Players 1st attended the England Golf Awards 2023 after two years of virtual award ceremonies. With Clare Balding poised at the lectern to present the inspiring initiatives spread into 11 categories, the evening only got even better as three Players 1st clients were amongst the nominees.
Attendees from the nominated clubs, sponsors, and wider industry guests could enjoy the occasion and the grandeur of the England Golf Awards 2023 at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate in March this year.
One of the lucky guests to walk the red carpet this year was Amelia Lewis, UK Regional Manager at Players 1st, who was particularly excited about two categories up for grabs on the night.
Seckford Golf Club was nominated in the category Club of the Year. At the same time, the two nominees for the Sustainability Project of the Year, Bigbury Golf Club and The Mendip Golf Club, both yearned to be the sole winner of the trophy in their category.
The coveted award in the Club of the Year category went to the Players 1st client Seckford Golf Club, who got the prestigious title for several incredible achievements. One of the reasons was their tremendous membership growth from 400 to over 1,000 members in three years. The club, based in the beautiful Suffolk countryside, has also significantly improved its youth and female sections lately.
The winning club had a core message for the golf industry as well.
“Most importantly, winning the Club of the Year award has given Fore-Get-Me-Not, our dementia awareness and support days, national exposure. The hope, and the very positive early signs, are that the golfing community will be at the forefront of providing support for sufferers of dementia and will help to make the world a slightly better place,” Jon Anderton continued.
The celebration of Players 1st clients did not end here, as Bigbury Golf Club won the Sustainability Project of the Year. Having embarked on a positive environmental campaign, the club has reduced its chemical consumption by 55% and aims to be self-sufficient in energy by 2025.They have also planted over 900 new trees around the course and recently banned plastic tees at the club.
On receiving the award, Bigbury Golf also had a message for other golf clubs.
Guests enjoyed the professional and personable hosting of the awards from a highly well-respected face in the sports industry. Clare Balding shared her personal golfing journey and continued passion for the game that she loves to play. And as a 16-handicapper and self-professed adopter of the MyEG app, she certainly had the attention and support of the audience.
During the memorable night, the sports broadcasting icon presented the accomplishments of the last year’s hard work from across the golf industry – from the most brilliant tech solution designed for the whole industry to the individual volunteer at the local club.
The England Golf Awards 2023 were a great success, filled with familiar faces, inspiring stories, and lots of pride as three of our clients were nominated for awards due to their significant improvements. So, we can't wait to see what next year's event will bring.