Every year the Golf Foundation Presidents’ Awards celebrate some of the real heroes of grass roots junior golf and the high achieving projects that encourage more young people to ‘Start, Learn and Stay’ in the sport. For the year ahead, one of the key awards will also offer a sharper focus on the leading golf charity’s ‘Skills for Life’ values.
The Golf Foundation is in a unique position to recognise the individuals, groups and organisations who deserve special acclaim for helping youngsters from all backgrounds and circumstances to enjoy the benefits of golf. The Foundation calls on golf lovers to make their nominations now to reward these people of integrity who happily give their time to support the charity’s national HSBC Golf Roots programme which is providing an ever-more successful player pathway from school to regular club golf.
The Presidents’ Awards will be staged in May 2018 at Wentworth on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship. Held courtesy of one of the Foundation’s chief supporters, The European Tour, this is always a glittering occasion. Volunteers, PGA professionals, teachers, sports development workers, administrators, sport partnerships and local authorities are among those who can be nominated for one of nine awards which are shared out between group projects and individuals.
The 10th and most prestigious honour is the ‘Sir Henry Cotton Award’ which is for outstanding service in the development of young golfers over a sustained period of time. Meanwhile, for the 2018 event, the Mackenzie Award will change slightly to help provide a sharper focus for the Foundation’s ‘Skills for Life’ message that golf can assist in the positive progress of young people in our clubs and in their wider lives. Following a summer that has seen approaching 300 golf clubs sign up for a new Skills for Life campaign, this should be a popular addition to the awards schedule.
Brendon Pyle, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “Our Presidents’ Awards represent a priceless opportunity for this charity and our partners to recognise and celebrate the outstanding commitment and passion that our award winners show in helping young people to find a good start in golf so that they may enjoy the game long into adulthood.
“For next year, the nearly 300 golf clubs that have received a Skills for Life trophy will be invited to nominate their young recipient to win the national Mackenzie Award at Wentworth. This is a really exciting addition to the awards and will truly celebrate our wider commitment to helping young golfers develop into confident and resilient adults.”
The closing date for nominations is 23rd February, 2018, and anyone can take part in this process. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the ‘Presidents’ Awards’ page on www.golf-foundation.org
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GF ALL THE WINNERS 2017.jpg
And GF Sinclair Award – Matt Edgar.jpg
Matt Edgar is presented with the 2017 Sinclair Award by PGA Chief Executive Sandy Jones