The shortlists have been announced for the expanded 2015 GCMA Club Management Awards, with the competition featuring new categories, new sponsors and new prizes for outstanding managers of golf clubs.
For the first time in its 10-year history, the awards will have three categories:
- Golf Club Manager of the Year
- Newcomer Manager of the Year
- Golf Club Team of the Year
The GCMA received hundreds of nominations across all three categories, making the judging process tougher than ever, with many candidates receiving multiple nominations.
All shortlisted nominees received a visit at their club from the judges in September, which was then followed up with a formal interview with the full judging panel at Fulford Golf Club in October.
The judges reported that discussions went on long into the night, but that they have finally made their decisions, with the winners to be announced at the 2015 GCMA Conference on 16 November, at St George’s Park. The GCMA would like to congratulate all of the nominees, and especially the shortlisted candidates.
The shortlisted nominees are:
Manager of the Year
Andrew Minty – Langland Bay GC / Wales Region
Alison Malham – Seaton Carew GC / Northern Region
Phil Bonsall – Piltdown GC / Southern Region
Tracy Rawlinson – Warrington Golf Club / North West Region
Newcomer Manager of the Year
Stuart Leech – Formby GC / North West Region
Alex Woodward – Boyce Hill GC / East Anglia
Team of the Year
High Post GC – Wessex
Royal Cromer GC – Norfolk
The Newcomer Manager must have been at their club for a maximum of three years, whilst the Team of the Year will consist of the Manager, the Head Greenkeeper and the PGA Professional. Prizes include trips to Thailand and Rioja in Spain.
Bob Williams, GCMA CEO, said: “The competition has grown exponentially in the decade since its inception and the time was right to expand it into three categories. The standard of all the initial nominees was extremely high, and whittling them down to three shortlists wasn’t easy. Choosing overall winners was even more difficult – every candidate presented themselves impressively – but after considerable discussion, we are confident that the winners we’ve chosen truly represent the highest standard of golf club management.
“We’re looking forward to announcing the winners at our Conference in November – it will be a highlight in an already packed programme. Congratulations to all who were nominated or shortlisted, and especially to our winners!”
HowDidiDo, Europe’s largest golfing community, is sponsoring this year’s competition along with, for the first time, Fairstone Financial Management, which is currently helping golf clubs with auto enrolment of their employees to comply with the Pensions Act 2008.
Last year’s winner of the competition was Emma Clifford (picture attached).
GCMA www.gcma.org.uk
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