On Thursday night, glittering women and men gathered in Fox Hills to celebrate the incredible achievements of women in the golf industry at the 2024 Women in Golf Awards.
Now in its third year, the awards provide an important platform to showcase the achievements of women in all areas of the industry and encourage more women to consider a career in golf.
As part of its mission to promote women in golf, award organizers have announced an exciting new collaboration with Colt Mackenzie McNair and Bernhard Academy. All finalists and sponsors will come together for a networking and education day at PING headquarters in spring 2025 to enhance and inspire continued progress in the industry.
“Many of the barriers that faced me and my predecessors have been broken down, so now is a great time to start understanding more deeply what future leaders need.” commented Nicole Wheatley. “This educational day is a two-way street. We hope to provide the 24 finalists with valuable leadership training, but also learn more about how golf can support talented women like them. We also want to know if we can attract them to work in the industry.”
On the night, BBC Sports presenter Catherine Downes presented awards in 10 categories across all sectors of the industry.
The 2024 award winners are:
Unsung Hero, England Golf – Sponsored by De Stock, Referee Hampshire Ladies Golf
Ms Dee’s selfless dedication to women’s golf in Hampshire over the past 36 years has been conservatively estimated at an astonishing 550 volunteer days in officiating alone. She has been the county’s handicap advisor since 1988 and ran the county’s inter-club finals tournament for five years. She has been a county manager for three years and has refereed county and other national amateur events, including the Curtis Cup, for 27 years.
BGIA – Brand of the Year sponsored by The Globe
The Grove has developed a culture and brand that values women. More than 49% of our employees are women, and 75% of our senior leadership team is female. From hosting the Rose Series to golf recruitment campaigns, the brand invests in women on and off the course, empowering more women and girls to reach their full potential at all levels of the industry. An inclusive culture has emerged. The sport itself.
International Woman, Sponsored by Perry Ellis – Karen Lunn, WPGA Tour Australia CEO, Golf Industry Council of Australia Chairman
From tour players to the CEO of the WPGA, the global golf community owes Karen a great deal of gratitude and respect. As CEO of the WPGA Tour of Australia, Karen has significantly raised the profile of women’s professional golf in Australia, while growing the sport at every level in the country. Notable career highlights include leading the then-Australian Ladies Professional Golf into a collaborative partnership with the PGA of Australia; He is credited with founding Tour Australia. In 2022, Karen became the first woman to chair the Australian Golf Industry Council, a forum that helps organizations and businesses across the golf industry come together on initiatives, strategies and policies.
Women’s Initiative, Sponsored by PING – Bishop’s Stortford Golf Club ‘Blue Course’, Barbara Tucker
In 2014, when Barbara Tucker was Lady Captain, she introduced the “Blue Course” program as an innovative solution to address the myriad of problems that prevent and discourage women from learning golf and joining golf clubs. Founded. The “Blue Course” has significantly shorter tees, offers group lessons, has free access to its facilities, and hosts social events as well as rules seminars led by experienced golfers. Ten years later, Barbara’s Blue Course is credited with bringing in an influx of new members and ensuring the women’s section flourished. The current Ladies Section Treasurer, Secretary, Competition Secretary and Lady Captain are all Blue Course graduates.
Women in Turfcare sponsored by BIGGA – Anna Nilsson, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at The Belfry’s Brabazon Golf Course
Anna is an extremely talented greenskeeper and her courses are testament to her unwavering dedication, expertise and passion, all of which will ensure her return to the British Masters belfry in 2025. It was helpful. Anna is also dedicated to inspiring future greenspace managers, mentoring students, and visiting. Talk to kids at school about working in the industry. Anna’s encouragement has a great impact on everyone she meets, and her success motivates young women to pursue a career in turf care.
Women’s PGA Professional Sponsored by TGI Golf Partnership – Sarah Bennett
Sarah Bennett is one of the most famous figures in British women’s golf. Sarah has been dedicated to the growth of golf throughout her 34-year professional career, with a focus on inclusion and getting more women into the game. Sarah has been the Head Coach of Essex Girls since 2012, has worked as a volunteer on the WPGA and PGA Executive Committee, and was recently appointed PGA Captain, making her the second woman to hold the position. She is a familiar sight at the Open, having provided coaching in the swing zone for over a decade.
Women’s Leadership, GCMA Sponsored – Becca Hembrough, England Golf Performance Manager (Women’s Golf)
Over the past decade, Becca has led England to become the most successful women’s golf team in Europe. In 2022/3, she championed the development of a new strategy for England Golf Performance, which is already bearing fruit. In 2024, one of her players is ranked number 1 in the world. 1 – Became the first British amateur golfer to have all three women’s teams win medals at the European Team Championships (the U18s won gold), and four players were selected for the Curtis Cup, where they defeated the USA. Becca has also provided leadership through the Project Ukraine program, which has had a tremendous impact on the world of golf.
Rising Star, Sponsored by Club Car – Molly Pavey, Group General Manager Bramshaw Golf Club and Poultons Golf Center
Over the course of two years, Molly quickly rose through the ranks to become General Manager of Bramshaw Golf Club and sister venue Poultons Golf. Molly has been instrumental in bringing Girls Golf Rock and Golf Rookie into the group and this year both venues signed the Women in Golf Charter under her stewardship. Molly was one of only three people to receive an ECEF Young Manager Scholarship in 2024, enabling her to continue her development and learning. Molly has also joined the Hampshire Women’s Commission as Governance Director, demonstrating her continued commitment to the game.
Special Award – Pioneer – Fiona Womack and Sharon Eales
Fiona and Sharon have developed a scientific model that represents a paradigm shift in golf course design. For too many women (and men), the shortest tee is still too long and often not in a good position. This means that many women are not enjoying the same experiences on the course as men. Their model creates a scaled version of the course that the architects wanted all golfers to play, incorporating all the same experiences, using the same clubs for the same shots, tackling the same hazards, and creating the courses they need. It’s just that there are fewer yards. This new approach has already attracted interest from leading golf course architects including Tom McKenzie, the R&A’s Handicap Committee, the WHS Management Committee and various governing bodies.
Special Award – Inspirational Achievement – Adele McLean, TGI Golf Managing Director
This year, almost 20 years after joining TGI Golf, Adele McLean takes on the role of Managing Director and is looking to build on the success TGI Golf has enjoyed over the past 40 years. Her journey from the driving range to leading a leading golf retail services business in the UK and Ireland is nothing short of inspirational. Her appointment was widely celebrated by women and men across the industry who recognized the incredible impact she had on business and showed other women what can be achieved when there is no glass ceiling. I did.
About Women in Golf Awards
The Women in Golf Awards is an annual event that celebrates the significant contributions that women, past and present, continue to make to the golf industry. This event was founded by Nicole Wheatley and Ben Blackburn. Using their experience in the golf world, both men recognized the need to create a platform that connects, celebrates and inspires the industry. The awards bring together women from all walks of life and at all stages of their careers, demonstrating the diversity of roles women play in the industry.
