2025 Golf Course Awards — Winners
The 2025 Golf Course Awards for Great Britain & Ireland announce 13 winners, with Ballyneety picking up the flagship award on the night.
Host of the 2027 Junior Ryder Cup, Ballyneety, won both the Affordable Excellence Award and the event’s flagship award: Great Britain & Ireland’s Golf Course of the Year 2025.
Prince’s, Aberdovey, Carnoustie and Enniscrone were honoured with their respective national titles, each showcasing how our more historic courses continue to evolve and innovate, helping to shape the future of the game.
200+ invited guests attended the winners’ ceremony, held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, with virtually all 50 of the finalists attending the prize giving.
Judging Chair Nick Dougherty hosted a grand ceremony, ably assisted by his fellow judges, including Trey Niven, who hosted the Green Room with ex-professional footballer Jay Bothroyd for The Outtaboundz Show.
Anthony Blackburn and Golf in Society pick up the Inclusivity Award for their incredible initiative, improving 1000’s of lives through golf sessions for our ageing population.
The Golf Course Awards unveiled the winners of their 2nd edition, celebrating excellence across a diverse range of categories. The Golf Course Awards seek to recognise courses and facilities from right across the golfing ecosystem, challenging existing interpretations of excellence. The awards consider a broad set of criteria, heavily weighted towards improvements or initiatives delivered over the preceding year, recognising innovation, sustainability and accessibility, alongside design and conditioning.
Ballyneety were awarded the Affordable Excellence Award, as well as the flagship title of Great Britain & Ireland’s Golf Course of the Year 2025. The trophy - a beautifully hand-carved stone sculpture - was presented by Chris Lomas of last year’s winner, Worplesdon.
Ballyneety’s General Manager, John Leamy collected the award, and reflected on what it meant to the club:
“I’m speechless, this is the proudest moment of my career in golf. Ballyneety is a movement, made up of dedicated people, tireless volunteers and the entire community. People who love the game, who love their community, and love one another. It is a tribute to everyone associated with the club, we’ve all been in it together since the beginning, and I’m immensely proud to accept this award on behalf of everyone at Ballyneety.”
The Golf Course Awards judging panel reflected on Ballyneety’s success:
“They are a course and a club that has enjoyed an exceptional year or two, delivering transformative upgrades across the board, including a successful overhaul of all 50 bunkers. Perhaps more importantly, Ballyneety are the very definition of a community-led club, with a dedicated team of volunteers ensuring the course and club continue to punch way above their weight. Their constant drive to move the bar, to create, and to inspire is hugely motivational - they are a great role model for all golf clubs looking to provide a wonderful experience on a limited budget, whilst supporting the community that houses it.”
This year’s winners were presented at a prestigious ceremony hosted by Sky Sports Presenter Nick Dougherty at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. All 50 finalists were able to point towards exceptional years, having each delivered a range of incredible initiatives and programmes, as well as on and off-course improvements. Chosen by a distinguished panel, Chair of Judges Nick Dougherty reflected on the judging process:
“As judges, we looked for courses and facilities that met every criteria point - courses that have recently improved the playing experience, as well as the overall property, but also courses and clubs that sought a role in their local communities and ran programmes and initiatives to create a more inclusive environment. Ultimately, all our winners have succeeded in delivering a first-class experience on and off the course.”
Prince’s, Aberdovey, Carnoustie and Enniscrone were honoured with their respective national titles, each showcasing how our more historic courses continue to evolve and innovate, helping to shape the future of the game.
Enniscrone Chairperson Martha McNulty, delivered an emotional speech on collecting the award for Ireland: Golf Course of the Year 2025:
“This is truly an incredible moment for everyone associated with Enniscrone Golf Club. To have our course recognised amongst all the outstanding clubs across these islands, means the world to us. Enniscrone is shaped by nature, community and a deep passion for the game, and it’s an honour to see that reflected on this stage tonight. This award is dedicated to the generations of members, past and present, whose passion and support have shaped Enniscrone.”
