Queensland Golf Industry Awards spread across the Sunshine State

Staged at The Star Gold Coast, almost 400 guests were on hand to celebrate a successful year of golf in Queensland, as the PGA, Golf Australia, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland and Golf Management Australia gathered together to celebrate the achievements of the industry as a whole.

Grant Field, Luke Altschwager and John Collins have each taken out their respective PGA awards back-to-back, winning in 2021 and now in 2022.

Field won the PGA QLD Coach of the Year (High Performance) award after guiding the likes of Cameron Smith to his maiden Major championship, as well as Jed Morgan, Louis Dobbelaar, Dylan Gardner and Sarah Wilson.

Meanwhile, General Manager of The Club at Parkwood Village, Luke Altschwager won the PGA QLD Management Professional of the Year Award. Both Field and Altschwager are now eligible to win the national awards in their respective categories, which they both achieved in 2021.

John Collins won his third PGA QLD Coach of the Year – Game Development award, having also won in 2016 and 2021. His ongoing commitment to growing the game is commendable and in the last 12 months, he has delivered coaching to 4062 juniors, 1262 school students and more than 640 individuals in his Get into Golf programs.

The PGA QLD Club Professional of the Year went to Brisbane Golf Club Director of Golf Joe Janison, due recognition for his outstanding ongoing contribution to the club and its members.

Elsewhere, Goondiwindi Golf Club took out two awards winning both Golf Club of the Year (less than 400 members) and club President Greg Warden winning Board Member of the Year. Each outstanding achievements, it was a very proud moment for the entire community.

“We are a close-knit community in Goondiwindi and have been really proud of what we have been able to achieve as a club in this last 12 months,” said Greg Warden.

“The introduction of camping grounds on site and regular entertainment and festivities on offer had increase our visitor play greatly which allow us to continue to reinvest into the facility.”

In one of the most hotly contested awards of the night, Scott Wagstaff won the GMAQ Distinguished Manager Award  presented by Asahi Lifestyle Beverages for his proactive approach to securing the future of Carbrook Golf Club as well as managing the regular flooding at the facility.

“I may be steering the ship though it takes a lot of dedication of many people to achieve what we have over the past few years and I thank my team who can certainly share this award with me.” said Wagstaff.

Kelvin Nicholson won the Superintendent Achievement award for his efforts in continuing to regenerate Palmer Coolum to its former condition, whilst the Virginia and Tieri Pro-Ams each won their very first awards in their respective Metropolitan and Regional Tournament of the Year categories. It was however Redcliffe Pro-Am that took out the top tournament honours with their $65,000 two-day tournament winning the converted PGA Tournament of the Year Award.

Meanwhile Keperra Country Golf Club who took out the award for Junior Golf Program of the Year.

Burleigh Golf Club were the winners of what many refer to as the main award of the night taking out the GMAQ Golf Club of the Year Award.

General Manager of the Burleigh Golf Club, Ian Cottle, was clearly proud of the achievement.

“We have been through a lot over the past few years, not only the pandemic though also the development adjacent to our course and the unprecedented amount of play on our course,” said Cottle.

“We have laid very strong foundations as a club to ensure we can continue the success we have been experiencing and this award validates the hard work that it has taken to achieve it.”

One of the most heartfelt moments of the evening was the recognition given to stalwart of the golf industry, Mr Peter Castrisos, who received the Services to Golf Award. Castrisos who in addition to being on the boards of Golf Australia, Golf Queensland and Brisbane Golf Club for a total of more than 20 years, has also played a big part in the resurgence of the QLD Open. His love for the rules of golf has also seen him officiate on almost every tour in the world and it was clear the recognition was an emotional one.

“We don’t volunteer and assist our industry for any accolades though to have received it in this in front of this amount of people is extremely humbling and a moment I will never forget.,” said Castrisos.

“The game of golf has given me a lot and I hope it have repaid it back as much as I could have.”

A full list of award winners is available below.