Abu Dhabi Golf Club is celebrating after its leader and Director of Club Operations, Paul Booth, was universally acknowledged by Troon Golf, the venue’s management company, as its global ‘Ambassador of the Year’. The esteemed accolade is presented to the associate that most embodies the unfaltering passion and dedication for golf club management that year, campaigning Troon brand values at each and every call. Booth’s recognition, after bring selected from over 10,000 Troon ambassadors worldwide, underlines his unwavering determination to offer golfers, and non-golfers alike, the very best in service and hospitality experiences.
The accolades, which were hosted at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler, Arizona, culminate the annual 2015 Troon Leadership conference, where delegates representing facilities from around the Troon portfolio, gathered for the three-day conference to share Troon’s expert knowledge in what is the company’s 25th Anniversary year.
As one of the world’s leading golf clubs and host to the European Tour’s revered Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, Abu Dhabi Golf Club is steadfast in its aim to provide members and guests a memorable five-star golf experience in-keeping with the market-leader’s ethos of creating unique upscale golf course management.
Highly regarded throughout the Troon network, Booth has been a Troon promoter since 2007 and has climbed the leadership ranks impressively, particularly during his time at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, where he was instrumental in creating and overseeing the Club through its impressive launch period and into the diverse, contemporary club it is today. Pivotal to its success, Booth has created a team that offers the rich and varied membership offering, now imparting the same expert knowledge to benefit his peers’ development at the iconic Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Booth was unable to travel to Arizona, so the ‘Ambassador of the Year’ award was presented by Area Director – Middle East, Mark Chapleski, who coaxed Booth into a strategy meeting at Abu Dhabi Golf Club; in true Troon jovial fashion, the real reason for the meeting quickly became apparent to all involved.
“Paul joined the Troon family at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, jumping in with both feet at every opportunity, being proactive and innovative in his approach – it is the very reason why we he stands here today as our ‘Ambassador of the Year’. He has risen through the ranks due to his infectious enthusiasm, most pertinently for his relentless embodiment of the Troon brand, whether it be with members and guests at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, including its F1 superstar member, Heikki Kovalainen; or through the venue’s diverse concert offering,” commented Chapleski. “In addition to Paul’s tireless PR efforts he has also firmly placed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club as a leader of the Troon Rewards program, consistently adding all-new members and getting his team behind the initiative. He thoroughly deserves this award as he now continues his impressive career at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.”
Concluding his introduction, Chapleski said “One of Paul’s best attributes, is his ability to nurture talent and champion the next generation of leaders – encouraging our associates to progress and claim positions as some of the best venues, reaping the benefits in the global Troon network.”
In a video shown at the Troon Conference, Booth was ecstatic to be accepting the award, before calling all of his fellow associates to enjoy the conference. He said: “I can’t do what I do, without the teams and the people that work with me, whether at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club or Abu Dhabi Golf Club. I’ve got two mentors in the room, in DJ Flanders and Mark Chapleski; I thank you both very much for everything you have done for me and continue to do for me. Finally, I would like to thank the team that is here today for all of their support and look forward to placing this trophy in pride of place at the club.”
It wasn’t only Booth from Abu Dhabi Golf Club who picked up one of the most sought-after awards on the evening in Arizona, as Group Director of Agronomy, Andrew Whittaker was also crowned Superintendent of the Year 2014, against an extremely strong list of nominees from across the Troon network. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s sister venue Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, was the recipient of the Social Media Rockstar award in recognition of its fun and engaging social content, accentuating Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a growing influence in the golf industry.
Abu Dhabi Golf Club www.adgolfclub.com
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