Burnham & Berrow Golf Club has been voted ‘Venue of the Year’ at the 2023 Women in Golf Awards.
The Women in Golf Awards, held at Walton Heath Golf Club, is a key event in the golfing calendar which celebrates the significant contribution that women continue to make within the golf industry.
The ‘Venue of the Year’ award has been made in recognition of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club providing the best experience for women and junior golfers through its successful delivery of several initiatives linked to its R&A Women in Golf Charter pledges, which are to grow and nurture women’s golf at all levels.
Since signing the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter in July 2021 a core team of female members, with the support of the entire membership and seeking advice from the game’s governing bodies, has introduced a series of initiatives that have transformed the club’s women’s and junior sections.
This includes the development and delivery of the women’s ‘Love Golf’ beginner programme run by the club’s Head PGA Teaching Professional, Nicola Stroud.
This has in turn created a clear pathway for into the club for beginners, who are supported by 14 female champions from the club who act as buddies to new members. ‘Love Golf’ has been a clear success year-on-year.
The club has also been holding mixed events on its gender-neutral tees for several years and it has a female starter, female caddies and a female Vice President. But it was its commitment to delivering on its R&A Women in Golf Charter pledges that really impressed the judges.
Commenting on the award, Nicola says: “On behalf of the club and our brilliant members, we are thrilled to be voted as the ‘Venue of the Year’ as it validates all of the hard work, we have collectively done, to successfully grow women’s and junior golf at the club.”
“Feedback from everyone who has participated in the ‘Love Golf’ sessions speaks for itself.”
Pictured: From left to right – Burnham’s Jean Booth, Nicola Stroud, Alysia Rees