Leadership

Croatian Golf Federation highest body is a Conference which is composed of Board of Directors members and of representatives of each affiliated CGF member.

Executive governing body which manages its business affairs and legaly represents CGF is a Board of Directors. Board of Directors is composed of a chairman and two members.

Relation between CGF Conference and Board of Directors is similar to relation between the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

Role of the Conference as the CGF highest body is similar to a role of the Conference of the Croatian Bar Association.

Board of Directors

Dino KLISOVIĆ

CGF Board of Directors Chairman
dino@golf.hr

Dino Klisović, Croatian Golf Federation Board of Directors Chairman, was born on 10 February 1970 in Zagreb. After finishing, cum laude, Elementary school „Nikola Demonja“ and High school for administration he studied and, at the beginning od 1994, graduated at the Faculty of Law of the Zagreb University. After several years working as a trainee at the law firm Kelemen in February 1999 he earned a status of an independent attorney at law.

He started with golf in the first half of 1991. 1992 he was one of the founding members of Golf Club Bundek while the same year - in a capacity of official delegate - participated on the founding assembly of the Croatian Golf Federation. He was actively involved in CGF activities from 1996 when became a Croatian Olympic Committee member as an official representative of the Croatian Golf Federation. He is one of the founders of the Croatian national golf team and, with his own efforts, crucially influenced towards its first official competition on the Mediterranean games in Bari 1997. At the end of 1997 Dino Klisović successfully enrolled CGF into a full membership of the International Golf Federation (then World Amateur Golf Council) and became a permanent official CGF representative at the same organization. 1998 he personally governed and executed project which achieved the first and a historic participation of both (men and women) national teams on the World Amateur Team Championships in Chile. From the spring of 1998 he was a closest associate of a long time CGF President Božidar Ivačić and intensively acted in all areas of CGF activities. Specifically he was, with exceptional achievements, involved in assuring of material and financial resources necessary for realization of essential CGF activities, arranging all legal acts and issues and with governing croatian national golf teams as its leader from 1997. Period until the end of 2007, when he temporarily retired from CGF affairs, was marked by huge successes - especially regarding leading national teams, financial stability and high level of Federation activities, CGF reputation within domestic and foreign sports and golf institutions and establishing and mantaining clear distribution of duties, internal relations hierarchy and assumption of responsibility within Croatian Golf Federation. Very important was his participation at the International Golf Federation Biennal Meeting in Puerto Rico 2004 when he, in a difficult and complicated conditions, led campaign to prevent change of rules which would, if voted for, permanently diminish right to participate with their teams on the World Amateur Team Championship to huge number of countries among which should be Croatia itself.

Dino Klisović was, as its head of delegation, leading Croatian men and women national golf team on twenty three of its official competitions. He officially represented Croatian Golf Federation, from 1998 until today, on twenty three Annual or Biennal Meetings, Assemblies or Conferences of the International Golf Federation, European Golf Association, United States Golf Association and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. He also led Croatian university national golf team on its first and, by now, the only participation on the World University Games - Universiade in Bangkok 2007 as he was a participant on several other relevant golf meetings and congresses. He iniciated and successfully executed project of the first and the only participation of a Croatian Team Champion in women“s category on the European Women“s Club Trophy in Paris 2001. On the European Golf Association Assembly in Hamburg 2009 he successfully, by facts and arguments, prevented attempt of proposed CGF expulsion. After CGF was, in 2010, temporarily excluded from the EGA he was one of its legal representatives in a trial against EGA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in which CGF completely succeeded and fully regained its previous status as legitimate member of an international golf community.

