Johan Benestam
Biography
Johan Benestam interest in golf started early with a job as a greenkeeper at his neighborhoodgolf club, The Royal Drottningholm Golf Club of Stockholm. Having prepared the course for the Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the Scandinavian Masters, he became enthusiastic about eventually becoming a golf course superintendent. His formal education began in 1998 at The Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences in Alnarp, Sweden where he eventually earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Planning in 2001.
His budding interest in architecture, combined with golf lead him to the only place in the world which offers this special education; Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. In October 2002, Johan obtained a Master of Science in Golf Course Architecture. After completing his studies, he worked as a landscape architect at the WSP Landscape Department in Stockholm on the re-development of the Nacka Golf Club, and the development of Olandsbygdens Golf Club and Söderby Golf Club. Once these projects were finished in 2004, Johan proceeded to open his own company, Benestam Golf Course Design.
To gain more knowledge of the actual construction process, Johan took a job as a construction worker at Sand Golf Club, Jönköping, Sweden during Summer 2004 under the mentorship of Brian Smith (USA), a shaper and construction specialist. The job resulted in a deeper understanding of how maintenance, construction and architecture are linked together in golf course development.
Johan has been a member of The Royal Drottningholm Golf Club for more than 25 years. He has a handicap of 6, travels once a year to the British Isles to play golf (links golf) and to get inspiration for his own design philosophy and strategy.
He is also a member of The Federation of the Scandinavian Golf Course Architects (FSGA).
Robert “Skip” Pedigo, Shaper
Biography
Robert Pedigo is born in Kentucky but lives in Barnesville, Ohio (USA). He started with golf course construction at an early age like his father. He used to have a construction company of his own but works nowadays as a one man company. It is over 50 courses that he has been involved in of the golf course shaping. He is specialized in all areas of shaping with all different kinds of bulldozers. He has also a good knowledge of all other phases of golf course construction. He has done shaping jobs for several famous architects during the years such as; Tom Weiskopf, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Arthur Hills, etc. He has also done a lot of works for a couple of construction companies such as Mid American Golf & Landscape Company, Pro Turf International Inc and Wadsworth Golf Construction.
Benkt Svederman, Sales Manager Asian Pacific Region
Biography
Benkt Svederman has an MBA from IHR, the Institute of Higher Marketing and Communication in Stockholm. He has worked for 20 years as an Account Manager as well as a General Manager for several well known Advertising Agencies in Stockholm. In 1992 he became General Manager of the Royal Drottningholm Golf Club. During his 15 years as a Manager for one of the most famous Golf Clubs in Sweden he carried out several big changes and projects within the Club. They were of different kinds such as a new Driving Range including a Golf Academy, many improvements of the Golf Course as well as in the Club House. He has been the Club's representative within several big International Tournaments, like the Scandinavian Masters and HP Open. After retirement in 2007 he has set up a network towards the Asian Golf market for giving advice and developing the growing interest of golf in this region.
Sven Benestam, CFO
Biography
Sven Benestam has an MBA from the University of Lund, Sweden. He has for many years been managing director of a couple of mutual funds owned by the Cooperative Banks of Sweden and Gotabanken. He has also been managing director of a stock brokerage company, called Consensus Fondkommission. Before he retired he was managing director for twelve years for The Swedish Pension Society for Government Employees.