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 Golf World Top 100 Resorts of Continental Europe 2022*, PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness places fourth, continuing its reign as the No. 1 ranked golf resort in Spain, and solidifying its standing as one of Continental Europe’s premier destinations.
Chris Bertram, Editor of the Top 100 Golf Resorts in Continental Europe, said: “PGA Catalunya is not just one of Europe's finest resorts but one of the best in the world. A sign of its all-round quality is the fact that it features in the top 10 in Europe in three categories: 'courses', 'accommodation' and 'best for families'.
“That demonstrates how it can satisfy anything from groups of avid golfers to couples, families and non-golfers. The competition for the top five has never been fiercer and any resort worthy of that ranking is very special indeed.”
In addition to the recently upgraded Stadium Course, a long-established Spanish no.1 layout* and a Top-25 course in Europe deemed “a fair test for any level of golfer with a balance of risk and reward” by Chris Bertram in the latest ranking, and its sister design, the Tour course, PGA Catalunya also boasts two accommodation options: the 5* Hotel Camiral, a member of The Leading Hotels of The World, offering chic interiors and luxury accommodation, as well as a state-of-the-art Wellness Centre, and LAVIDA Hotel, aimed at the active traveller, both in close proximity to the resort’s other amenities which promote physical and emotional wellbeing.
Ongoing enhancements at the European Tour Destinations venue, which form part of a long-term €53 million development programme, include seven new wellness-focused Camiral Suites, designed to offer guests a unique retreat experience with access to large private living spaces equipped with personal fitness accessories, healthy in-room nutrition and a direct link to the Wellness Centre.
“Maintaining a high standing among Europe’s premier golf resorts is an achievement in itself,” said David Plana, PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness CEO. “We are so pleased to see the numerous enhancements and developments made over the last few years be this well received – and continue to build our journey to become one of the leading golf and wellness resorts in the world.
“We are confident the continued investment in the golf courses, improvement to the customer experience and development of resort amenities will further establish PGA Catalunya as a must-visit luxury resort for not just golfers, but all types of visitors looking to experience the wonders of the Costa Brava.”
PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness has established its position as one of Europe’s premier luxury lifestyle destinations, with a 300-hectare forested estate, sport and leisure facilities, range of dining choices, nature trails and more, all located within a 20-minute drive from neighbouring Girona. The resort makes the perfect location for golfers, sports enthusiasts, remote workers, retreat seekers and their families visiting this unique region in the north-east of Spain.
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
Switzerland 2022: Run the VERTICAL! The free fall is the steepest start of all men´s downhill ski runs (45 degree inclination). In winter, the skiers plunge practically vertically into the depths. In the Vertical Summer Run, the course from St. Moritz Dorf to the start of the men´s downhill run is 5.5 kilometres and around 1000 metres in altitude. Run vertical on the 14th of August.
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.
Frankfurt. Etwas hautnah sehen und miterleben, obwohl man gar nicht vor Ort ist. Was unrealistisch klingt, ist dank Virtual Reality (VR) und Augmented Reality (AR) möglich:Zum Beispiel der Besuch einer weit entfernt liegenden Kulturstätte oder das Zuschauen von angehenden Ärztinnen und Ärzten bei einer Operation im Krankenhaus vom heimischen Schreibtisch aus. „Virtuelle und erweiterte Realität sind längst nicht mehr nur ein Nischenphänomen fürSpiele-undFilmfans“, betonteHessens Digitalministerin Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus. „Die Digitalisierung erlebt derzeit einen Schub und beweist aktuell ihren Nutzen für sämtliche Bereiche des Lebens. Dabei ist eine leistungsfähige Infrastruktur in Stadt und Land die Basis für solche Innovationen, digitale Bildung und Forschungsexzellenz.“Ein hessisches Unternehmen, das sich mit VR-und AR-Technologie befasst, ist das VR-Loft „The Vatrix“ in der Frankfurter Innenstadt, in dem sich Ministerin Sinemus am Freitag bei ihrem Besuch über aktuelle Projekteinformierte.„Es macht nicht nur Spaß, virtuell Einblicke zu nehmen, sondern die Technologie hilft beispielsweise bei der Entwicklung von Produkten und Dienstleistungen“, sieht die Ministerin einen großen Mehrwert. Neben der Besichtigung von touristischen Attraktionen könnten auch Prozesse überwacht oder Wartungsarbeiten an Maschinen vorgenommen werden, ohne dass Ingenieure dafür durch die Welt reisen müssen, nennt sie weitere Beispiele. Im VR-Loft bekam Sinemus zudem demonstriert, wie virtuell Messen besucht werden könnenoder an Schulen Virtual Reality in den Unterricht Einzug halten kann. Mittels VR-Brillen und 360-Grad-Kameras können spielerisch Medienkompetenz aufgebaut und Inhalte vermitteltwerden.
