The Lakes Golf Club aerial shot

Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC)

History of the AGIC

A meeting in Sydney on 8 September 2006, involving a wide range of Australian golf administrators and key industry stakeholders, considered the major challenges facing the Australian Golf Industry into the future.

At this meeting there was unanimous agreement to the need for a more coordinated industry approach. Following assessment of various golf industry models overseas the meeting agreed to the formation of a new peak industry group to be known as the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC).

The PGA of Australia, who initiated the meeting on behalf the other professional bodies (PGA Tour of Australasia and ALPG) and Golf Australia, agreed to provide Secretariat services for the AGIC for the initial 12 month period. This was later extended for the 2008/09 calendar years.

The inaugural Chair of the AGIC, Max Garske, the CEO of the PGA of Australia, has commented that “the formation of the AGIC is an important step which will help to ensure that the leaders of both the sport and the business aspects of the Australian Golf Industry come together on a regular basis and work together for the common good of the game and the industry."

About the AGIC

The Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) was established in late 2006 to provide a forum to help unite the industry on agreed industry wide initiatives.

At that time, the AGIC has operated as an unincorporated not for profit partnership between the key industry administrations and membership organisations.

In July 2009, the AGIC agreed to incorporate as an association. 

In 2014, Public Golf Facilities Australia was invited to nominate a representative to the AGIC Board as a non-director.

The current strategic focus areas of the AGIC are government relations and strategic collaboration.

Please click here for the AGIC strategic framework overview

A current list of AGIC members can be found below:

  • Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA)

  • Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA)

  • Golf Australia (GA)

  • Golf Management Australia (GMA)

  • PGA of Australia (PGA)

  • Society of Australian Golf Course Architects (SAGCA)

  • Women’s Professional Golfers Association Tour of Australasia (WPGA)

Directors of the AGIC:

  • PGA of Australia - Gavin Kirkman, CEO and AGIC Chair

  • Golf Australia - James Sutherland, CEO

  • Australian Sporting Goods Association - Shaun Bajada, Executive Director

  • Australian Sports Turf Managers Association - Mark Unwin, CEO

  • Golf Management Australia - Paul Vardy, CEO

  • Society of Australian Golf Course Architects - Paul Mogford, Board Member

  • Women’s Professional Golfers Association Tour of Australasia (WPGA) - Karen Lunn, CEO

Non Directors of the AGIC:

  • Golf Australia - Cameron Wade, Special Projects Senior Manager and AGIC Secretariat

  • PGA of Australia - Natalie McIlroy, General Manager Tournament & Event Operations

  • Public Golf Facilities Australia - Anthony Lawrence, Board Member

  • Golf NSW - Stuart Fraser, CEO

  • Golf WA - Gary Thomas, CEO

Various “industry experts” in areas such as golf equipment, research, women’s golf and the media also attend meetings and are involved on AGIC working groups.

Organisations represented on the AGIC:

  • Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA) - the peak body representing a broad spectrum of sporting goods and active lifestyle industry participants ranging from manufacturers, importers and wholesalers through to retailers. All major golf companies are members.

  • Australian Sports Turf Managers Association - membership organisation representing over 1000 members working in the golf/turf industry. Committed to the ongoing professional development and support of all those involved in the golf course maintenance industry.

  • Golf Australia (GA) - the Federal Government recognised national sporting organisation for golf, representing 1530 clubs, 400,000 club golfers and all State and Territory amateur golf associations. Responsible for a range of national golf development programs, administering the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status in Australia.

  • Golf Management Australia (GMA) - The GMA represents golf club management in Australia and, through state associations, provides professional development and support for members.

  • Professional Golfers Association of Australia (PGA) - national sporting association for professional golf representing over 2,500 tournament, club and, teaching professionals who showcase the sport and service the golfers who play the game. The official sanctioning body for men's PGA Tour events in Australia and New Zealand and the regional body represented on the International Federation of PGA Tours.

  • Public Golf Facilities Australia (PGFA) - a group created to give Australia’s public golf facilities a united voice. By building a community of owners and operators of Australia’s public golf facilities, the PGFA aims to give public golf a united voice, share valuable news and content with its members and collect relevant industry data to share with the public golf industry.

  • Society of Australian Golf Course Architects (SAGCA) - representing members involved in all aspects of golf course design work on new and existing golf course in Australia and Internationally.

  • Women’s Professional Golfers Association Tour of Australasia (WPGA) - the governing body for women’s professional golf in Australia with a membership incorporating Australian and New Zealand resident professionals. The sanctioning body for women’s professional golf in Australia and a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours.

Pitch in grow community golf

The Pitch In: Grow Community Golf campaign highlights shovel ready golf facility infrastructure projects around Australia that need funding to fix up dated and damaged golf infrastructure in both metropolitan and regional Australia. Our golf courses are not just sporting facilities, they are truly social hubs and useful event spaces. Supporting these projects is really about supporting the communities living around these golf facilities.

Pitch in grow community golf website

AGIC Research Resources

Golf Australia and the Australian Golf Industry Council conduct extensive research in partnership with the industry and also draw on other relevant research to assist golf with developing evidence based strategies to ensure that the sport remains relevant and is able to adapt to an ever changing sporting and recreational landscape.

Click here for a selection of reports that cover a number of key areas for golf and sport in general.   

Join our newsletter

Get weekly updates on news, golf tips and access to partner promotions!

Golf Australia NEW LOGO White Mono_logo
Join our newsletter

Get weekly updates on news, golf tips and access to partner promotions!