, Royal Greens Golf & Country Club at King Abdullah Economic City, has recently won awards for: ‘Best in Saudi Arabia’, ‘Best in Arabia’ & ‘Best International Leisure Development 2016-2017’ at the prestigious International Property Awards, which opened for play in September 2017.

Dave is presently working on design projects in the Turkey, Portugal, Switzerland, France, and the 2022 Ryder Cup course, Marco Simone, in Rome, Italy.

Born in Scotland, the home of golf, in 1965, Ken Moodie combined his lifelong love of golf with a BA Honours degree in Landscape Architecture from Heriot Watt University in 1988 to embark on a career in golf course architecture. He joined the practice of Hawtree & Son the following year and established his own firm, Creative Golf Design, in 1998.

Ken is a member & Past President of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects. Over a period of more than 30 years in golf course architecture, he has been involved with a wide variety of projects throughout Europe and beyond. Ken has worked on over 25 new golf course developments and advised more than 100 golf clubs on course improvement projects.

On behalf of the British (and later European) Institute of Golf Course Architects, Ken established and ran the Diploma in Golf Course Architecture from 1997-2001. He successfully completed the EIGCA’s Sustainability Programme in 2020 and became a Sustainable Design Leader in 2021.

Ken has spoken at several conferences on golf course design throughout Europe for organisations such as England Golf, the British & International Greenkeepers Association, the Institute of Civil Engineers, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Federation of European Golf Greenkeepers Associations, and the Czech Greenkeepers Association.