Bramshaw Golf Club has been awarded the prestigious GolfMark Club of the Year Award, which is supported this year by COBRA-PUMA GOLF.
The English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) introduced this award to recognise those facilities that have shown an outstanding and innovative contribution to junior and beginner golf.
The Hampshire club impressed judges with strong evidence of a team “working together” to grow the game. Having a focus on recruiting and retaining beginners of all ages in a welcoming atmosphere, the club has worked well with the Hampshire County Golf Partnership, sharing positive reciprocal links with 13 other golf clubs to provide easier access for new players.
The award was made during the England Golf Partnership’s County Golf Development Conference at Woodhall Spa on Tuesday (22 February). Delegates heard how the club has carried out a successful three-year development plan to grow the junior section, while greater numbers of adult beginners have also been actively encouraged and welcomed by established members.
Presenting the award, Ian Barrett, EMEA Marketing Manager for COBRA-PUMA GOLF, said: “COBRA-PUMA GOLF is delighted to be able to help recognise the tremendous efforts of all at Bramshaw Golf Club. This is clearly a club that is entirely focused on developing golf for the good of the community. COBRA-PUMA GOLF wholeheartedly supports GolfMark as a way of flagging-up beginner-friendly facilities, and welcomes those clubs that play their part in bringing as many people to golf as possible.”
EGU and EWGA Golf Development Manager, Richard Flint, said: “We have been highly impressed with the quality of clubs nominated for this year’s award, which reflects the hard work of more than 400 GolfMark clubs. The team at Bramshaw has demonstrated a real ‘joined up’ approach in everything it does, which is showing positive results for the whole club.”
Ian Baker, General Manager of Bramshaw Golf Club, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to win this award, it is wonderful to be even nominated. However, attaining the GolfMark accreditation has been the crucial step, for the difference this has made to us as a club, which has been incredible.
“Everyone at the club has worked so hard to make GolfMark really work for us to welcome beginner players; from our passionate coaching staff, the 40 or 50 members who regularly volunteer to help our junior players, and the excellent support network provided by the County Golf Partnership and England Golf Partnership. I’d also like to thank COBRA-PUMA GOLF for their support of these awards.”
GolfMark is a national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities. Any golf club awarded GolfMark is recognised by Sport England as a Clubmark facility, which is a national standard identifying quality sports clubs across the country.
COBRA-PUMA GOLF is supporting GolfMark by providing prizes to Bramshaw Golf Club and also prizes for the quarterly and annual prize draws made available to all clubs involved in the scheme.
Bramshaw Golf Club edged out runners-up for the award Ashbourne Golf Club in Derbyshire and Mid-Sussex Golf Club. This final three won through a tough judging procedure which saw them initially compete against nominations from County Golf Partnerships to then reach a shortlist of six clubs that were assessed by a panel from the EGU, EWGA, PGA and the Golf Foundation.
Any affiliated golf club can apply to gain GolfMark accreditation. The initiative provides golf clubs with a focused and structured plan for future development as well as a comprehensive set of information that ensures continuity and effective monitoring and evaluation of their activities. Details of the initiative, the clubs awarded and the benefits of receiving the GolfMark Award, can all be found at www.golfmark.org
GolfMark is an initiative jointly provided by the EGU and EWGA via the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf and is an integral part of the England Golf Partnership’s vision to ‘Grow the Game’.