A total of over 250 guests, including many key golf industry figures, attended the glittering 2012 Foremost Golf Industry Awards Dinner, held at the Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, on the first evening of the Golf Trade Show 2012.
Leading industry figures, including TaylorMade’s Managing Director Ben Sharpe, PING Managing Director John Clark, Titleist Managing Director Jeremy Tomlinson and Callaway Europe President Neil Howie, were all part of the audience, together with over 200 members and staff, as Foremost in association with Golf Monthly Industry awards evening took place.
For the second year in a row, the evening was compered by leading BBC golf commentator, Andrew Cotter, with additional entertainment provided by comedian, Ian Irving.
“It was a fantastic night and a big part of what I genuinely believe was overall our most successful Show ever,” said Hedges. “We might still be in the middle of a recession but there was real optimism on the evening and throughout the Show in what we are achieving as a group , coupled with a genuine belief that, if we work together, we are and can continue to overcome the challenging economic conditions.”
That was a view shared by both Daniel Webster, the Head Professional at St Annes Old Links, who won Foremost’s 2012 Professional of the Year Award and Darren Everett, from Teign Valley Golf Club, who lifted the group’s Breakthrough Professional of the Year Award.
“I am very proud to have won the Professional of the Year Award but must say it would not have been possible without all the help and support I received from the Foremost team,” said Webster, who has seen his retail turnover increase from £190,000 in 2009 to a projected £310,000 in 2012.
“I am really excited about 2013 and about working with Foremost to develop my business even further,” he added. “I will also be spreading the word about how Foremost can help every golf professional to grow their business.”
Everett was also quick to praise Foremost staff after joining Webster as one of the night’s big winners.
“I just want to say a huge thanks for being awarded the Breakthrough Professional of the Year Award,” he said. “It was a big shock to be told I had been nominated for an Award, but to actually win one was completely unexpected and my proudest moment as a professional.
“When I took over the shop at Teign ValleyI had no hesitation in signing up with Foremost. I had a difficult period leading up to me taking over the shop but both David Murch and Leanne Lewin gave me fantastic support and bent over backwards to help me any way they could.”
“They have played a major part in my success this year,” he added. “The way Foremost is run from top to bottom is first class and in particular the Elite Marketing Programme has helped revolutionise a lot of fellow professionals’ businesses. It has certainly been one of the big factors behind my business success this year.”
During the Foremost Awards Dinner Stuart Wilson, the Head Professional at Eastwood Golf Club, received the group’s Elite Marketing Professional of the Year Award after winning the Foremost Professional of the Year Award in 2010.
GolfBusinessNews.Com (GBN) and Golf Business Development (GBD) magazine were the ‘Golf Industry Media Partners’ for the event and sponsored the ‘Supplier of the Year’ categories, which attracted entries from leading global golf brands
PING won the Supplier of the Year Award from a shortlist that also included FootJoy, Motocaddy and TaylorMade. Other Awards went to Nike (Apparel Range of the Year), Sunderland Dolphin Range (Waterproof Range of the Year), FootJoy Contour Range (Shoe of the Year), Titleist Vokey (Wedge of the Year), Odyssey Metal X (Putter of the Year), Titleist ProV1 (Ball of the Year), Motocaddy S1 (Electric Trolley of the Year), Masters Golf (Most Profitable Supplier of the Year), Golf Buddy “Voice” (Most Innovative Product of the Year), PING G20 (Iron of the Year) and TaylorMade (Wood of the Year).