NSW/ACT award winners share secrets to success - PGA of Australia

NSW/ACT award winners share secrets to success


Mentorship, connection and ongoing education. The four recipients of the 2020 NSW/ACT PGA Vocational Awards all have different stories to tell yet there are common threads among them.

A former junior at the club, Joanne Bannerman has become the first female to be named the NSW/ACT Club Professional of the Year since Janelle Smith in 2016 while Charles Kares has been named Coach of the Year for a second time for his commitment to both The Lakes Golf Club membership and the next generation of PGA Professionals.

Nigel Gibson’s guidance in elevating Manly Golf Club into such a strong financial position saw him awarded the Management Professional of the Year and Warren Moses’s dedication to growth in a number of demographics led to the Nelson Bay Golf Club PGA Teaching Professional being recognised as Game Development Professional of the Year.

“During such challenging times as we have experienced in 2020, this recognition serves not only as acknowledgment of how these PGA Professionals have handled adversity in 2020 but the years of commitment leading up to it,” said NSW/ACT State Senior Manager, David Barker.

“There was a wonderful field of worthy nominees again this year and we are delighted to recognise Joanne, Charles, Nigel and Warren with these awards.”

Club Professional of the Year

Joanne Bannerman (Cumberland Country Golf Club)

Joanne Bannerman never imagined she’d receive the Club Professional of the Year award. Truth be told, she didn’t envisage becoming a PGA Professional in the first place.

A junior member at Cumberland Country Golf Club in Sydney’s western suburbs, Bannerman was on the verge of leaving Cumberland to pursue a teaching position in Brisbane when retiring club pro Philip Nance suggested it might be worth sticking around.

“He said to me that this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and it has been,” Bannerman says.

“It was the best start I could have hoped for. He definitely paved the way for me to have a great future in golf.”

Now Bannerman is dedicating herself to making sure the game of golf itself has a bright future.

A thriving junior program that incorporates an excursion each term to the Terrey Hills par-3 course is encouraging the next wave of Cumberland members and Bannerman is putting her technological know-how to fast-track beginners into becoming avid golfers.

Certified in TrackMan, SAM PuttLab, K-Vest and the Titleist Performance Institute, Bannerman exposes newcomers to the latest in coaching technology from the moment they walk through the pro shop door.

“I feel that they find it a lot easier to get into the positions that they need to using the K-Vest because a lot of people who are new to the game have no idea how to move,” Bannerman reasons, her ultimate aim to become a PGA Master Professional.

“By viewing it on the screen they can see whether they need to rotate further or less. They can visualise it and then feel it once they get there.

“It provides instant feedback rather than trying to guide them into that position.”

Nearing 15 years as the club’s Professional, Bannerman’s commitment to excellence and warm personality have made her a treasured asset within the club.

“I can say from personal experience that she has the patience of a Saint when it comes to giving lessons,” says Club President Denis Clifford.

“We are very lucky to have her as our Club Professional.”

Coach of the Year

Charles Kares (The Lakes Golf Club)

He claims his Greek heritage is a factor but Charles Kares’ willingness to go above and beyond was a major reason for his selection as NSW/ACT Coach of the Year for a second time.

The Teaching Professional at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney, Kares not only provides lessons to the membership but offers guidance to elite amateurs, shares his knowledge with current Trainees from throughout Sydney and is continually seeking to better himself professionally.

A former junior at Royal Canberra who received coaching from Gary Barter at The Australian Golf Club, Kares engages with members at every opportunity to foster an environment of shared improvement.

“If I have a 30-minute gap in my schedule, I’ll walk around and speak to members on the driving range or on the chipping or putting green and just be available to them,” Kares says.

“I don’t want them to feel like the only way they can speak to me is by booking a lesson.

“The money they spend on a lesson is not just for that hour, it’s building a relationship and feeling comfortable to talk to me any time they want.

“We’re lucky that the member wants to talk to us and is seeking our advice with a lesson because we are there first and foremost to help them enjoy their game of golf.”

Citing the transition of Lakes member Chizuru Ueda into the professional ranks and successfully obtaining a China LPGA Tour card as a 2020 highlight, Kares is also heavily invested in the development of the coaches of the future.

