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Golf Course Owners Association Annual Awards
Each year the members of the Golf Course Owners Association nominate and then select the winners of a group of awards. There are several categories that a course can be nominated in and the awards are given out for exceptional performance in each category. This year the categories were:
- Course of the Year
- Leadership Award
- Marketing Award
- Membership Award
- Teacher of the Year and Teaching Center Award
- Golf Shop Service Award
- Food and Beverage Award
- Best New Idea
Each year the grand winner of the Course of the Year is submitted to the National Golf Course Owners Association as the Wisconsin nominee for the National Award.
History of the Awards Program
The awards program has existed for years simply a "Course of the Year" award. The past presidents of the GCOW took the initiative to meet and discuss how to expand the program in an effort to recognize the many notable features of the golf courses in Wisconsin. This year seven new categories were added the list to recognize the many contributions that golf courses in the State have given to the enjoyment of golf overall. The categories were also expanded to recognize 9-hole, 18-hole and resort courses separately.
Nomination Process
This year the program was newly-expanded and not without its glitches. Applications were first mailed in January, which is a time of the year when a lot of owners are only thinking about relaxing in the sun of a warm locale. The mailing was followed up with phone and e-mail contacts with suggestions of courses that had merit and should be recognized for their outstanding features. Owners were reminded that they could nominate any course they wanted to including their own course. The judges were not necessarily looking for the course with the most rounds, the biggest Pro Shop or the most advertising. What stood out was: uniqueness, innovative practices, dedication to the sport and quality of service to golfers.
Media Notification
Statewide media received a press release. All winners as well as the nominees were mentioned. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin Business Journal, Key Milwaukee Magazine, Wisconsin Golfer Magazine and Inside Wisconsin Sports and other publications ran a story or a list of the nominees and winners.
Award Winners
Lifetime Achievement Award - Chip Bromann
Presidents Award - Herb Kohler
Course of the Year - 18-hole Category - The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, Brenda and Dave Bachman
Nominees:
- Sentry World
- Muskego Lakes Country Club
- Hawks Landing Golf Club
- Chaska Golf Course
- The Golf Club at Camelot
- Trappers Turn Golf Club
Course of the Year - 9-hole Category - Grand View Golf Course, Lynn Belille-Manager and Bill Leslie-President
Nominees:
- The Preserve at Deer Creek
- Missing Links Golf Course
- Eagle Springs Golf Resort
- Fairfield Hills Golf Course
Course of the Year - Resort Category - Grand Geneva Resort, Dave Hallenbeck
Nominees:
- Christmas Mountain Village
- House on the Rock Resort
- Fox Hills Resort
Membership Program - 18-hole Category - Muskego Lakes Country Club, Mark Krause
Nominees:
- Quit-Qui-Oc Golf Course
- Castle Rock Golf Course
- Thal Acres Golf Course
Membership Program - 9-hole Category - Norsk Golf Course, Net and Kerry McGinley
Nominees:
- Grand View Golf Course
- Eagle Springs Golf Resort
- The Preserve at Deer Creek
Marketing Program - 18-hole Category - The Golf Club at Camelot, Kay Shaffer
Nominees:
- Trappers Turn Golf Course
- Muskego Lakes Country Club
- The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
- Hawks Landing Golf Club
- The Oaks Golf Course
Marketing Program - 9-hole Category - Eagle Springs Golf Resort, Luanne Ervin
Nominees:
- Grand View Golf Course
- The Preserve at Deer Creek
Marketing Program - Resort Category - Fox Hills Resort, Liz Kostka and Russ Marver
Nominees:
- House on the Rock Resort
- Teal Wing Lodge
- Grand Geneva Resort
Golf Shop Service Award - 18-hole Category - The Golf Club at Camelot, Kay Shaffer
Nominees:
- Sheboygan Town and Country
- Castle Rock Golf Course
- The Bull at Pinehurst Farms
- Sentry World
- Trappers Turn Golf Course
Golf Shop Service Award - 9-hole Category - Walsh Golf Center, David Swift
Nominees:
- Missing Links Golf Course
- Grand View Golf Course
- Fairfield Hills Golf Course
Golf Shop Service Award - Resort Category - Grand Geneva Resort, Dave Hallenbeck
Nominees:
- Lake Lawn Resort
- Pine Hills Golf Course
- Horseshoe Bay Golf Club
Teacher of the Year and Teaching Center Award - Teacher of the Year - Lee Kaczmarek, Muskego Lakes Country Club
Teaching Center - Muskego Lakes Country Club, Mark Krause
Best New Idea - Buy a Shirt, Play 9-holes Free, Shorewood Golf Course
Friend of GCOW - Tom Schmidt | 
