Nominations are open for the third annual Women in Golf Awards
On November 28th women - and men - from across the industry will be heading to Foxhills to congratulate the winners of this year’s Women in Golf Awards. Nominations for this annual celebration are now open across 8 categories and will close at midnight on September 30th. The awards recognise the contribution of women at every stage of their careers, across the many disciplines in which they work.
The categories and respective sponsors are as follows:
• Unsung Hero, sponsored by England Golf
• Brand of the Year, sponsored by the BGIA
• International Woman, sponsored by Perry Ellis
• Women’s Initiative, sponsored by PING
• Women in Turfcare, sponsored by BIGGA
• Women PGA Professional, sponsored by TGI Golf Partnership
• Women’s Leadership, sponsored by the GCMA
• Rising Star, sponsored by Club Car
“The Women in Golf Awards unearth incredible stories and introduce us to just some of the remarkable women working across the industry,” comments Nicole Wheatley co-founder of the awards. “If you know a woman who is making a significant impact in the role that they hold, inspires you and others, or deserves acknowledgment for their contribution to golf then please take the time to nominate her. Creating visibility of women excelling in their fields will encourage more to take up a career in golf. This is important because becoming more diverse will reap benefits for the industry as a whole.”
Nominations can be made on www.womeningolfawards.co.uk until midnight on September 30th. As well as providing reasons for the nominations, nominators will be asked to provide examples of the impact that the nominee has made in their field.
The judging panel will select three finalists in each category who will be invited to attend the awards ceremony at Foxhills on November 28th where the winners will be announced.
The ballot for free tickets also remains open through the website www.womeningolfawards.co.uk with a limited number of heavily subsidized tickets available to purchase from October.
• Shot Scope announce significant capital investment, bringing shot tracking and game knowledge to 60 million golfers around the globe
Shot Scope, the industry-leader in advanced GPS, rangefinder and shot tracking technology, has secured $8.5m in capital, accelerating its offering of technology and game improving data to over 60 million golfers worldwide.
Led by Guinness Ventures, the company has raised the capital to continue strong investment into product development, specialist resource, and global brand marketing - as it continues to provide subscription free, game-enhancing technology to golfers. With GPS wearables, laser rangefinders, and shot tracking devices, Shot Scope is committed to offering a product for players of all skill levels.
“This investment accelerates our mission to deliver game improvement technology to 60 million golfers around the world. Throughout 2024 we plan to invest in infrastructure, technology and marketing across the UK, USA and Europe, to support our retail and distribution partners,” comments David Hunter, CEO and Founder of Shot Scope.
“Golfers globally love our GPS, rangefinder and shot tracking technology, having sold products in 160 different countries worldwide in 2023. Golf has experienced a huge change in the past 5 years, people of all ages and demographics love the sport. With Shot Scope, golfers can improve quickly and enjoy the game they love even more.”
As part of the expansion, Shot Scope is relocating to a new headquarters on the outskirts of Edinburgh to accommodate the growing team of marketing, sales, and customer service experts.
Accelerating over the last few years, Shot Scope has showcased its expansion in the UK and Europe, with key retailer and distribution partners. TGI, Foremost, PGC Group and Dormy are among those that the company has partnered with, to continue providing more opportunities for golfers to access the expansive range of technology on offer.
In addition to physical products, Shot Scope’s mobile app and web dashboard are home to a plethora of free accessible features for their users. Features include aerial GPS maps on over 36,000 courses worldwide, over 100 tour level performance statistics and MyStrategy - the data driven strategy builder.
With this capital, Shot Scope is confident that they can enhance the playing experience of 60 million amateur golfers worldwide.
• The Golf Trust Secures National Lottery Community Funding for pioneering Autism Programme
The Golf Trust has secured funding from The National Lottery to deliver the Els for Autism structured 12-session #GameON Autism™ golf programme to people across the capital later this year.
The Golf Trust has been working with Els for Autism since 2017, when it became the country’s first delivery partner for the charity set up by Ernie Els and wife Liezel back in 2009. Aswell as delivering the programme to individuals, The Golf Trust has trained 110 sports coaches using Els4Autism Game on Framework, including 75 PGA Members. This joined up approach has significantly increased access to golf programmes for people with autism.
