GBR Tuesday | AI CONCIERGE GOLF, GLOBAL STAFFING PIPELINES AND THE PGA TOUR’S 2028 RESET
This week’s GBR follows the rise of AI-powered bookings, 59club’s global internship model, Greenlight’s U.S. Golf Study and the structural changes now shaping professional golf.
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Hello GBR,
We have a new member of the two majors club after Wyndham Clark captured his second U.S. Open at Shinnecock on Sunday evening.
The club of twice-a-major-champion includes the likes of Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, and Bryson DeChambeau. Did I nearly forget Dustin Johnson as well?
Who will break out of that group at The Open or beyond? How long will Scottie have to take to complete his grand slam? Will Sam Burns get better luck next year, or will he break his major duck before then? If the weather is good, I like him for next month’s test at Birkdale.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rollap has now given us the full breakdown of the 2028 two-tier tour season. Like it or loathe it, we provide the details as we know them from Rollap’s press conference today at River Highlands.
It feels funny to think that The Travelers is the last signature event of this season already, in the same way that we are three weeks away from the last major of 2026. Is it just me, or does the season seem really compressed now?
Elsewhere, today’s GBR looks at the systems behind the game, the ones golfers see, the ones they barely notice, and the ones that may soon decide where they play before they even open an app.
From AI agents booking tee times and data-led coaching platforms to global staffing pipelines, benchmarking studies and indoor golf venues built around premium technology, the direction of travel is clear: golf is becoming more connected, more measurable and more operationally demanding.
If there is a common thread running through today’s edition, maybe it’s change.
Across the stories in today’s GBR, that change shows up in different ways, in how golf is booked, measured, staffed, funded and structured. The practical question is whether operators, brands and rights holders are building for the way the game used to work, or for the way it is about to be found, booked, played and paid for.
Enjoy, and we’ll catch up again on Friday.
When A Golfer’s Personal Ai Comes Looking For A Tee Time, Will It Find Yours?
Today, a golfer still does the work of booking. They search, they compare, they click, they enter their details, they confirm. Even the fastest of them is still the one holding the phone. That is about to change. The next wave of golf technology is not another booking website or another mobile app. It is the personal AI agent, and before long, it will not help a golfer book a tee time; it will book the tee time for them.
From “the golfer books” to “the golfer’s agent books”
Picture a golfer who never opens an app and never visits a website. They simply tell their personal AI: “Find me the best tee time for four players this Saturday morning within twenty minutes of home.” From there, the golfer does nothing. The agent does everything:
It searches. The agent checks availability across every course in range, in seconds, without the golfer comparing a single screen.
It compares. Price, distance, conditions, tee-time windows — the agent weighs the options against what it already knows the golfer prefers.
It books and pays. The agent confirms the tee time, processes payment, and drops the booking straight into the golfer’s calendar.
It never goes on hold. No phone queue, no closed pro shop, no after-hours dead end. The booking happens the moment the golfer asks.
This is not a shift unique to golf. The same thing is moving through consumer technology everywhere: agents that shop, schedule, and transact on behalf of the people who own them. Golf will not be the exception. It will be one of the markets they reach.
The course needs an agent of its own
Here is what this means for the operator, and it is the part most courses have not yet considered. If a golfer’s AI agent is doing the searching, then the course it books has to be reachable by that agent. A tee sheet buried inside a website the agent cannot read, or a phone answered only when staff happens to be free, is invisible in this new kind of transaction. The booking goes to the course that can answer.
That is the role of the AI Concierge. On the course’s side of the conversation, GOLF.AI’s agents already answer calls, handle bookings, manage inquiries and sell memberships around the clock. As consumer agents arrive, that same course-side agent becomes the point of contact — the thing a golfer’s AI talks to. The result is a future where AI agents deal directly with AI agents. The golfer’s AI requests a tee time. The course’s AI Concierge confirms availability and completes the booking. Humans still play golf. The agents handle the administration.
That future is arriving faster than most people in the industry expect. The courses preparing for it now are not buying a booking tool. They are making sure that when the golfer’s agent comes looking, there is something on the other end of the line ready to say yes.
GBR readers only: Sign up at GOLF.ai this week for your chance to win a free annual AI Concierge subscription — and let Sir Nick Faldo answer every call, whether it comes from a golfer or a golfer’s AI.
59CLUB OPENS 2027 INTAKE FOR GLOBAL GOLF INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
59club and Global Talent Solutions have opened registrations for the 2027 intake of the 59club Academy Global Internship Initiative, a three-year rotational program designed to help golf and hospitality venues address seasonal staffing shortages while developing future management talent.
The initiative combines international placements, operational training, leadership development, and industry certifications, with 18 young professionals already working in Golf Operations departments at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, The Dutch, Foxhills Club & Resort, The Hawthorn by Galway Bay, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, and Yas Links. Interns complete six international placements across “Home Club” and “Away Club” settings, supported by 59club Service Excellence training, operational certifications, leadership development from Robincroft Consultancy, and additional education through The PGA and the League Managers Association, with expansion planned across Golf Operations, Agronomy, Food & Beverage and Leisure.