At the other end of the spectrum, Pitch Wharf claimed Indoor Venue of the Year only 10 months after opening, raising the bar for social, urban golf. Likewise, the Repton Short Course at Rudding Park earned Short Course of the Year, with judges highlighting its sheer fun and smart design that packs a full golfing experience into a much shorter round.
Anthony Blackburn’s inspirational initiative, Golf in Society, picked up the Inclusivity Award. With 1000s of lives improved across over 7000 golf sessions, the ever-expanding list of golf course hubs across GB & Ireland will ensure many more of the most vulnerable of our ageing populations will be supported in the years to come.
The remaining winners were West Sussex, who picked up The Sustainability Award sponsored by Husqvarna, Bush Hill Park were recognised as Members Club of the Year, Royal Norwich’s Junior Programme was adjudged to be the best in 2025, and The Grove walked away with the title of Golf Resort of the Year.
The judging panel were so impressed by the quality of the finalists that on five occasions, they decided to also highly commend a course, where they felt the gap between first and second was sufficiently small. St Enodoc, as well as Cleeve Hill, Sunningdale Heath, Dumbarnie Links & Close House were all highly commended in their respective categories.
With further events planned in the Spring, the Golf Course Awards is set to be bigger and better in 2026. Submissions will open in March, so make sure to follow online via social media and head to their website to sign up to their mailing list to keep up with upcoming announcements.
Co-Founder of the Golf Course Awards & MD of AGILE Luke Giles, reflected on a successful 2nd edition and on plans for the future:
“We’re thrilled to have delivered a campaign and event that has been so warmly embraced by Great Britain & Ireland’s outstanding golf courses, clubs and facilities. Our mission is to recognise and elevate recent excellence across the entire industry, and it’s fantastic to see such a diverse group of winners celebrated by our dedicated judging panel.
With strong foundations now in place, we’ve ambitious plans to deliver more content and more events, driving national cut-through with golf consumers, establishing the Awards as a trusted tool for every golf enthusiast when choosing their next course.”
The 2025 categories and winners:
GB & Ireland Golf Course of the Year: Ballyneety
England: Golf Course of the Year: Prince’s
Wales: Golf Course of the Year: Aberdovey
Scotland: Golf Course of the Year: The Championship Course at Carnoustie
Ireland: Golf Course of the Year: Enniscrone
Members Club of the Year, sponsored by Open Links: Bush Hill Park
Short Course of the Year, sponsored by Gusbourne: Repton Short Course at Rudding Park
Affordable Excellence Award, sponsored by Mymo: Ballyneety
Sustainability Award, sponsored by Husqvarna: West Sussex
Junior Golf Programme of the Year, sponsored by Tee Time Tips: Royal Norwich
Golf Resort of the Year, sponsored by Golf’s Greatest Holes: The Grove
Indoor Golf Venue of the Year, sponsored by Charles Tyrwhitt: Pitch Wharf
Inclusivity Award, sponsored by The OuttaBoundz Show: Golf in Society
The five highly commended courses are as follows:
Affordable Excellence Award: Cleeve Hill
Junior Golf Programme of the Year: Sunningdale Heath
Members Club of the Year: Close House
England: Golf Course of the Year: St Enodoc
Scotland: Golf Course of the Year: Dumbarnie Links
The winners were chosen by the esteemed Golf Course Awards Judging Academy, which this year featured a panel of renowned judges: Nick Dougherty, Eimear McManus, David Jones (The UK Golf Guy), David Jones (Sky Sports Broadcaster), Scott Macpherson, Peter Finch and Trey Niven.
Finalists were identified following the submissions process, selected by the evaluations of a team of expert reviewers and the awards administrators, with input from the 2025 judging panel. For further details on the judging process and panellists, please visit golfcourseawards.com.
For more information about the awards, the winners and finalists, or sponsorship opportunities, contact hello@golfcourseawards.com.
