Rye’s top team of Club Secretary Jimmy James and PGA Head Professional Matthew Holland shot a four-under-par 68* to win the Teamwork Trophy in the inaugural Surrey PGA Professional and Secretary Challenge, supported by MHS Group and ProAgenda.com.
Played around Woodcote Park Golf Club as a fourball better ball format, the star pairing took home the impressive new Teamwork Trophy. James, who’s only been in post for five months, said: “This is a great idea and it’s created my first opportunity to play with Matthew, and develop our working relationship beyond the confines of the club.”
Following a countback, the 68 of Tyrrells Wood’s GM Phil Worthington and PGA Head Professional Rob Humphrey edged out Fulwell’s Club Secretary Murray Cook and PGA Head Professional Nigel Turner.
At the dinner, MHS Group’s CEO Ed Beale presented bottles of champagne to the top three pairs and the Teamwork Trophy to the winners. He added that both he and his operations director Tony Jones not only enjoyed playing against the Kingswood team of Secretary Mark Stewart and PGA Head Professional Ian Golding, but were delighted to support an event that helped improve golf club management.
The event is the brainchild of Woodcote Park’s PGA Head Professional and Captain of The PGA in Surrey, Wraith Grant, and General Manager, Adrian Dawson. As Grant explained: “Adrian and I have long worked together to improve and drive our club forwards, and the benefits to the membership numbers and bottom line are clear for all to see.”
He continued: “Playing nine holes regularly gave us time to chat about things we were concerned about in an unformal and unstructured way, and helped us work with each other more effectively.”
Dawson added: “But while it’s been obvious to us, it’s not so at all golf clubs. Wraith’s idea for this event aimed is getting the two key people at any golf club together, and the day’s been a tremendous success.”
He continued: “There’s been a lot of encouragement from our respective colleagues in the business, and we’re delighted that club software developer MHS Group, online lesson booking app provider ProAgenda.com, and main sponsor of The PGA in Surrey, Brand Fusion, all wanted to show their support for our concept, and that they’ve expressed their enthusiasm to do this again next year.”