“This has already had, and will continue to have, a very positive effect on the supply of our current and future staffing requirements,” said Phil Helsby, Managing Director of The Dutch, while Andy Siddall, Co-Founder of Robincroft, said the programme is helping develop “leaders who will shape the future of the industry,” and Royal Dornoch Golf Club home intern Flynn O’Callaghan said it had given him “a clear pathway into world-class venues and future management opportunities within golf.”
GREENLIGHT ADVISORS EXPANDS 2026 U.S. GOLF STUDY
Greenlight Advisors has expanded its 2026 U.S. Golf Study through the GolfClubBenchmarks.com intelligence platform, introducing a new benchmarking framework built around four performance pillars: financial performance, operational performance, capital asset stewardship and player experience.
The study, which builds on earlier municipal benchmarking work, is now open for early registration to municipal, public daily fee and resort golf facilities across the United States, with participating operators set to receive performance intelligence, benchmarking insights and study deliverables designed to support data-led decision-making.
The enhanced framework will include metrics covering pace of play, repeat play loyalty, recommendation strength, staffing effectiveness, facility utilization, and player satisfaction trends, supported by industry organizations including the PGA of America, National Golf Foundation, National Golf Course Owners Association, and International Association of Golf Administrators. “Golf facilities today need more than traditional benchmarking,” said Michael A. Suglich, CPA, Founder and CEO of Greenlight Advisors, adding that the 2026 study is being developed to help operators understand how “financial performance, operations, capital asset stewardship, and player experience work together to drive long-term success.”
PGA BUYING SUMMIT ADDS EVENING EVENTS TO FRISCO EVENT
This year’s edition of the PGA Buying Summit returns to Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa from July 26-29. Alongside exhibits, education sessions, product discovery, and ONE2ONE buying appointments, the event will feature a full evening networking program.
Open to registered attendees, the schedule includes a Welcome Reception sponsored by the Association of Golf Merchandisers on Sunday, July 26, from 4:30-6 p.m. in the resort’s Library and Lobby Bar; the 2026 Summer Jam on Monday from 7-10:30 p.m. in the PGA District, featuring live music, golf contests, an outdoor golf vendor marketplace and access to dining and retail venues; and a Tuesday social mixer curated by Troy Aguila and the Gwop Meet team from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Ryder Cup Ballroom Atrium. The Tuesday program continues with the Fashion Show & Reception from 5:30-7 p.m. at Panther Creek Pavilion, showcasing Spring 2027 apparel and accessory collections and including a People’s Choice Award vote, before concluding with the Summer Shootout, a team best-ball competition at The Swing with tee times from 7:45 p.m.
“Some of the most valuable conversations at industry events continue beyond the meeting room or exhibit hall,” said PGA Shows Event Director Lisa Langas, adding that the special events are designed to help PGA of America Golf Professionals, buyers, manufacturers, industry leaders, influencers and media build relationships, exchange business perspectives and gain insights that inform future decisions.
AVA GOLF BEGINS ONBOARDING EARLY ADOPTERS
AVA Golf has begun onboarding early adopters to its subscription platform, which connects data from tools including simulators, launch monitors and on-course performance trackers to create personalized instruction video playlists for golfers.
The platform uses machine learning to identify the patterns most affecting scoring and performance, then delivers three- to seven-minute coaching videos matched to each golfer’s game from tee to green, with launch content filmed for AVA Golf and featuring instructors including Cheryl Anderson, Mike Malizia, Jason Birnbaum, PGA TOUR Golf Academy coaches and other professionals. The system currently supports data from Arccos and Garmin sessions, with additional integrations planned, while companies collecting swing and game data can apply to connect their platforms to AVA Golf and receive compensation. “Golfers have access to more data than ever but are confused and frustrated because they don’t know what the data means or how to best use it,” said JR Charles, Founder and CEO of ParOne, AVA Golf, Inc.’s parent company, while AVA Golf Director of Engineering Aron Schüler said the platform gives players “mastery without guesswork” by turning performance ambiguity into clear, actionable instruction.
BROOKE MANAGEMENT GROUP TAKES OVER PINE RIDGE GOLF COURSE
Brooke Management Group, the New York-based golf operations company led by LPGA Professional of the Year Kelley Brooke, will assume management of Pine Ridge Golf Course in Coram, New York, extending its presence across Long Island and the wider New York metropolitan region.
