2023 Victorian Golf Industry Awards Winners Announced

POSTED ON October 28, 2023 @ 3:48 pm

The 2023 Victorian Golf Industry Awards Dinner, held last night at Huntingdale Golf Club, celebrated the important work being done in Victorian golf.

Clubs and representatives from all over the state were recognised, with no one club receiving multiple awards, showing the breadth of quality work being done around Victoria.

Melbourne-based clubs made up a significant proportion of award recipients, while the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas had multiple winners, so too the Gippsland region.

The awards were presented in four categories: PGA, Golf Australia, Golf Management Victoria, and Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association (VGCSA).

Michael Moore from Rossdale Golf Club picked up the first PGA gong, taking home the coveted Club Professional of the Year award, following incredible work improving both the women’s and junior programs at his club.

Metropolitan Golf Club’s Brandon Rave was recognised as Coach of the Year (High Performance), following several of his clients seeing impressive national, international and professional results.

Gardiners Run, Portsea and Warragul were all recognised individually for fantastic Pro-Am events held in 2023.

Rounding out the PGA Awards were the 2023 Hall of Fame inductees. Kathleen McEwan and Richard Kirby were both recognised for their long service to Victorian golf.

McEwan was one of the earliest, if not the first female golf writers. She started writing on golf for The Radiator in1937 and then the Sun News – Pictorial in 1938, which she continued – with a break for war service in the Land Army – until she retired in 1966. Aside from her war service, she lobbied strongly for improved conditions for women in the workplace and for women’s sport to receive press coverage.

Kirby is a Former Victorian Golf Association President and received an Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours. Honoured for service to golf, which included five years as President of the VGA from 2002-2007, a long association with the Golf Society of Australia and the Spring Valley Golf Club in Melbourne.

The Golf Australia Awards came next, recognising volunteers, inclusion initiatives, amateur players, as well as the prestigious Club or Facility of the Year award.

The Bellarine’s 13th Beach Golf Club took home the top clubs and facility award, while Jazzy Roberts and Jasper Stubbs received the Amateur Players of the Year. Stubbs currently playing in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne, and in contention on the weekend.

A terrific night was had by all celebrating everyone working hard in the Victorian Golf Industry. A full list of awards and winners is below:

PGA Awards:

2023 Club Professional of the Year:
- Michael Moore, Rossdale Golf Club
2023 Coach of the Year – High Performance:
- Brandon Rave, Metropolitan Golf Club.
2023 Coach of the Year – Game Development:
- Kim Collett, Settlers Run Golf and Country Club.
2023 Management Professional of the Year:
- Sienna Voglis, Barham Golf Club.
2023 Legends Pro-Am of the Year:
- Gardiners Run Golf Course.
2023 Regional Pro-Am of the Year:
- Gippsland BMW Warragul Pro-Am.
2023 Metropolitan Pro-Am of the Year:
- Peninsula Sotheby’s Portsea Celebrity Pro-Am.
Hall of Fame Inductees:
- Kathleen McEwan
- Richard Kirby

Golf Australia (Victoria) Awards:

Volunteer of the Year: Allen Gilgen, Commonwealth Golf Club.
Inclusion Initiative of the Year Award: Red Cliffs Golf Club.
Victorian Golf Club or Facility of the Year: 13th Beach Golf Club.
Victorian Amateur Players of 2023: Jazzy Roberts and Jasper Stubbs.

Golf Management Victoria Awards presented by MiClub.

Golf Management Victoria: Employee of the Year Award: Max Oliver – Golf Operations – The Dunes Golf Links.
Golf Management Victoria: Excellence in Management Award: Anthony Masters – General Manager – Barwon Heads Golf Club.

VGCSA Awards: