The national charity, which was chosen as the club’s official charity for the next 12 months by London Golf Club staff members, is the UK’s only charity providing specialised nursing care and support for young people with cancer. The partnership – officially launched on World Cancer Day (Tuesday, February 4) – will see London Golf Club, its members and staff support the charity over the next 12 months through a range of activations, including a charity golf day. To help raise daily awareness and funds, club staff will wear Teenage Cancer Trust pin badges as part of their uniform throughout the year, donation tins and QR donation codes will be present around the club, while orders of special charity dishes on the clubhouse menu will see money donated to the charity through every purchase. Several staff members are also planning to take on the Three Peaks Challenge for the charity later this year – climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours. Stephen Follett, London Golf Club’s chief executive, said: “Every year our staff choose a fantastic charity to support, and I am extremely pleased that over the next 12 months we will be supporting and working with Teenage Cancer Trust. “I know our team has a lot planned for how we can help support the charity this year to allow them to continue with the great work they do for young people with cancer. Lynn Hyder, senior relationship manager for Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as London Golf Club’s chosen charity partner for 2025. Teenage Cancer Trust is here for anyone diagnosed with cancer aged 13-24, and their loved ones too. We fund specialist nurses and youth workers so young people with cancer get the sensitive, individual care and support they need at this unique and critical life stage. “The partnership with London Golf Club will ensure that we continue to be there for young people now and in the future and we are excited to see what is achieved in the months ahead.” London Golf Club, located in Ash, will continue to support The Community Cupboard in West Kingsdown, a charity it has supported since 2022 with seasonal food donations.

Estonian Golf & Country Club and Linna Golf are just 200km apart as the crow flies, separated by the Gulf of Finland in the north-east corner of Europe. Both opened in 2005 and have since followed remarkably similar journeys, playing crucial roles in growing golf in their respective countries, hosting elite tournaments and developing thriving businesses. Both clubs have also been part of the European Tour Destinations network (known back in 2005 as European Tour Courses) since day one. “It was a big decision and a significant financial outlay to become part of the network when we opened,” reflects Hanno Kross. “But it has turned out to be one of the best decisions we made at Estonian Golf & Country Club because it immediately gave us access to the best people in the business.  “We had high ambitions and we knew that being able to pick up the phone and talk to experts would be invaluable.” Esa Honkalehto adds: “I joined Linna Golf in 2017 having worked in professional ice hockey and baseball. I had played golf for a long time but I didn’t know the business, so I was very grateful to lean on the golf-related expertise of the European Tour Destinations team right from the start.” Tournament hosts Estonian Golf & Country Club had only been open four years when it hosted a European qualifying event for the 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, and that same year Linna Golf hosted the SK Golf Challenge on the Challenge Tour, won by Nicolas Colsaerts. “It was a huge opportunity to showcase golf in Estonia to the world,” says Kross. “We had some of the best players in the world here, and it was also a chance to show Estonian media that golf is a genuine sport!” “It’s been part of our strategy to have one big tournament here every year. In 2026,we are hoping to host a HotelPlanner Tour (formerly the Challenge Tour) event. We’ve found it very motivating to have a goal like this to focus on.” It was a professional tournament that led Honkalehto to the CEO position at Linna Golf, when the club played host to a Legends Tour (then European Senior Tour) event in June 2017. He was part of the organising committee, and soon afterwards took over the running of the club. “Many things have changed since then,” he says. “The course was fantastic but as a business it was not making enough money to be sustainable. We put a new strategy in place to maximise green fee revenue and sell annual playing rights to non-shareholders. “We set ourselves a goal of reaching 100 new members with full playing privileges. After one year we had 40, and we reached the target within three years.” Redesigns and renovations Both venues have undergone significant renovations over the past two decades. At Estonian Golf & Country Club, located 25km from Tallinn, the capital, work has recently begun to expand the Stone Course from nine holes to 18.

Since opening in 1994, London Golf Club has consistently focused on a simple objective: strive to offer better course conditioning and customer service than any competitor.  With two stunning championship golf courses designed by the great Jack Nicklaus and an award-winning clubhouse, such high standards may seem straightforward, but is in fact the result of meticulous work. “Delivering impeccable levels of customer service to offer the greatest experiences to our members and customers is at the forefront of our strategy,” says Ben Stimson, the club’s Director of Golf.. So how does the club achieve these standards? Staff Training “Setting stringent service standards for all of our staff is key for us to excel in this area,” says Stimson. “This includes drilling down on the fundamentals such as wearing smart uniforms, picking up the phone within three rings, and engaging with guests in a positive and friendly manner.  “It’s surprising how often venues fall down on these fundamental elements of customer service.” Stimson continues: “Each new employee undergoes a full week of onboarding, spending time with the heads of each department so they fully understand all areas of the business. ”We try to make the training a straightforward process for our staff members by adhering to several fundamental basic standards. Whilst we provide a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure training manual, we believe in focusing our attention to enhancing the basic standards that include member and guest engagement, and providing a friendly atmosphere at all times.’‘ “There’s no point giving them an 80-page manual. Instead, he advised clubs to focus on communicating six key standards that employees should maintain. This makes it very easy to understand and avoids information overload.” Stimson also shares how London Golf Club’s new initiative will play a key role in elevating the customer experience this year. “From March 1st, we’re introducing a new communications process which will ensure our guests are made to feel welcome and looked after throughout their time spent at the club.  ”We will be increasing our member and guest interaction points from security to bag drop, to golf services and the clubhouse. This will allow our members of staff to pro-actively expect members and guests, which will encourage a smoother member and guest journey throughout each visit. “Our aim is to set ourselves high standards similar to what you would experience at a Four Seasons Hotel.” Member Perks London Golf Club strives to offer its members unique benefits and opportunities to enhance their experiences and add value. “We aim to offer our members exclusive perks they wouldn’t receive elsewhere,” Stimson explains. “For example, we had  wreath-making sessions at Boodles during the Christmas period, and we have away days at other top venues in the county such as Princes Golf Club. “We’ve also invited members to events in Club Wembley. It’s about rewarding members for their loyalty by offering extras they wouldn’t get at other clubs.” Course Conditioning London Golf Club is blessed with two superb 18-hole courses – the Heritage Course, which is

As demand for golf holidays continues to rise, though, new booking trends and changing expectations from golfers around the world are reshaping consumer behaviour. We spoke to three European Tour Destinations venues to find out what they are noticing, and how resorts can respond. 1. Customers are booking further in advance Luis Filipe, Corporate & Leisure Relations Director at Quinta Do Lago in Portugal, says booking windows have returned to pre-pandemic lengths. “Immediately after the pandemic, people were booking for travel just three to six months out,” says Filipe. “However, this has completely changed over the last couple of years. We’re now seeing booking windows return to pre-Covid levels, with customers booking as far as one year in advance. In some cases, they’re leaving the resort and already securing their holiday for the same time the following year. “This shift is largely driven by the increasing demand for tee times as golf courses become much busier. So, in order to secure their preferred playing time, visitors are booking further in advance. “This is an important shift that destinations must adapt to.” 2. Resorts need to cater for shorter trips At Lighthouse Golf and Spa Resort in Bulgaria, Director of Golf Vesselin Savoia has noticed a growing preference for shorter stays. “We’re seeing big changes in customer preferences following the pandemic,” says Savoia. “Most of our guests now prefer shorter stays at our resort, shifting from one week or longer to trips of three to five days. “Bulgaria as a golf destination has remained a hidden gem for many golfers worldwide, so the majority of our guests would be more local and of an average age of over 60 years old. “However, as our reputation as a top golfing destination grows, we’re welcoming an increasing number of younger visitors to the resort. “With this evolving customer demographic, we are noticing that younger travellers are looking for shorter trips and the opportunity to enjoy a world-class golf course, so it’s crucial that we adapt our package offering to this growing market segment.” 3. It’s not solely about the golf any more “Nowadays, golfers want to combine golf with other activities,” says Carmen Garcia Ruiz, Sales Manager at Camiral Golf & Wellness in Spain. “Increasingly, we’re finding that our guests want to explore more of the local culture during their stay, visit nearby towns and villages, sample the region’s gastronomy and enjoy wellness activities to relax,” says Garcia Ruiz.. “The number of golfers from the United States and other long-haul markets at Camiral has also grown significantly in recent years, and they, in particular, are looking for high-end stays that combine multiple activities. “Our new retreat programmes have been an important addition to our offerings at Camiral, as these allow our visitors to combine numerous experiences available at our resort. “Guests can start the day with a wellness activity like yoga or pilates, before heading out for a round of golf in the afternoon, followed by cultural and gastronomy experiences such as wine