The company plans a multi-phase transformation of the public facility, including a technology-enhanced driving range with covered bays and food and beverage service, GPS-equipped golf carts, clubhouse and bar renovations, irrigation and course conditioning upgrades, Pinehurst-style waste bunkers, expanded Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke instructional programming, and a limited Founding Membership offering preferred pricing and long-term benefits. Brooke Management Group already operates or manages Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke locations across Long Island, Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, golf operations at Bethpage State Park, Montauk Downs and The 9@Merrick Golf Course, and instructional programming at LIDO Golf Course. “Our goal is always the same — to elevate public golf while making the sport welcoming and accessible to everyone,” Brooke said, adding that the plan is to create “a modern golf environment that blends the feel of an upscale private club with the accessibility and energy of public golf.”
FORESIGHT SPORTS EUROPE COMPLETES INDOOR GOLF INSTALLATION AT THE 19TH MADRID
Foresight Sports Europe has completed a major indoor golf installation at The 19th Madrid, a new premium venue in the Spanish capital.
The venue is built around seven simulator bays, each powered by Foresight Sports’ ceiling-mounted Falcon launch monitors. The venue combines high-performance simulation with hospitality and social space, offering practice, coaching, competition, corporate events and casual play, with each bay designed to deliver precise ball flight, club delivery, gapping and dispersion data while keeping the environment clean and uncluttered.
Pablo de la Peña, founder of The 19th, said Foresight was “the only technology that truly matched the level of quality, precision, and credibility we wanted,” adding that members and coaches “trust the numbers completely,” while Carlos Cerdán, Foresight Sports Europe’s sales representative for Spain, said the project showed how well-designed indoor venues supported by “best-in-class technology” can change how golf is played and experienced in urban settings. The integrated system is also intended to support reliable day-to-day operations, allowing staff to maintain service standards during peak use while giving golfers of all abilities access to a Tour-level training environment.
PGA TOUR APPROVES TWO-SERIES COMPETITION MODEL FOR 2028
The PGA Tour boards have approved recommendations from the Future Competition Committee to introduce a new two-series structure from the 2028 season, built around promotion and relegation between the PGA Tour Championship Series and PGA Tour Challenger Series.
The Championship Series will run approximately from February to August and feature around 23-24 events, including The Players Championship, the majors and international team events, with regular-season events carrying purses of at least $20 million, fields of about 120 players, no alternate list, no sponsor exemptions, 72-hole formats and a 36-hole cut to the top 65 and ties.
The Challenger Series will serve as the main route into the top tier, with at least 20 events, purses of at least $4 million, fields of around 144 players, and separate points, while at least 20 players will earn promotion each year, and the top 90 finishers from roughly 130 Championship Series players will retain full exemption. The model also includes a reworked postseason with match play, a rotating Tour Championship, possible elevated fall international events in partnership with the DP World Tour, immediate promotion routes for multiple Challenger Series wins or a major championship victory, a four-to-six-event fall “last chance” series and continued Q-School access, with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp saying the new system is “grounded in meritocracy” and designed to create “clearer pathways, higher stakes and more consistency when the best players compete together.”
Additional Reading:
In his press conference at TPC River Highlands, Rolapp added that the 2028 competition changes were developed to reflect “the voice of our players and the expectations of our fans,” after bringing the players up to speed before making the finalized plans public. Tiger Woods, chairman of the Future Competition Committee, said the work was “bigger than any one player or person” and focused on building the strongest version of the TOUR for future generations, while the committee also included Patrick Cantlay, Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell, Adam Scott and Camilo Villegas, alongside strategic business advisers Joe Gorder, John Henry and Theo Epstein. Several details remain unresolved, including future exemption categories for tournament winners, medical extensions, career milestones, DP World Tour players and PGA Tour University graduates, with developmental pathways such as the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Americas and PGA Tour University still viewed as central to identifying and preparing future players. Gorder, chairman of the PGA Tour Boards, said the process had been “thorough and highly collaborative,” adding that Rolapp and his team had delivered a player-driven response to the changing sports landscape. Mark Schlabach, ESPN.
LIV GOLF COURTS AUSTRALIAN BACKERS FOR GLOBAL FUNDING PUSH
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O’Neil has said the league is seeking to raise US$300 million for 2027 and beyond. The funding process is already underway, with private equity firms, family offices, and professional sports team owners among the groups approached. Rather than seeking a single backer, LIV is looking to build a broader international investor base.
Rather than relying on one major backer, O’Neil said LIV wants a global ownership group that reflects its 57 players from 21 countries and the five continents on which it stages events, with Australia identified as a priority market following the success of Ripper GC and annual crowds of more than 100,000 in Adelaide. “My hope is that as we continue this journey and that we can find investors on the five continents where we play,” O’Neil told Australian Golf Digest, adding that interest had included groups asking whether LIV would accept investments of US$25 million or US$50 million rather than the full US$300 million. O’Neil said the process was only two weeks old but had already generated nearly 20 meetings, and argued that LIV’s future investor base could help spread risk, open regional opportunities and give key markets a direct role in the league’s next stage, saying: “When you get in the rollercoaster line, you can’t expect a carousel.”
Brad Clifton’s full piece for Golf Digest Australia can be read here.