INFINITUM, the Costa Dorada golf and leisure resort which is fast becoming a European hub for elite professional and amateur golfers, has further bolstered its reputation with the launch of a new Callaway Performance Centre.

The centre will guide golfers through a comprehensive fitting service for every club in their bag, utilising technology including OptiFit to select the perfect head, shaft and weighting. Callaway Performance Centres track factors such as swing speed, spin rates and launch angles to determine the best fit for each individual, offering the same level of service and detail that a top professional would receive.

Complementing the resort’s existing trio of golf courses and practice facilities, the centre will be just the third in Spain to combine Swing Catalyst software with balance plate technology. This system promises to provide infinitely thorough information to golfers searching for their perfect clubs.

To celebrate the centre’s grand opening, INFINITUM’s Lakes course staged the resort’s first Callaway tournament on Saturday, August 26. Throughout the day, attendees had the chance to try out the new fitting facilities as teams of two took on the Greg Norman-designed layout. There were also prizes on hand for the longest drive and a nearest-the-pin competition as well as a gift raffle to round off the day.

The new addition is another step forward for INFINITUM, which is increasingly being recognised as one of Europe’s must-visit venues for professional and developing golfers. The wide variety of challenges presented by the resort’s three distinct courses - coupled with a first-class selection of practice facilities - make the Mediterranean venue the perfect candidate for any talented player hoping to take their game to the next level.

Indeed, Sweden’s Alexander Björk has been flying high on the DP World Tour since a week-long training visit at INFINITUM in March. The 33-year-old has recorded six top-ten finishes in 12 appearances since his visit, without missing a single cut, and has risen to eighth place in the Race to Dubai Rankings after finishing in the top 50 at July’s Open Championship.

INFINITUM is well-known amongst European and global stars of the professional game as the host venue for the DP World Tour’s Final Stage Qualifying. Hopefuls compete across both championship courses: the elevated Hills course, where tight fairways and protected greens test a golfer’s strategic thinking; and the Lakes course, a flat layout where accuracy is key if golfers want to avoid the natural water.

The nine-hole Ruins course – a fun and challenging experience routed around archaeological Roman remains - is a firm favourite with golfers and is widely regarded among the world’s finest nine-hole layouts.

Completing INFINITUM’s lineup of golf improvement facilities are two driving ranges, short-game practice areas and three putting greens as well as video tracking, Flightscope and Sam Putt Lab technology. Combined, the resort is equipped to test and develop every aspect of a golfer’s game, with experienced professionals on hand to oversee the process.

It is those world-class facilities which also led two leading national amateur federations to hand-pick INFINITUM as the perfect winter training camp venue, when budding young stars of the future from the Finnish and Swiss golf federations spent several weeks honing their game.

In the three years since the last IMEX in Frankfurt, technology has transformed the event landscape and the delegate experience whether it’s in-person, virtually or as an avatar in the metaverse. The free learning programme at IMEX in Frankfurt, taking place 31 May – 2 June, explores the latest innovations in this field as well as diving into current issues around sustainability, event design, wellbeing,

The expert-led programme focuses on the new skills and mindsets needed for a changed business climate with topics including Professional Development and Upskilling; Creativity in Communication; Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; Innovation and Tech; and Purposeful Recovery. All eligible sessions qualify for CMP points accredited by EIC (Events Industry Council) while some are also CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) approved.

Moments in the metaverse

Trévon Hill, entrepreneur and co-founder of online event production agency, West Peek Productions, has a distinctive approach to the events sector having run his first ever event during the pandemic – end to end in just four days. Trévon and his co-founder Scooter, both in their early twenties, expected just a few hundred guests to attend their impromptu virtual conference - the final turnout was over 5,000 attendees. The business has now expanded into a full-service production agency with a growing team and 300 virtual and hybrid events scheduled for the year ahead.

Image: Trévon Hill, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of West Peek Productions. Download image here.

Trévon explains: “We wanted to bring together some of our mentors and community and create a big moment of learning and sharing. ‘Learn, Partner, Connect’ were our pillars at the beginning.” He’s set to share some learnings from his journey to event professional in two sessions: Communication hacks during a hybrid event shows how to use technology to streamline communication and Entering the metaverse gives the lowdown on the metaverse, its platforms and infrastructure, ending with a taste of a metaverse event.

Ryan Phillips, creative director of DRPG, also delves into the metaverse in The Metaverse: Fleeting fad or future of the industry? He’ll detail the platforms, players and technologies that currently make up the metaverse event experience and share what audiences may want from metaverse interactions now and in the future.
Want to know about the latest technology solutions but don’t know where to start? In The Ultimate Guide to Event Tech in 2022, by Skift Meetings’ editor in chief Miguel Neves, offers a rundown of current tools and services while predicting where event technology is heading.

What’s your Foodprint?

