Co. Sligo is the inaugural AIB All Ireland Golf Club of the Year. The award and development grants totalling 䚿,500 were presented to the club at a function held in AIB Bank Centre, Dublin last night. At the function All Ireland category awards were also presented to Elm Park, Tullamore, Ballybunion and Co. Sligo. In addition to the All Ireland awards a further 16 provincial awards were also presented.
(see http://www.golfbusinessnews.com/news/news.asp?storyid=1208)
The AIB Golf Club of the Year awards scheme is a joint venture between AIB, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union. The scheme was set up to focus on the many non-playing aspects of a golf club that are essential to the long term success of the club. The awards focused on four key elements of club life namely Junior Golf, the Environment, Communications, Clubhouse/Course Presentation
In the words of the judging panel Co. Sligo took the top award for “its all round performance across all four categories. Whilst the club won provincial and All Ireland category awards for its superb communications programme, it demonstrated a major commitment to excellence across all of the areas being judged. In our estimation the future of Irish golf is in good hands as long as there are clubs like Co. Sligo”.
The complete list of award winners is as follows:
AIB Golf Club of the Year:
Co. Sligo
All Ireland Category Awards:
Junior Golf: Elm Park
Environment: Ballybunion
Clubhouse/Course Presentation: Tullamore
Communications: Co. Sligo
The judging panel for the awards consisted of representatives of both the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union.
Speaking at the presentation on behalf of AIB, general manager Billy Andrews said that AIB was delighted to be involved with both the GUI and the ILGU in a scheme which he hoped would be of major benefit to golf in Ireland.
“We see the role of the club as being essential to the continued good health of sport in Ireland. We are already heavily involved with the ‘club’ both in our GAA and rugby sponsorships. This new sponsorship enables us to put the focus on the golf club. Our intention is to focus not necessarily on the club that wins tournaments but rather the club that continues to progress and be as good as it can be, the club that plays its part in the development of the local community in general”.
More information from Caroline Reynolds, William Hartnell Public Relations, Telephone Int +353 1 669 0173 caroline.reynolds@ogilvy.com
GUI www.gui.ie
County Sligo Golf Club www.countysligogolfclub.ie
Ballybunion Golf Club www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie
Tullamore Golf Club www.tullamoregolfclub.com
Elm Park Golf Club ecarroll@elmparkgolfclub.ie