The first annual Women in Golf Awards are to take place next month at The Bramshaw & Bell Inn Golf Resort in Hampshire.
Women from across all areas of the industry will be welcomed to the New Forest venue on Wednesday, December 7 for an evening celebrating the women who make golf the sport it is today.
“Visibility is the word that comes up in every conversation I have about women and golf,” explains Nicole Wheatley, CEO of marketing and public relations firm Medi8 Golf and co-founder of the event. “By bringing all these amazing women into one space I hope we can encourage those outside of the industry to bring their expertise to golf. I sincerely believe that the more women we have working in golf the better it will be for all female golfers.”
The awards to be presented on the night include – Inspirational Achievement, Trailblazer, Club of the Year (sponsored by The Ladies Golf Lounge) and Brand of the Year (sponsored by Women & Golf). There will also be an Unsung Hero Award, which co-founder and golf industry consultant Ben Blackburn hopes the industry will nominate.
“I meet and conduct business with some amazingly talented women on a daily basis, many of whom do not get the recognition they deserve,” said Blackburn. “There are female club fitters, volunteers, greenkeepers, PGA Members and customer service staff. all of whom perform essential roles that deserve to be celebrated.”
The Women in Golf Awards have come about on the back of a documentary that filmmaker Sandra Mesrine and Nicole Wheatley have been working on called ‘Breaking with Tradition’. The film, which has been supported by The Professional Golfers’ Association, The British Golf Industry Association and The Cave Hotel & Resort in Kent, looks at the way in which women’s golf has evolved and shares untold stories from some of the inspirational women who have changed the game.
“I feel like I am the keeper of these women’s stories,” said Wheatley. “It is incredibly sad that there are names that have never been heard and tales that have never been told, so I hope the Women in Golf Awards will create a legacy for some of these incredible trailblazers.”
The Women in Golf Awards Dinner is free to attend. Any woman working in the industry who is interested in joining should email nicole@medi8ltd.co.uk for more information. To nominate someone for the Unsung Hero award, please email wiga@medi8ltd.co.uk.