QLD celebrates with Industry Awards

RACV Royal Pines Resort last night played host to the QLD Golf Industry Awards Night recognising the outstanding achievements of individuals, golf clubs and companies over the past 12 months.

With more than 400 guests and icons of the game including Charlie Earp, Wayne Grady, Paul King and Peter Senior in attendance, the night recognises the achievements of those from the PGA (QLD/NT), Golf Management Australia – Queensland Division, Golf Australia as well as the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland.

A total of 30 awards were presented throughout the evening, with the Keperra Country Golf Club taking out the coveted GMAQ Golf Club of the Year Award.

The Keperra Country Golf Club has seen significant upgrades over the last 12 months with investments of more than $1.4 million in capital improvements to the 27 holes, practice facilities and surrounds. When combined with another strong and positive financial result for the club, Keperra was a worthy winner of the Club of the Year Award.

“This award is a culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication from our team over several years now and to be recognised by our peers means a lot to our club,” said Keperra Country Golf Club General Manager, Gavin Lawrence.

“We are proud of the position we hold in the golfing community and I know our members will continue to embrace the improvements, changes and initiatives we conduct to keep improving our club.”

Wynnum Golf Club picked up two of the leading tournament awards including Legends Tournament of the Year and the major title of Tournament of the Year. Wynnum Golf Club Head PGA Professional Matthew King was pleasantly surprised to be winning two awards on the one night.

“We have been running our Legends tournament for more than 20 years and to win that award for the first time is really exciting. To take out the Tournament of the Year award for the Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am in our 40^th anniversary year is a real highlight,” said King.

Other notable recipients of awards include Darryl Edwards from the Burleigh Golf Club who took out the Superintendents Achievement Award, Carbrook Golf Club who won Junior Program of the Year, Rebecca Kay was a standout for the Female Amateur Golfer of the Year and Denis Brosnan who was recognised for his services to the golf industry in the sunshine state.

The Game Development Professional of the Year Award was won by Bribie Island Golf Club Head PGA Professional Brayden Campbell who after conducting more than 66 junior clinics, 12 performance seminars, 24 ladies clinics, five junior girls clinics, five regional beginner clinics and more than 500 individual lessons through his performance academy in the last 12 months, epitomises the meaning of the term ‘Game Development.’

“I have a lot of help from my team to assist in the delivery of these clinics and lessons and am proud of the job we are doing to grow the game,” said Campbell.

The evening is also about celebrating those unsung heroes of the game in QLD with President of the Mt Warren Park Golf Club Jim Lavery winning the Golf Club Board Member of the Year Award, Pam Thrower from Surfers Paradise Golf Club winning Golf Club Staff Member of the Year and Peter Turner from the North Stradbroke Island Golf Club winning the award for Volunteer of the Year.

The night was also about recognising the graduating class of PGA Trainees with 14 new Full PGA Professionals recognised on the evening. PGA Trainee Captain from the Carbrook Golf Club Angus Porter talked about the long journey.

“There were many times throughout our Traineeship that all would have had the thought, is it all worth it, however I know that I can say that despite all the challenges, we would do it all again in a heartbeat,” said Porter.

“There is something that the PGA Trainee Program offers, that you just don’t find at universities and that is a sense of camaraderie and family.

“As graduating Trainees, we have built lifelong friendships with not just each other, but with PGA Staff, pro-am playing partners and other members of the golf industry.”

Congratulations to all award winners: