The Leeds-based agency are the new long-term publishing partner of BIGGA.

Golf-specialist creative agency 18Players have agreed a multi-year contract to add the British and International Golf Greenkeeper Association’s (BIGGA) members’ magazine, Greenkeeper International, to the portfolios of titles they publish. 

Greenkeeper International was first published in January 1991 and continues a long history of journals reporting on the activities of greenkeeper associations and their members, dating back to at least 1913 in the UK. 

The first issue of the refreshed magazine came out in early May after 18Players spent several weeks working closely with BIGGA’s key stakeholders and partners, discussing how to elevate BIGGA’s existing best-in-class print product on behalf of the organisation’s members. 

18Players is providing a plug-and-play solution, integrating their services with BIGGA to provide the relevant support and share their vast publishing experience. 

This includes evolving the design and content of the magazine on a gradual and sympathetic basis given the established nature of the existing product. 18Players will put the needs of BIGGA’s members first by using a network of contributors and experienced golf writers alongside BIGGA’s in-house experts and external partners. 

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “Greenkeeper International is our flagship publication and as such plays a vital role informing, engaging and educating our members. It is also a fantastic record of our progress and achievement.  As we strive to ensure our members are respected, appreciated and rewarded better by the wider golfing industry it has become clear that we need to widen our communications offering. It is imperative that Greenkeeper International retains its industry-leading status and I’m thrilled that we have reached agreement with 18Players to help us achieve that.   

“18Players has an outstanding reputation for producing high quality, modern and exciting publications for the golf industry and beyond, so we are excited about this new arrangement which will see our magazine evolve whilst permitting our communications team to broaden their focus. BIGGA members are rightly proud of their magazine and we look forward to seeing what the team at 18Players can do to elevate it to new heights.”  

“We are proud to be working with BIGGA and believe we can strengthen even further the bond between greenkeepers and the association that represents them,” said 18Players director, Dan Murphy.  

“We believe the magazine will continue to evolve over the coming months as a result of close and ongoing collaboration with the BIGGA team, feedback from members and developing relationships with BIGGA’s network of partners,” added Murphy. 

About 18Players 

  • 18Players are a full-service creative agency based in Leeds. 
  • We currently work with several governing bodies inside and outside of golf – they include The R&A, The PGA, BIGGA, The GCMA and England Athletics. 
  • We provide an array of publishing solutions for our partners ranging from full-size print magazines to social media, e-shot creation to a full suite of campaign assets. 
  • We specialise in the creation of websites, bespoke video and written content for some of the leading golf courses in the British Isles, including Royal Birkdale, Western Gailes and The Machrie. 
  • We provide marketing support and social media services for multiple organisation working in golf, from the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) to Royal St. George’s Golf Club. 
  • If you are interested in the services that 18Players offer, contact Mike Robertson, on [email protected] or 0113 289 3979