DieVR/AR-Technologie ermögliche ebenso in der Aus-und Weiterbildung Trainingsszenarien oder Laborversuche sehr realistisch und ohne Risiko nachzustellen.Dies kann beispielsweise bei Rettungsübungen den Feuerwehren zugutekommen, die untereinemhohen psychischen Druck und Risiko oft schnelleEntscheidungen treffen müssen.„Deshalb verfolgt die Hessische Landesregierung mit Nachdruck im Digitalpakt Hochschule und speziell im Bereich E-Learning seit Jahren die Förderung des Einsatzes neuer Technologien, sowohl im Klassenzimmer, in den Hochschulenund anderen Bereichen der Aus-und Weiterbildung.Digitales Lehren und Lernen sind in Hessen wichtige Handlungsfelder der Digitalstrategie, die wir konsequent verfolgen für die Innovationsfähigkeit und Wirtschaftskraft von morgen“, ergänzte Sinemus.Wirtschaftsanalysten gehen davon aus, dass Produkte und Dienstleistungen auf der Basis von Virtual und AugmentedReality bis 2030 rund 1,5 Billionen US-Dollar zur globalen Wirtschaft beisteuern. Für Deutschland gehen die Experten von einem Potenzial von 103,6 Milliarden US-Dollar aus. Das entspricht einer Steigerung des Brutto-Inland-Produktsum 2,5 Prozent, wie eine globale Analyse von PricewaterhouseCoopers(PwC) von Dezember 2019 zu möglichen Auswirkungen von VR/AR auf Wirtschaft und Beschäftigung ergeben hat. Bis 2030 könnte sich die Anzahl der Menschen, die gestützt mit diesen Technologien arbeiten, Analysen zufolge weltweit auf 23,4 Millionen erhöhen. In Deutschland käme dann jeder 100. Beschäftigte, insgesamt rund 400.000 Menschen, am Arbeitsplatz mit dieser innovativen Technologie in Kontakt.„VR-und AR-Technologien schaffen Beschäftigung und Mehrwert in vielen Bereichen“, hob die Ministerin hervor. „Hessen,als Heimat einesstarken IT-und 3Software-Know-howsistein wichtiger Standort für diese Innovationen und ihre Beschäftigungspotenziale. Unser Ziel ist es,die Entwicklung zukunftsweisender Digitaltechnologien weiter voranzutreiben unddenschnellenTransfer in die Wirtschaft und das Wachstum innovativer Unternehmenzu ermöglichen.Derverantwortungsbewusste Umgang mit digitalen Lösungen bildet hierfür die notwendigen Rahmenvoraussetzungen:Denn die Digitalisierung muss dem Menschen dienen und nicht umgekehrt“, schloss Sinemus
Corona pandemic: Major events banned until end of August
Berlin, April 16, 2020. The German government has decided on further measures to curb the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) announced the decisions. In addition to extending the
contact restrictions until the beginning of May, it was decided, among other things, that major events may not take place until the end of August. This applies to music festivals, fairs and
concerts. In addition, some shops are allowed to reopen, schools are to be put back into operation, and the restaurant will remain closed. In the cultural sector, at theatres, opera houses or
cinemas, there should be no relaxations in the next three weeks.
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.
Sanary-sur-Mer will be decked out in pink for a long weekend in early May 2018. After the pink umbrellas of 2016 and the 6,000 pink balloons in 2017. It’s always a festive and highly social occasion, with a variety of activities weaving their way across the town from its charming Provençal streets to the sea port.
Though the festival focuses on rosé wine, the agenda ranges far and wide! In addition to wine tasting, Just Rosé is also a good opportunity to explore the local heritage, attend artistic and cultural events or take part in the many different activities and games organised for young and old alike. In fact, Just Rosé is an absolute must, with large numbers of winegrowers — big names and small producers — on hand to help you discover their cuvées.