“Having a programme that has been specifically designed for those on the autistic spectrum is incredibly important,” comments founder of The Golf Trust, Cae Menai-Davis. “Around 700,000 individuals in the UK are affected by autism – that’s more than 1 in 100 who can really benefit from having access to golf. We will be delivering 12 courses of 12 sessions from September thanks to this funding. We are really delighted that our work has been recognised and we are able to continue with this fantastic programme.”
The first National Lottery funded programme will take place at The Shire London, The West London Golf Centre and The Pavilion in Stonebridge in September. As well as 12 golf sessions there will be additional Autism clinic days which will cover a number of topics including sleep, diet and behaviour. These sessions will be run in conjunction with Autism Clinic London a consultant-led service for providing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnostic assessments and post-diagnostic support.
To find out more information or to sign up to the sessions contact info@thegolftrust.com
• Rounds Played Down
Rain and England’s run in the European Championships conspired to cause a decrease in golf rounds played in Q2 Total rounds played per course in Great Britain dropped by 5% year-on-year in Q2 2024, new research from Sporting Insights reveals.
Much of the damage was done during a wet April, which saw sizeable drops in rounds played in the Midlands, Scotland, and the North. Smaller decline was visible in May, and there were green shoots in June, which was mostly drier and sunnier than usual, which helped offset lower than average temperatures. Two of the four regions (the North and the South) displayed growth.
In fact, the South region grew overall in Q2, up 2% vs the same months in 2023.
The news follows a drop in Q1 2024, and leaves the half year picture in negative figures, with national rounds now down by -8% vs the first six months of 2023, with all four regions below last year’s levels, albeit the South barely so. It should be noted however, that the 5% year-on-year drop in Q2 is lower than the drop in the first three months of this year.
John Bushell reflected: “We would obviously prefer to be reporting growth, but it’s just as important to observe and acknowledge the data when things aren’t so positive. Weather and England’s Euros exploits will undoubtedly have had an impact on these figures. So, while this is a second straight quarter of negative figures, we still think that a lot of the underlying indicators for golf are encouraging. Consumer confidence is picking up. Global golf participation continues to rise, and there is so much energy among brands, retailers, venues and service providers to protect what’s best about the sport while also innovating and broadening access, energy that was evident at the recent Stephen Proctor Golf Industry Lunch at The Open. Over the last two weeks, we have been treated to captivating Olympic golf events, full of storylines, with many of the best players in the world fighting for an Olympic medal that meant so much to them.”
Since 2000, Sporting Insights has tracked rounds played at commercial golf courses across mainland Great Britain. For more information or to purchase the full report, contact Richard Payne.
• Toptracer installation makes immediate impact at Marbella’s Rio Real
Since installing Toptracer in March 2024, Rio Real’s revenue has seen an immediate increase of over 160%.
Rio Real Golf & Hotel, a premier golf destination in Southern Spain, has reported an impressive increase in footfall and turnover following the installation of Toptracer technology in thirty of their driving range bays.
Rio Real installed Toptracer in 15 of their range bays on March 13th 2024, and in the intervening months Toptracer’s world-leading technology has transformed the customer experience and boosted revenue by over 150% - with every month of the year so far having seen a dramatic increase in foot traffic and revenue.
Before adopting Toptracer, Rio Real felt the driving range was primarily used by golfers for quick warm-ups, limiting spending and the range’s overall potential. The decision to integrate Toptracer was driven by a commitment to enhancing customer service and the overall golfing experience rather than focusing purely on financial returns. This strategic move has paid off, with some days seeing traffic increase by over 800% compared to the previous year.
Antonio Gomez, Commercial Director at Rio Real, expressed his satisfaction with the results: “Toptracer makes everyone’s training and golfing experience much better, provided our staff can take some time to explain the benefits to our users. It works – and it works 365 days a year. It’s a really good technology that will continue to go up and up in the future and one that is helping us transform our business even further.”
One of the key features supporting the increased traffic is the installation of a robot that collects golf balls 24 hours a day, ensuring an endless supply of balls for customers.
Moving forward, the team at Rio Real plan to continue investing in Toptracer technology and to keep making improvements to the range, with a forecast of continued growth in the coming months.