The Golf Foundation team is expecting to receive “outstanding nominations” again this year for the national charity’s Presidents’ Awards, which are presented during the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on September 18.
The annual Golf Foundation Presidents’ Awards celebrate the excellent volunteers, coaches and organisations who encourage more young people to ‘Start, Learn and Stay’ in the sport. In recent years the Foundation team has welcomed winners to the stage at Wentworth who have moved the packed audience to tears with their stories of just how much volunteering in golf or shaping the future of young players has meant to them.
With a closing date of Friday, July 5, 2019, the Foundation is urging supporters to consider applications soon if they would like to nominate exceptional individuals or projects for one of 10 prestigious awards on offer at the ceremony – which will be staged at Wentworth on Pro-Am Wednesday (September 18) on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship.
Held courtesy of one of the Foundation’s key 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 the awards which are shared out between community golf projects and individuals.
The 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. Other awards to be won include those for best PGA professional, volunteers of the year (young and adult), best local golf projects, golf club fundraising, plus key awards for young people demonstrating learning life skills from the sport and/or conquering adversity. See more at https://www.golf-foundation.org/about-us/presidents-awards/
Stephen Lewis, Chairman of the Golf Foundation, said: “The Presidents’ Awards have become a celebrated date in the diary for many of the most influential people in golf, not least for those most important influencers of all, the volunteers, coaches, club staff and project leaders, whose passion is crucial to the success of the Golf Foundation’s work in making the game accessible and enjoyable for the next generation.
“We have received outstanding nominations during the last few years, which have produced so many inspirational stories. We can only select 10 award winners of course but we do stress that their work also highlights the efforts of so many of the friends of this charity who all do so much to support young people in the game. Thanking these people is a wonderful opportunity for all present at Wentworth and a privilege for the whole Golf Foundation team. For making this event possible we are hugely grateful to both the European Tour and Wentworth Club.”
The closing date for nominations is July 5, 2019, and anyone can take part in this process. Nomination forms can be completed at https://www.golf-foundation.org/about-us/presidents-awards/2019-presidents-awards-how-to-nominate/
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org
Pictured top: Sir Henry Cotton Award winner 2018, Barry Chapman (left), junior organiser at Woodall Spa Golf Club (Getty Images)