Cleveland – Golf Course News and the Golf Course Builders Association of America announced an agreement to recognize excellence in golf course construction. The Golf Course News Builder Excellence Awards will honor members of GCBAA for their contributions in three construction award categories: the Creative Excellence Award for the best new course construction, the Heritage Award for the best course renovation or restoration, and the Environmental Award for the best environmentally responsible new or renovated course.
The awards program will honor specific examples of excellence in course construction, says Kevin Gilbride, publisher of Golf Course News.
“One aspect of the GCBAA mission statement is to ‘advance and continuously improve the profession of golf course construction,’” Gilbride says. “The Golf Course News awards program will do that in the important categories of construction. The awards will also expand awareness of the contributions made by builders and the benefits of excellent course design and construction to the game.”
Gilbride says winning companies and their courses from the 2004 awards will be featured in a special section in the March 2005 issue of Golf Course News, as well as on the magazine’s Web site, www.golfcoursenews.com.
“GCBAA is pleased to partner with Golf Course News on the Builder Excellence Awards,” says Lee Hetrick, executive director of the GCBAA. “Members are excited about the awards program, and we look forward to recognizing excellence by our members during the Golf Show.”
Builder Excellence Awards will be awarded on Feb. 11, 2005, at GCBAA’s dinner, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida, Feb. 10-12, 2005. Award entries will be accepted through November 1, 2005. Entrants must be members of the GCBAA and have a standing of associate builder member or higher to be eligible for the inaugural 2004 awards.
Judging for the awards will be done by an independent, six-member expert panel consisting of two golf course owners, two golf course architects and two superintendents. Each entry will also include a performance rating made by the course owner, architect and superintendent of that course.
Builders or architects interested in the awards program should contact John Walsh, editor of Golf Course News, at 800/456-0707, extension 239.