Foremost members came close to claiming a clean sweep of the PGA professional prizes at the recent 2013 Pro Shop Europe Industry Awards at Wentworth Club.
Top of the pile was Nick Pope from the Isle of Wedmore Golf Club in Somerset who was named as Pro Shop Europe’s PGA Professional of the Year and also walked away with the Pro Shop of the Year title.
Foremost’s domination of the Awards ceremony was highlighted by the results in the Pro Shop of the Year category in which the delighted Pope finished just ahead of two other group members, Ben Allen (Stoke-by-Nayland) and Geoff Berry (Bromborough).
Foremost members performed almost as well in the PGA Assistant of the Year category with Pope’s wife and assistant, Carole, narrowly losing out to Michael Gallagher from Killymoon Golf Club, near Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, while John Eyre, from Woodsome Hall, Huddersfield, finished third behind Pope in the PGA Professional of the Year category.
There was also a Foremost 1-2 in the Junior Coach of the Year category in which Callum Callan from Cottesmore Golf Club took the first prize ahead of Dan Leins (Churston).
“I was fortunate enough to have been at Pro Shop Europe’s Industry Awards dinner at Wentworth and was proud of all the successes our members achieved”, said Foremost CEO, Paul Hedges.”
“At Foremost, we work hard together with our members to help them improve the service they provide for their customers, so it is extremely gratifying to see all our efforts rewarded in this way.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the Foremost winners, in particular Nick and Carole Pope who claimed three citations between them,” added Hedges. “It is clear they form a formidable double act.”
A total of ten awards were handed out during Pro Shop Europe’s 2013 Industry Awards dinner at Wentworth Club. Other winners included De Vere Hall’s Steve Cram (Greenkeeper of the Year), Jimmy Gough (Sales Agent of the Year), PING (Manufacturer of the Year), FootJoy (Apparel of the Year), PING G25 driver (Product of the Year) and Golf Marketing Services (Marketing Team of the Year).
This year’s team of judges comprised Nigel Freemantle, the chairman of the BGIA; ‘Golf Monthly’; Alex Perry from ESPN; last year’s PGA Professional of the Year, Garry Davidson from Highland Touch Golf, and golf consultant, Eddie Bullock.