Wilmslow Golf Club is celebrating a hat trick of national and regional awards which recognise the achievements of its head professional, clubhouse steward and course manager.
Matthew Gillingham, who joined the club a year ago, was named PGA Professional of the Year last week, at a ceremony at the world-famous Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey.
He was also runner-up in the PGA Coach of the Year category in the Pro-Shop Europe Trade Industry Awards, attended by more than 140 golf industry professionals, suppliers and sponsors.
Only a week earlier Wilmslow's Simon Ward was named Northern Region Steward of the Year by the English Golf Union, and in January its course manager, Steve Oultram, will be presented with this year's North of England Golf Environment Award.
Matthew Gillingham, 30, was nominated for the PGA awards by Wilmslow members and was the only professional, among over 1,000 nominees, to be short-listed in both categories.
The judges were particularly impressed by his innovative approach to retailing in the pro's shop, his promotional initiatives, his communications with members of all age groups, and his coaching work.
Matthew, a professional at Gleneagles before he moved to Cheshire a year ago, is widely respected for his teaching ability and devotes many hours to coaching the club's juniors and also potential newcomers to golf - girls as well as boys – at local schools.
He has played a key role in helping Wilmslow to win the Cheshire/Derbyshire Junior League this year for the first time in the club's history, and is a keen advocate of the "go for green" initiative which encourages more youngsters to take up golf. Two of Wilmslow's juniors have been awarded English Golf Union scholarships at Preston's Myerscough College.
"The club has been well and truly put on to the golfing map by Matthew's success," said Wilmslow General Manager Keith Melia.
Sam Matthews, who until recently was one of Matthew Gillingham's assistants, finished third in the Assistant of the Year category. He has returned to Cumbria for family reasons.
