Introducing ‘The International 25’

The ‘International 25’ is an extension of the NGF’s recognition of the top businesses and organizations in golf, further demonstrating the size and scope of the industry.

On this list (not ranking) are successful, innovative and prominent companies and associations that have their main headquarters based outside the United States or conduct the majority of their work internationally.

The International 25 is not intended to designate the top global golf brands and businesses. If that were the case, a host of companies from the NGF Golf 100 would be included; in the “T” category alone, TaylorMade, Troon, Titleist and Toro have huge worldwide presences. Instead, the International 25 is a chance to celebrate other influential companies and associations – some that are well-known in the U.S. market and others that may be entirely unfamiliar.

Take TrackMan, among golf’s most noteworthy technological advances in recent years.

The company was an original member of the GOLF 100 and has a significant U.S. presence, with its radar-based swing tracking technology used by more than 700 tour professionals, licensed for use in PGA TOUR telecasts, and relied upon by many manufacturers and retailers for club testing and fitting purposes. While TrackMan has sales offices worldwide, including in Scottsdale, Arizona, the company’s headquarters are based in Denmark. Hence, Trackman was moved to the International 25, opening a spot for another U.S.-based company or association to be recognized in the latest iteration of the GOLF 100.

A Trackman system in a hitting bay. (Photo courtesy: Trackmangolf.com)

Similarly, Jonas Club Software is a widely-used club management software provider in the U.S. (along with 16 other countries), but the company is based in Canada. Also staying in the media and technology sector, GOLFZON, a global leader in the golf simulator industry, was established in South Korea and continues to expand globally.

Equipment and apparel companies like Volvik (South Korea), Nippon Shaft (Japan), Honma (Japan), ECCO (Denmark) and Galvin Green (Sweden) will be recognizable names to many in the U.S., while golf management companies such as Pacific Golf (Japan), Accordia (Japan), UGOLF (France), Bluegreen Group (France) and ClubLink (Canada) may be relative unknowns even among some who work in the industry.

Syngenta might well be the biggest name in the International 25. The global agriculture company, which has more than 28,000 employees, was an original member of the NGF GOLF 100 and has been a market leader in the golf industry for more than 30 years.

While Syngenta has a prominent U.S. headquarters in North Carolina, working closely with golf course superintendents across the country to provide innovative agronomic solutions that ensure the best playing conditions possible, the company hails from Switzerland and has a massive global presence, working with golf courses in 43 countries. Nufarm is similarly positioned, with its headquarters in Australia, but a deep involvement within the U.S. golf market and a robust presence throughout North America.

And certainly, no overview of the most important companies and organizations in the game of golf would be complete without the R&A, which, together with the USGA, helps govern and establish the rules for golf worldwide. Based in the United Kingdom, the R&A also organizes a host of events, most notably The Open Championship, golf’s oldest and most international major tournament, while engaging in and supporting activities that benefit the game.

(Top image: Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Brian Curley)