59club will bring together its network of partner venues from across the UK and Ireland as its 14th Annual Service Excellence Awards Ceremony comes to the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on February 29.
The nominees for the prestigious accolades, which recognise those outstanding venues, teams and individuals within the industry who consistently deliver outstanding experiences to their members and guests are determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping programme, measuring the experience afforded to members, visitors and prospective members across golf, leisure and spa.
With a diverse range of operators, which now expands beyond 220 venues across the UK and Ireland, 59club continues to reflect the very best performances regardless of a venue’s size, scale or profile, with five of the main titles further segmented into three categories based on the average guest fee charged.
A number of the UK’s finest golf resorts receive multiple nominations this year, with Foxhills Club & Resort, Mount Juliet, Rockliffe Hall, The Belfry and The Grove having teams and individuals competing for honours.
Member-orientated clubs are also well represented, with Ballybunion, Clevedon, East Herts, Filton, Hollinwell, Long Ashton, Newport, Panmure, The Leicestershire, The London Club and Woodsome Hall receiving nominations across a number of categories.
The 2024 nominations contain a number of individuals and venues who are relatively new to 59club and achieve recognition for the first time such as John Eggleston, General Manager at Ballybunion; Jade Cotton & Jemma Brown at Stanton on the Wolds, who feature in the F&B category; and Giuseppe Lacata from Filton, who is nominated as Retail Manager of the Year.
However, kudos must be given to the likes of Glenn McNaughton of Long Ashton, who is looking to be named F&B Manager of the Year for the fifth consecutive year, and Matt Aplin from Goring and Streatley GC, who is hoping to retain his crown as Greenkeeper of the Year for an incredible sixth year in a row.
Looking ahead to the Awards, Will Hewitt, General Manager of 59club UK, said: “We are delighted to announce the venues, teams and individuals who have demonstrated an ability to deliver consistently outstanding experiences to their members and guests over the past 12 months. Regardless of the amount being charged for the experience, there are numerous examples of people going above and beyond to deliver service excellence and it is right that this should be recognised and celebrated.”
He added: “It is encouraging that the objective measurement through our comprehensive mystery shopping programme has highlighted a 4% year on year improvement, and this together with an increased number of venues being measured makes a nomination very well deserved. Having the opportunity to have so many high performers in one room, catching up with friends, sharing ideas and celebrating achievement always makes for a great event.”
The award ceremony, which is supported by 59club’s industry partners Albatross, Asbri Golf, Clubcar, Eagle / Tacit, Gaunt Golf Design,Golfbreaks.com, Golf Genius, Golf HR, J Lindeberg, Neutral Carbon Zone, Reesink Turfcare and 3d ifs – will conclude with the presentation of the 59club Bronze, Silver and Gold Flag awards to the resorts and members’ clubs which have demonstrated distinction against criteria for both customer service delivery and the quality of their facilities.
In addition to 59club’s UK awards event, the global Customer Service Management Specialists will host six additional ceremonies during 2024 – starting in Europe before heading off to the MEA, Asia, USA, Canada and finally finishing in Australia – as 59club continue uniting the world of golf and hospitality around their commitment to deliver customer service excellence.
