Golf Australia has today announced the winners of its inaugural National Awards of Excellence, recognising the clubs, venues, partners and individuals that have set new benchmarks for innovation, participation, growth and leadership in the game. 

From metropolitan powerhouses to regional heroes, environmental innovators to grassroots volunteers, this year’s winners reflect the strength and diversity of golf across the country. 

“The inaugural Golf Australia National Awards of Excellence are more than a celebration of achievement. They are a glimpse into the future of our sport, Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said. “Each winner this year demonstrates how golf can evolve, diversify and thrive while staying rooted in community. Together, they form a blueprint for how golf across the country is growing stronger, more inclusive, and more relevant.” 

Damien de Bohun, General Manager - Places to Play, Golf Australia said: “The winners of our new national awards demonstrate everything that is great about golf in Australia. They recognise how leadership, inclusion and innovation can transform the game, on and off the course.” 

“These winners embody what excellence looks like in Australian golf. They’ve transformed facilities, grown participation, driven innovation, volunteered thousands of hours and built stronger communities around the game. We’re proud to celebrate their contributions and leadership.” 

A year defined by vision, inclusion and momentum 

In Western Australia, Mandurah Country Club turned good intentions into good governance, moving to a streamlined board model, introducing clear business planning and reinvesting for the future. The payoff was tangible: record participation, a clubroom uplift, an irrigation overhaul on the way, and the confidence to host the WA Open on a course that matched the moment. Mandurah’s story is one of clarity and community buy-in, doing more with less, and doing it well. 

Down the coast of NSW, Mollymook Golf Club balanced heart and horsepower. An $8 million Beachside redevelopment has re-imagined the club experience, while Hilltop’s rise inside Australia’s Top 100 shows the playing product is equally strong. The numbers don’t lie, rising rounds, revenue and membership, but Mollymook’s character is best seen in its generosity: six-figure community giving, thriving junior pathways and a calendar that welcomes locals and visitors alike. 

In the Top End, where on-course opportunities are limited, X-Golf Palmerston is a glimpse of golf’s future. With simulators humming, mini-golf buzzing and hospitality at its core, the venue lives its values as an R&A Women in Golf Charter signatory. “Sip & Chip” nights and a wet-season TeeMates junior series make golf accessible year-round. 

South Australia’s The Pat GC has made sustainability part of the playing experience. Beehives hum beside tee boxes, solar helps power operations, recycled water feeds the turf, and more than 10,000 native plantings are bringing biodiversity back. A Kaurna Cultural Heritage Action Plan threads traditional knowledge into daily practice. The Pat shows how environmental leadership can be practical, visible and popular. 

On junior pathways, Glenelg Golf Club has become a MyGolf powered by Ripper GC powerhouse. A term-by-term program suite meets children where they are, from Tiger Cubs to advanced groups, and a school partnership keeps the pipeline flowing. Fun first, structure second; the result is sustained demand and families who feel part of the club community. 

In Victoria, Barwon Valley Golf Club is rewriting the adult beginner journey. Clear pathways, beginner to intermediate to social play and smart membership on-ramps are converting newcomers into golfers (and golfers into members) faster than most thought possible. A partnership with X-Golf Geelong proves that all golf is golf, wherever you first pick up a club. 

Queensland’s Windaroo Lakes Golf Club has built a culture by and for women. More than 1,400 women engaged through clinics, leagues and “Chip & Sip” events; a 33% rise in female membership; visible female leadership; and programs that balance skills with social connection. It’s a blueprint other clubs are already following. 

Public golf is thriving in Maroondah City Council (VIC), where a 10-year strategy has turned two municipal courses into community assets. Annual rounds have surged, juniors and first-time adults are entering the game at scale, and sustainability is embedded, from solar fleets to habitat restoration. Partnerships with disability services show how golf can build skills and employment, not just community and connection. 

The Awards also honour the people and partners behind the scenes. In the NT, Esther Rika has spent more than a decade opening doors in one of the country’s most remote regions, taking golf into schools and communities, mentoring girls and young women, and proving how one volunteer can change many lives. And across the industry, Greenway Turf Solutions continues to raise the bar for reliability and innovation, pairing agronomic expertise with on-time delivery and education that elevates the sector. 

“These stories remind us that excellence isn’t just measured on a scorecard,” de Bohun said. “It’s the vision, resilience and generosity that help golf thrive in every corner of the country.” 

The winners will be further recognised at the Men’s Australian Open on Thursday 4 December, where Golf Australia will showcase their stories to inspire the next wave of leadership and innovation. 

The depth and quality of nominations received this year highlight the remarkable work being done across the game, from innovation and inclusion to sustainability and community impact. In every category, volunteers stood out as the driving force behind golf’s success, their dedication continuing to shape and strengthen the sport nationwide. 

Full List of 2025 Golf Australia National Awards of Excellence Winners 

• Mandurah Country Club (WA) – Most Outstanding Club, Facility or Place to Play (Metropolitan) 

• Mollymook Golf Club (NSW) – Most Outstanding Club, Facility or Place to Play (Regional) 

• X-Golf Palmerston (NT) – Most Outstanding Club, Facility or Place to Play (Off-course) 

• The Pat GC (SA) – Most Outstanding Environmental Initiative 

• Glenelg Golf Club (SA) – MyGolf powered by Ripper GC Venue of the Year 

• Barwon Valley Golf Club (VIC) – Get Into Golf Venue of the Year 

• Windaroo Lakes Golf Club (QLD) – Women & Girls in Golf Award 

• Maroondah City Council (VIC) – Local Government Recognition Award 

• Esther Rika (NT) – Volunteer of the Year 

• Greenway Turf Solutions (National) – Golf Supplier of the Year