Organisers of Elevate Golf have revealed that Ben Cowan-Dewar, co-founder and CEO of Cabot, will be the headline guest speaker at this year’s gala dinner – the finale of the industry-leading event that brings together 600 delegates from across the international golf tourism sector.
Taking place from October 25-30, Elevate Golf 2026 will open with an exclusive familiarisation experience in Northern Ireland before moving to St Andrews for the business and networking centrepiece of the week. Cowan-Dewar will take part in a wide-ranging Q&A session covering the story behind the Cabot brand and the broader forces shaping golf tourism today.
One of the most influential figures in global golf development, Cowan-Dewar began his career at the age of 19 when he founded Golf Travel Impresarios (GolfTi), a private golf travel business that gave him an intimate understanding of what makes a destination truly exceptional.
In 2004, he identified a remote stretch of coastline in Inverness, Nova Scotia — an economically depressed town following the closure of its coal mines — and saw its potential for world-class golf. After partnering with Bandon Dunes founder Mike Keiser, Cabot Links opened in 2012, and Cabot has been growing ever since.
From a single links course on a remote Canadian island, Cabot has grown to seven properties across six countries. Each is chosen for the quality of its natural landscape, with the golf course always designed first and everything else built around it.
Working with architects including Tom Doak, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and Rod Whitman, Cowan-Dewar has created a portfolio that consistently ranks among the world’s finest.
Current properties include Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia (home to Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs, ranked #1 and #3 in Canada), Cabot St. Lucia, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, Cabot Highlands in Scotland, Cabot Bordeaux in France and Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, due to open in 2027.
The conversation at Elevate Golf will span Cowan-Dewar’s journey building Cabot and the key themes driving international golf tourism — including emerging markets, the evolving expectations of the modern golf traveller and the future of destination golf development.
“I’m genuinely looking forward to the conversation at Elevate Golf,” said Cowan-Dewar. It’s a fascinating time for the industry and I’m excited to share the Cabot story and hear how operators and destinations are navigating this landscape together.”
Leanne Thorpe, director at Elevate Golf, said: “Having Ben join us for the gala dinner is a real coup for Elevate Golf. He has built one of the most extraordinary portfolios in destination golf, and his insight into both the Cabot business and the wider industry will make for a truly memorable evening.”
