Golf Australia Launches Inaugural National Awards of Excellence

Melbourne, 4 June 2025 — Golf Australia has launched the first-ever National Awards of Excellence, an initiative designed to celebrate the people, clubs, and organisations driving growth and innovation across the sport.

Unveiled this week, the national awards will formally recognise standout contributors in eight categories—from grassroots community efforts to standout facilities, highlighting those who exemplify the goals of the Australian Golf Strategy in making golf more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable.

Among the headline categories are Women & Girls in Golf, Volunteer of the Year, and Most Outstanding Club, Facility or Place to Play. Additional honours will go to standout venues involved in the MyGolf and Get Into Golf programs, reflecting Golf Australia’s ongoing commitment to participation-based development.

Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said the new awards program fills a critical gap in recognising national-level achievements in the golf community.

“Across Australia, so many individuals and organisations are doing extraordinary work to grow the game and create more opportunities for people to play golf,” Sutherland said.
“These awards are about telling those stories, recognising excellence, driving continued improvement, and shining a national spotlight on the people and places who are making golf more inclusive, welcoming and sustainable.”

While many Australian states and territories have long hosted local awards programs, this national expansion means that state winners will now automatically become finalists for national honours, offering broader visibility to their contributions.

Additionally, several open nomination categories have been introduced to acknowledge emerging areas of innovation in golf. These include awards for environmental leadership, local government partnerships, and supplier excellence, reflecting the evolving landscape of the sport and its ties to community and environmental well-being.

Damien de Bohun, Golf Australia’s General Manager of Clubs, Facilities and Places to Play, said the awards aim to build national recognition and inspire others across the sector.

“Elevating stories of success – whether from a regional club championing sustainability or a local government creating more access to golf – helps set benchmarks and inspires others,” de Bohun said.
“It’s also a valuable opportunity to build aspiration and recognise the incredible commitment of people and venues that are innovating each and every day, all with the shared purpose of inspiring more Australians to play more golf.”

Finalists and winners will be revealed later in 2025.

For nomination guidelines and more information on the 2025 National Awards of Excellence, visit: www.golf.org.au/ga-national-awards