Downie and Banks latest GBI PGA Members to achieve new membership status

POSTED ON March 16, 2024 @ 9:23 am

GA Master Manager Peter Downie is among the latest group of GBI PGA Members who have achieved a new membership designation through the Association’s PGA Excel framework.

PGA Excel awards are presented every quarter, and following another period of assessment The PGA is delighted to announce 20 PGA Members have been awarded a new designation which demonstrates their impact and achievement within their membership category of PGA Professional, PGA Coach and PGA Manager.Commenting on his new designation, and becoming only the 63rd PGA Member to achieve Master status, Peter Downie, the General Manager at Clearwater Bay in Hong Kong, said: “As a long-serving PGA Member, to say I am proud to have been awarded Master status may be a slight understatement, and only shows the power of perseverance.

To all my family, friends, and peers who have stood by me throughout my career, their contributions have been truly priceless. I also have to be grateful that I have mentors who push me. I studied, I submitted and I succeeded – thank you for helping me on my Excel journey.”

The following GBI PGA Members (based in Asia) have been awarded in the following categories:

Master Manager

Peter Downie – General Manager at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club, Hong Kong

Advanced Fellow Coach

Matthew Chalmers – Certified Personal Coach at GOLFTEC Singapore

Fellow Manager

Stephen Banks – Director of Golf at Laguna Lang Co, Vietnam – Banyan Tree Resort

Commenting on the success of the latest cohort of PGA Excel awardees, Tristan Crew – PGA Executive Director – Membership, said: “Congratulations to all 20 PGA Members for being awarded new PGA designations through PGA Excel. These PGA Members have been through a rigorous application process where they have successfully demonstrated, in detail, their impact and achievement across their career in the golf industry. They have met the progression criteria that underpins PGA Excel and are clearly succeeding in their chosen fields.

“We are continuing to see more PGA Members each month start their PGA Excel application and the golf industry too is now better able to understand the importance of PGA Excel itself and the value of PGA Members advancing their designation status upwards to Advanced, Fellow, Advanced Fellow and Master.”