Sustainability, a core value for the IMEX Group, is explored on the show’s education programme as well as at the IMEX | EIC People & Planet Village. This area highlights DEI and sustainability best practices, advice and hands-on activities. Visitors to the innovative installation should lookout for a special message from climate scientist, Professor Ed Hawkins MBE. Ed and his team famously created the iconic Warming Stripes climate change graphic.

In Naturally creative - ideas with nature workshop, independent creative director, Robert Dunsmore, will challenge attendees to ‘flex extreme innovation skills’ and create a nature-based exhibit. Eric Wallinger from Meet Green, IMEX’s partner in measuring and building on sustainability goals, will unpack environmentally friendly food and beverage planning. In Your event’s environmental “foodprint”, Eric will cover everything from upstream impacts of food production to low-carbon menus. “The decisions your team makes around F&B influence nearly every aspect of your convention or event”, he explains.

Kap Europa – Behind the Scenes

For those interested in sustainable building design concepts, Kap Europa Messe Frankfurt was the first convention building in the world to be awarded Platinum Certification by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) in 2014. Attendees will have the chance to explore this ground-breaking venue in a behind the scenes tour.

The 150+ education sessions at IMEX in Frankfurt 2022 are free of charge and open to all. The programme has been carefully curated – and checked – to ensure it addresses the current business, professional and personal needs of the global IMEX community. Attendees can browse in advance and plan their learning here.

PR IMEX in Frankfurt takes place 31 May – 2 June 2022

In a move to help speed up the progress of sustainability in and through golf, leading golf apparel brand Galvin Green has agreed to become an Innovation Partner of the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf. The agreement comes just ahead of GEO Foundation’s virtual event during the UN Climate Change COP26 Summit in Glasgow later this month.

The Swedish brand - with around 70% of garments in its latest range produced using Bluesign® or Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 approved fabric and suppliers - will join the growing sustainable golf community in driving innovation and shaping the game’s response to the challenges of climate change around the world.

Earlier this year, Galvin Green won the prestigious global Sports Technology Award for Sustainability for its INSULA™ sweaters made in fabric recycled from plastic bottles. It also produced a report for its retail partners on its progress towards producing garments sourced entirely from Bluesign® approved fabric or certified by Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 to cover thread and buttons as well as material. Labels and packaging for its award-winning GameDay collection also come in eco-friendly formats.

“The values and ambitions of GEO Foundation and the Sustainable Golf agenda are music to our ears and so we are very happy to work alongside the organisation as an Innovation Partner,” said Galvin Green CEO Nicholai Stein. “In collaboration with our suppliers, we’ve been working on our sustainability credentials for almost a decade and look to take responsibility with our long-lasting garments. This partnership will only increase our resolve to deliver more eco-friendly products with high-performance benefits in the years ahead,” he added.

“We are delighted to welcome such a respected golf brand as Galvin Green in becoming an Innovation Partner,” said GEO Foundation Executive Director Jonathan Smith. “Over a number of years Galvin Green has shown great leadership in the golf apparel sector with a series of important sustainable product innovations. We are very grateful for their support, which will help further promote and develop purpose-built tools and programmes for sustainable golf and are excited at the prospect of working to explore technical advancements and convey the benefits of sustainability to consumers.”

As well as featuring at the event in Glasgow on 11 November, the partnership is set to see joint activation around relevant dates such as World Environment Day and Earth Day, as well as initiatives alongside other sustainable golf partners and programme participants.

As part of the 2020 Oman Open, Al Mouj Muscat, a public-private venture between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Properties, will celebrate the return of this tournament by donating one Omani Rial for every birdie made during the Oman Open to the Environmental Society of Oman (ESO).

This unique initiative comes after the recent release of ‘Birds at Al Mouj Golf’ composed by Hanne and Jens Eriksen, which celebrates the unique biodiversity on the golf course. Winners of the 2019 IAGTO sustainability award for community value, Al Mouj Golf encompasses a unique biodiversity with the 173 different bird species being an integral part of this.

The 2020 Oman Open which is part of the European Tour returns for the third time to Al Mouj Golf, regarded by many as one of the Middle East’s finest golf courses, from the 27th February to the 1st March 2020. European Tour stars have previously given the course glowing reviews, with Eddie Pepperell commenting: ‘‘Al Mouj Golf is a must play if you are ever in Oman. I would say it is the best course I have played in the Middle East.”

“We are delighted to celebrate the rich biodiversity found at Al Mouj Muscat and by launching the ‘Birdies’ initiative at this week’s Oman Open. The ESO has been chosen due to the charity’s commitment to conserving the environment and ensuring that Oman's natural heritage remains intact for future generations to enjoy.” said Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani, CEO of Al Mouj Muscat.

Al Mouj Muscat, Oman’s premier lifestyle and leisure destination, is home to more than just birds, it encompasses a wide range of activities for tourists, visitors and residents alike to enjoy.

Kronberger Genuss-Messe
Stadthalle Kronberg, Kronberg im Taunus

29/04/2018
11:00 - 19:00