Part of the PGA’s mentor program, Kares is always on the lookout for those he believes will develop into fine coaches themselves.

“When I present to the Trainees, it’s the ones who have their ears perked up for a start,” says Kares. “The ones who feel comfortable enough in their skin to stand up in front of people and talk about a topic and someone who is confident enough to back themselves. They’re the traits that you need to have to be a good coach.

“It’s the ones also who are willing to go outside the square, to listen to other coaches, wanting to research more so they can build a philosophy that they can develop and use to teach people.

“Above all though they have to enjoy golf and want to see someone progress and improve.”

Management Professional of the Year

Nigel Gibson (Manly Golf Club)

When Nigel Gibson worked under the late Paul Rak as Director of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club, communication was a key tenet of his management methodology.

That grounding proved to be highly valuable this year when the Manly Golf Club General Manager was required to communicate COVID-19 updates to his membership on an almost daily basis.

When Gibson joined Manly in 2013 and set about constructing a strategic plan, member consultation was a key part of the process. That connection to the club has cultivated a culture of belonging and pride that has seen the club post net trading surpluses in excess of $500,000 in each of the past five years.

“I was really fortunate to work with Paul Rak at Kingston Heath. He was my mentor coming through the ranks from a Director of Golf to a golf management role and he was really big on communication,” Gibson says.

“It creates a culture where members are very comfortable with what’s happening at the club.

“When we did a strategic plan back in 2013 we engaged with the membership right from the outset.

“It’s that open line of communication with members that gives them the confidence to have a positive culture in the club.

“That positive culture means they are comfortable bringing their guests and they’re proud of our club.

“All of our new membership has essentially come through our members’ guests.”

A strong financial position at the onset of COVID-19 meant that the club was able to guarantee staff full salary even in the case of complete lockdown.

Gibson also instituted a Pantry & Staples service that not only provided older members with a safe manner in which to purchase and pick up basics such as toilet paper but kept the kitchen staff engaged when most clubhouses were closed.

“That went down really well and was really well supported,” Gibson said of the Pantry & Staples service that included pre-prepared meals.

“We have a number of members who are aged 70-plus so they were quite concerned but felt very comfortable in being able to order online and then come by the club and pick it up.

“With our regular communication channels, at a time when things were bit strange, the members felt comfortable that they at least knew exactly what was going on at the club.”

Game Development Professional of the Year

Warren Moses (Nelson Bay Golf Club)

Whether it’s juniors, ladies or seniors, Warren Moses adopts the same philosophy towards growing the game: Comfortable and connected.

The Teaching Professional who works alongside his older brother Maurie at Nelson Bay Golf Club in Port Stephens, Moses is a tireless advocate for introducing new people to golf.

He partners with fellow Game Development Professional of the Year nominee Mark Ingrey (Jack Newton Junior Golf Foundation) in taking golf into schools throughout the Hunter region and the relaxed way he conducts his regular Saturday ladies clinic has encouraged at least 20 ladies to date to progress to membership and participation in club competitions.

“Golf doesn’t need to be about playing competitions every weekend,” says Moses, who charges just $10 per session for any ladies who wish to attend.

“Some people are happy playing nine holes a week with their husband or son or daughter.

“The biggest asset that I have is that I try to make sure they never feel intimidated.

“One lady said to me that ladies won’t come to clinics if they feel intimidated in any way. You’ve got to make sure they feel relaxed.

“They want to be in an environment where they feel comfortable and wanted, and that’s what we provide.

“The Professional’s role is to get them to come to the clinics and then you’ve got to get them to connect. That’s the secret. If you want progression, they have to connect and become friends.

“That’s how you grow the game.”

A Gary Edwin devotee who also credits his brother for having a major influence on his career, Moses is equally passionate about introducing kids to golf and providing a pathway of progression.

“Myself and Mark Ingrey have been trying to get golf into school curriculum because we feel if you can get golf into curriculum we’re going to grow the sport,” says Moses, who with the help of members at Nelson Bay runs clinics for some 40 juniors each week.

“We’ve been trying hard to get teachers to think when they’re thinking about a sport they can offer to do golf.

“Our belief is that if we make it fun and the kids get a chance to experience it, we will attract some new kids to the game.”


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