Nominations for 59club service awards announced

Gleneagles, the Grove and Monte Rei are just some of the venues vying for accolades at the sixth annual 59club Service Excellence Awards to be handed out on February 29.

The event, to be held at the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, rewards the highest-achieving golf venues across all business elements – sales, service, operations, retail and management. And 59club’s industry benchmark, the Gold and Silver Flag Awards – recognising the finest membership clubs and commercial venues – will also be presented.

Compered by award-winning BBC sports presenter Dan Walker (pictured with Ian Knox director of golf at The Belfry and Simon Wordsworth chief executive of 59club), the event will celebrate the achievements of the very best individuals, teams and venues within the golf industry.Up for seven awards, the team at Stoke Park lead the nominations, while Dubai Golf will be looking to retain the title of ‘Golf Group of the Year’, having been nominated again along with Arabella Golf, three-time winner Marriott, Exclusive Golf and Foxhills/Farleigh.

The ‘leading individual golf sales performance’ will be hotly-contested with 10 individuals named in the list of nominations, including three from Marriott venues: Natalie Clarke (Breadsall Priory), Billie Mckenna) (Tudor Park), and Mireille Hanshaw (Hollins Hall) and three from QHotels: Lisa Harmon (Belton Woods), George Crawshaw (Mottram Hall) and Richard Tidy (Dunston Hall). They are up against Ashley Dale (Rockliffe Hall), Emma Hargreaves (Stoke Park), Nicola Smith (Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel, Golf & Spa) and Oliver Peel (Addington Golf Club.

To ensure venues of all sizes are recognised for their outstanding levels of achievement, 59club has introduced two categories for each of the four following awards: ‘golf retail manager of the year’, ‘food and beverage manager of the year’, ‘greenkeeper of the year’, and ‘golf manager of the year’. The decision to segment clubs by an average green fee of either above or below £75 per person, ensures clubs of all sizes and budgets have the chance to win based on their market positioning. Venues such as Worsley, Dibden and Tudor Park all receive multiple nominations in these new categories.

Simon Wordsworth, chief executive at 59club and a fellow of the PGA, explained: “The event offers a great opportunity for those within the industry to get together and recognise the best individuals and teams for their outstanding performance over the past 12 months.”

The awards’ evening will be the culmination of a day of seminars, open to all golf/leisure staff and club managers, on the theme of ‘membership sales and retention’, with speakers including world-renowned presenter Gregg Patterson.

To book a place at the seminars, the awards’ evening, or both – taking place on Monday, February 29 – please contact naime@theaspirationgroup.com. Prices start at £75pp plus vat. For more information contact matt@59club.com.