Employee appreciation is a fundamental human need. If you recognize and appreciate your greenkeepers and other golf club employees you will have a much bigger chance to retain your best talents.
They will be more connected to their work, their team, and your organization. Some of your employees will not want social recognition.
I believe giving sufficient publicity to the recognition and appreciation of golf club employees is important, especially if we want to demonstrate company values.
I would give to team members lots of opportunities to encourage each other and show appreciation. Team members see and understand better their peers’ efforts and morale than senior leaders. Give it a try in 2023!
If you would like to use awards, compensation, and incentives, then make sure they are authentic and are not your only solutions for recognizing employees.
Don’t forget your employees are not head counts & manpower, but human beings in pursuit of purpose & connection on an intellectual, emotional, and social level.
Now, let’s see who are the lucky finalists of the 2023 BIGGA Awards.
2023 BIGGA Awards – finalists
The BIGGA Awards are divided into three categories, with the winners revealed at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration with Origin Amenity Solutions, taking place on the opening evening of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) in January 2023.
Championship Greenkeeping Performance of the Year sponsored by Bernhard and Company
The finalists in this category for 2023 are:
- Abridge Golf Club in Essex for hosting the club’s 1st EuroPro Tour event, the PDC Championship, from 29 June to 1 July 2022.
- Minchinhampton Golf Club in Gloucestershire for hosting South West Week and Open Championship – Regional Qualifying in June 2022.
- St Annes Old Links for the hosting of Open Championship – Final Qualifying and The R&A’s Amateur Championship in June 2022.
Greenkeeping Project of the Year sponsored by Sports Turf Data Solutions
This award recognizes those greenkeeping teams who have undertaken a specific project, completed within the past year.
However, projects can be long-term and include course construction, renovation, or rebuilding – the possibilities are endless.
The finalists in this category for 2023 are:
- Astbury Golf Club, led by Head Greenkeeper Andy Brougham, for their bunker renovation project.
- Prestwick Golf Club, led by Golf Course Superintendent David Edmondson, for the recreation of the original 12-hole Open layout used for the first Open Championship.
- Strathaven Golf Club, led by Head Greenkeeper Stephen Hunter, for the redesign and reshaping of two holes to fit in with safety concerns.
Outstanding Contribution of the Year sponsored by Baroness
This award is presented to a BIGGA member or members who have made an outstanding contribution above and beyond their normal working life.
This can be for charity, for the betterment of the greenkeeping profession or association, or generally for society.
The winner of this award will be revealed at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration at BTME 2023.