Notts GC (Hollinwell) based PGA Professional Mike Bradley has been crowned TGI Golf Partner of the Year at the group’s annual awards event held at Marriott Worsley Park.
On a night that saw leading figures from the golf industry come together to celebrate a year of successes Titleist was the other major winner, taking away the Partner Supplier of the Year gong.
Bradley, who has been a Partner of TGI Golf, golf’s leading retail services group, since 1999, got the judges’ vote ahead of fellow nominees Dave Delaney (Halifax Bradley Hall), Conor McKenna (Concra Wood) and Elgin’s Michael McAllan to collect the top award of the night.
Mike has worked closely over the years with his TGI Retail Consultant Chris Taylor and is constantly striving to improve his business in all key areas.
In 2014 he invested in an XPos system, creating a working “brand” for both his shop and teaching business, as well as utilising many of TGI’s web based services including the Enewsletter Programme.
He said: “It means a great deal to me to win this award, it is recognition that I am doing my job well, especially if I can win this award when there are so many great PGA Professionals within TGI Golf. In fact, every PGA Professional within the group should be recognised as they are all first class Pros.”
Titleist claimed its first Partner Supplier of the Year award, seeing off competition from PING and sister brand FootJoy.
The launch of the new 915 metal woods late in 2014 was a great success for the brand, which saw it’s overall ranking in the TGI Golf Supplier Survey increase by 7% from 2013.
With strong customer service scores, two-year product lifecycle and desire to protect the brand integrity, Titleist has once again proved popular with TGI Golf Partners.
Spencer Manning, Titleist’s UK & Ireland Sales Manager, collected the award and said: “I would like to thank everyone at TGI Golf and in particular all of the Partners. To receive this award from their votes means a great deal to us, we’re a brand that supports the on-course channel and to receive this means a lot.
“There were some real positives about last year. We saw on-course market shares grow, average selling prices increased, stock management levels improved, the PGA Pro connected with the consumers more than ever before, and TGI Golf were at the forefront of many of the good things that happened last year. The quality within TGI is unmatched, the level of support Partners receive from the group is unmatched and I believe golfers will want to connect more with TGI professionals going forward.”
There were six other awards handed out during the event, evenly split between Partners and Partner Suppliers, with the Partner awards decided by a panel of experts, while the Supplier awards were chosen by TGI Golf’s Partners through the group’s comprehensive Supplier Survey.
New Partner of the Year went to Martin Brown of Delamere Forest, who joined TGI Golf last January.
When collecting his award he said: “I have to thank my wife for this award really. For years when she was working on my accounts she’d ask ‘what this £30 for? £120 for that, what’s this’? After a while I decided that’s enough of this. So approached the group asking how to join, within two hours I had an in-storevisit and was welcomed to the family – and that’s exactly what it is, a family. There is great unity among Partners and tremendous support from the team behind the scenes.”
Ben Waller of Kendal GC picked up the Most Improved Business Award, while NorthBerwick Head Professional Martyn Huish was clear winner in the Pro Shop of the Year award following a complete rebuild and overhaul of his shop at the famous course.
Peter Millar scooped the Apparel Supplier of the Year award, with Callaway picking up the Hardware award, while PING’s G30 range collected the Product of the Year trophy.
Eddie Reid, TGI Golf Managing Director, added: “Congratulations to all of our winners, who have enjoyed outstanding years in 2014. In a group of such high quality PGA Professionals, who are constantly striving for quality, you have to truly go above and beyond the call of duty to come out on top.
“Year after year it becomes harder and harder for the judging panel to select a winner as the standard continues to rise as all TGI Golf Partners continue to excel in the golf industry.”
TGI Golf Partnership www.tgigolf.com
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