59club award nominations for 2024
Leading Spa Experience
Eden Hall, Hanbury Manor, Hoarcross Hall, Rockliffe Hall, The Vale Resort
Leading Individual Corporate Golf Day Sales Performance
Alice Kozlowski (The Grove), Chris Rippon (The Belfry Resort), Fraser Hurndall (Fairmont St Andrews), Jonny Sharp (Cameron House), Nicola Taylor and Ben Tomlinson (The Belfry Resort)
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
George Reid (Wyke Green GC), Lee Roberts (Branston G&CC), Pamela O’Keeffe (Mount Juliet), Pamela Neeson & Hamish Mills (Cameron House), Sophie Lee (The Mere Resort & Spa)
Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year
Branston G&CC, Hanbury Manor, Rockliffe Hall, The Mere Resort & Spa, Wyke Green GC
Leading Individual Golf Sales Performance
Ben Stockman (The Grove), Brad Cannings (Macdonald Hotels), Gareth Evans (Macdonald Hotels), Katie Atkinson (Rockliffe Hall), Tom Gregory (The Grove)
Leading Individual Leisure Membership Sales Performance
Abigail Johns (The Vale Resort), Becky Chard (The Vale Resort), Connah Beesla-McGarry (Branston G&CC), Lauren Bentley (Rockliffe Hall), Marcus Weatherburn (Foxhills Club & Resort)
Leisure Membership Sales Team of the Year
Branston G&CC, Hanbury Manor, Instinct Gym & Wellbeing, Rockliffe Hall, The Vale Resort
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Green Fee Over £131: Eddie Devane (Mount Juliet), F&B Team (Royal Dornoch GC), Houssem Belabed (Gleneagles), Olivia Downey (JCB Golf & Country Club), Tracey Henderson (Hollinwell GC)
Green Fee £130 – £61: Caroline Taylor (Pennard GC), Craig McKinlay (Panmure GC), Danielle Jones (Newport GC), Jade Cotton & Jemma Brown (Stanton on the Wolds GC), Lewis Norman (Rockliffe Hall)
Green Fee £60 & Under: Chris Lee (East Herts GC), F&B Team (Bulbury Woods GC), F&B Team (Teignmouth GC), Glenn McNaughton (Long Ashton GC)
Golf Retail Manager of the Year
Green Fee Over £131: Elliott Laville (Foxhills Club & Resort), Mike Bradley (Hollinwell GC), Russell McIntyre (Gullane GC), Simon Hilliard (The London Club), Tom Hughes (The Belfry Resort)
Green Fee £130 – £61: Andrew Crerar (Panmure GC), Paul Thomas (Newport GC), Sandy Smith (Ladybank GC), Sean Pearson (Pennard GC), Tim Martin (Golf at Goodwood),
Green Fee £60 & Under: Giuseppe Licata (Filton GC), Ian Orrell (Wychwood Park), Jack Heginbotham (Long Ashton GC), John Eyre (Woodsome Hall GC), Pete Livie (The Leicestershire GC)
Greenkeeper of the Year
Green Fee Over £131: Angus Macleod (Belfry – Brabazon course), Eoin Riddell (Royal Dornoch GC), Lee Sayers (The London Club), Martin Lehane (Mount Juliet), Will Evans (The Grove)
Green Fee £130 – £61: Gary Nicoll (Panmure GC), Jamie Wade (Belfry – PGA National course), Jon Wyer (Rockliffe Hall), Mike Bush (St Mellion Estate), Neil Robson (Harpenden GC)
Green Fee £60 & Under: James Braithwaite (Long Ashton GC), Matt Aplin (Goring & Streatley GC), Richard Ponsford (Clevedon GC), Steven Pickering (Hickleton GC), Wayne Bown (The Leicestershire GC)
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Green Fee Over £131: Ballybunion GC, Foxhills Club & Resort, JCB G&CC, The Belfry Resort (Brabazon), The Grove,
Green Fee £130 – £61: Golf at Goodwood, Hanbury Manor, Panmure GC, Rockliffe Hall, The Belfry Resort (PGA National),
Green Fee £60 & Under: Clevedon GC, Filton GC, Long Ashton GC, Woodsome Hall GC, Wychwood Park
Golf Manager of the Year
Green Fee Over £131: Brad Gould (The Grove), Chris Reeve (The Belfry Resort – Brabazon), John Eggleston (Ballybunion GC), Matt Sandercock (Mount Juliet), Sean Graham (Foxhills Club & Resort),
Green Fee £130 – £61: Chris Reeve (The Belfry Resort – PGA National), Dan Blesovsky (Frilford Heath GC), Matt Parsley (Conwy GC), Stan Power (Hanbury Manor), Tom West (Rockliffe Hall)
Green Fee £60 & Under: Ian Orrell (Wychwood Park), Karen Drake (Clevedon GC), Pat Murphy (The Kendleshire), Reece Millar (Long Ashton GC), Tim Hudson (East Herts GC),