After majority of golf clubs did not recognize his program which guaranteed immediate exit from financial difficulties and further raise of CGF activities level on the CGF presidential elections in May 2008 Dino Klisović, after financial collapse of the CGF happened, in December 2008 iniciated start of its bankrutpcy proceedings as the only legal way for solving financial problems and settling CGF situation on a long term basis. From 26 March 2009 until 28 June 2010 he performed as a Board of Creditors Chairman of the Croatian Golf Federation in bankruptcy proceedings. On a 28 June 2010, after CGF successfully exited bankruptcy proceedings, he was appointed as the Croatian Golf Federation Board of Directors Chairman.

The highest CGF official is also known as an excellent golf commentator; in the past three years he broadcasted live in a long time TV broadcasts three US Masters, two The Open Championships, two US Open“s and one PGA Championship.

Dino Klisović is known for his full committment to all projects he deals with. He prefers individual work on the principles of clear distribution of duties, strong internal relations hierarchy and assumption of personal responsibility as he permanently insists on the CGF full authonomy and independence. He is not, and has never been, a member of any political party.

Privately, CGF Board of Directors Chairman admires sport in general from the early childhood. Aside golf, he specifically likes and look after track and field, basketball and football; among athletes he has deep respect for are John Stockton, Pete Sampras, Heile Gebrselasie and Michael Phelps. A great expert on the olympic movement and other olympic matters. Keen to travel - especially by plane - and likes top - notch hotels and restaurants. Considers Paris, New York, Bled and Barbados as his most favourable foreign destinations. Used to relax by reading books of John Grisham or watching movies with Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant while a fan of music performed by Oliver Dragojević, Rod Stewart, Al Bano and Romina Power and bands as Novi fosili and ABBA. Dino Klisović prefers casual clothes of Lacoste and formal one of the fashion house Brioni. CGF helmsman generally is not disposed to experiment respecting already proved theory that classic is always in trend.

Entering into his best years, Dino Klisović remains determined to guide CGF on the even higher level with emphasis on its official competitions, activities of its national teams and, respecting its social role, general upgrade of golf ethics and culture in Croatia. Although it will need a lot of time and work CGF Board of Directors Chairman does not intend to give up. „Too old to fight, too young to surrender“ is one of his, many times proved, well known statements.

Nikola KOVAČEVIĆ

CGF Board of Directors member
nikola@golf.hr

Nikola Kovačević was born on 2 October 1958 in Zagreb. After ending his education and studies he became an enterpreneur and has held managing positions in several companies among couple of business areas.

Nikola Kovačević started with golf in 1994. In 1997 he competed on the Croatian Individual Championship for the first time. He achieved excellent results soon. Already in 1999 he was placed fourth on the Croatian Individual Championship. The same year he officially competed for the first time for the croatian national golf team on the European Amateur Team Championship in Italy. He made best results in 2001, 2002 and 2005 when he was, all three times, a runner-up on the Croatian Individual Championship. Three more times later - 2006, 2010 and 2011 - he finished fourth on the Croatian Individual Championship. He won a title of Croatian Team Champion, as a player of Golf & Country Club Zagreb 1995 and Golf & Country Club Novi & Resort in 2002 and 2009. Many times he finished second on the Croatian Team Championship. He officially competed for the croatian national golf team a record eleven times; therefore he has a status of national team doyen. He is a player with three appearances on the World Amateur Team Championships (2000, 2002, 2006). On the European Amateur Team Championship he competed twice (1999, 2001) and on the EGA Challenge Trophies four times (2002, 2004, 2006, 2007). Finally, as a player he was twice a part of the International Amateur Golf Championship - The Spirit. On the World Amateur Team Championship 2006 and on the EGA Challenge Trophy 2002 he achieved best result among players of the croatian national team. As a player of Golf & Country Club Zagreb 1995 and Golf & Country Club Novi & Resort he participated twice on the European Men“s Club Trophy in Rome 2002 and Istanbul 2009. A very expirienced player, he is famous for his great coolness and strong competitive spirit.

Except as a player, Nikola Kovačević, from December 2002 to December 2006 and from 15 February 2008 to 23 January 2009, acted as a CGF Supervisory Board member. After opening the bankruptcy proceedings over the Croatian Golf Federation Nikola Kovačević was on duty as a Board of creditors member in a period from 26 March 2009 until 28 June 2010. Right upon successful exit from the bakruptcy proceedings, on 28 June 2010, Nikola Kovačević was appointed as the Croatian Golf Federation Board of Directors member.

Nikola Kovačević is adherent to transparency in business operations and a proved follower of fair play on and off the course.

Privately, Nikola Kovačević is married and a father of five children from two marriages. He played tennis from the childhood and competed on relevant official tennis tournaments in junior categories across former Yugoslavia. CGF Board of Directors member, of young and cheerful spirit, lives actively and, beside golf, regularly plays tennis. For years is a fan of good cars and traditional italian music performed by the orchestra of Renzo Arbore. Trying to spend a lot of time with his family Nikola Kovačević is an advocate of contemporary life and modern technologies with simultaneous respect for some traditional values. Today, although still a relevant player within croatian borders, he gives a great contribution in the CGF business and governing affairs.

Sanja ŠERFEZI LOVRIĆ

CGF Board of Directors member
sanja@golf.hr

Sanja Šerfezi Lovrić was born on 9 November 1965 in Zagreb. She attended Elementary school „Ivan Goran Kovačić“ and High school for languages. Later she studied and graduated on the Faculty of economics at the University of Zagreb. After working briefly for travel agency „Generalturist“ from December 1998 she is employed at the Croatian Pension Fund where she manages shares and companies in its portfolio.

She started with golf in 1992 and achieved excellent sport results pretty soon. Sanja Šerfezi Lovrić is the first Croatian Amateur Champion in 1993 which title she won again in 1995 and 1998. Five more times she was a runner-up and three more times she was third on the Croatian Individual Championship. Title of Croatian Team Champion, as a player of Golf Club Bundek, Golf & Country Club Zagreb 1995 and Golf Club Zagreb, she won a record nine time plus one second place. She officially competed for a national golf team eight times. The only croatian player who played on the Mediterranean games three times (1997, 2001, 2005) and, along with Snježana Crnoglavac, the only croatian player with five consecutive apperances on the World Amateur Team Championships (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006). On the World Amateur Team Championship 2004 she achieved result, in the second round, of 84 strokes which was, at the time, the best official single round ever played by a member of women“s national team on its official competitions. As a player of Golf & Country Club Zagreb 1995 she participated at the first and, by now the only, croatian appearance on the European Women“s Club Trophy in Paris 2001. On the Mediterranean games in Tunisia 2001 she made hole in one which is the only that kind of achievement within official competitions considering all croatian national golf teams. As a player she is known as a big fighter with great expirience and sport spirit.

Except as a player Sanja Šerfezi Lovrić, on the iniciative of current CGF Board of Directors Chairman Dino Klisović, get involved into CGF affairs as a Board of Creditors member from 26 March 2009 to 28 June 2010 while CGF was in the bankruptcy proceedings. Immediately after it successfully ended, on 28 June 2010 Sanja Šerfezi Lovrić was appointed as a Croatian Golf Federation Board of Directors member.

Regarding CGF activities she puts emphasis on execution of all sporting programs on domestic and international level as essential and core CGF activities plus on rationality and responsibility in business.

Privately, Sanja Šerfezi Lovrić is a mother of her daughter Sara and her son Borna. Comes from sport family; her mother Božica Šerfezi (b. Martinec) was a national tennis champion of Yugoslavia in the past. CGF Board of Directors member admires skiing and sea vacations; especially cruising on her own motoryacht. In her youth she dealt with modern dance and was a member of a well known dance group of Tihana Škrinjarić. Likes to relax listening to the music of Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni, Barry White and Whitney Houston. As a person of modern attitude, along with playing career, she successfully continues her work in golf also in governing area determined to give her own contribution towards further development and progress of the Croatian Golf Federation.