Golf Australia dominates media awards

Golf Australia magazine has dominated the 2014 Australian Golf Media Awards, collecting three awards from the five categories it contested.

The treble takes the magazine’s haul of awards for writing and photographic excellence to 22 since the Australian Golf Writers Association introduced the awards ceremony in 2000.

For the second consecutive year, Golf Australia editor Brendan James collected the award for Best Feature story for his exclusive, The Long Road Back, on Jarrod Lyle’s dream to get back to the PGA Tour after his second fight against leukaemia. It was James’ sixth award in this category.

Golf Australia columnist at large John Huggan was awarded the gong for Best Column for his article on Adam Scott’s triumphant return home after his Masters win. This was Huggan’s third award in as many years.

Bruce Baskett, former editor of the Melbourne Herald Sun and chairman of the Australian Golf Media Awards judging panel, said the Best Feature and Best Column categories were “hotly contested” and the winning entries “had set a new benchmark in excellence.”

Former Open Champion Ian Baker-Finch presented both writers with their award at a dinner function held at Sydney’s The Lakes Golf Club on the eve of the Australian Open final round.

Regular Golf Australia contributor Andrew Marshall received the award for Best International Story, sponsored by Tourism Ireland, for his feature Golf & Geysers … Playing Golf in Iceland. The judges noted that Marshall’s narrative was colourful, detailed and of high quality.

Golf Australia Deputy Editor Steve Keipert was highly commended twice in the one category – Best Amateur Golf feature – for his stories on James Gribble fulfilling his passion for playing golf despite being quadriplegic and Jordan Zunic’s fightback to win again after a horror car accident.

“Our sustained success in these awards is testament to the high quality of writing and photography we strive to deliver to our readers every month,” James said after the awards.

“I believe we have the best team of writers, columnists and photographers of any golf publication in this country and these awards certainly support that view.”

The full list of Australian Golf Media Awards winners:

Electronic Media – TV – Best Feature or Report

Brenton Speed – Fox Sports

Electronic Media – Online – Best News Report

Mark Hayes – Herald Sun

Best photograph

Paul Shire

Print – Best Feature/report (Newspaper)

Mark Hayes – Herald Sun

Print – Best Feature (Magazine)

Brendan James – Golf Australia magazine

Print – Best Column (Magazine/Newspaper)

John Huggan – Golf Australia magazine

Print: Best Feature / Story Amateur Golf

Bruce Matthews – Golf Victoria

Print – Best Feature / Story Women’s Professional Golf

Bruce Young – Golf magazine

Print – Best Feature / Story or Report in a Trade Magazine

Brett Robinson – Australian Turfgrass Management Journal

Best International Story – Sponsored by Tourism Ireland

Andrew Marshall – Golf Australia Magazine

The award winners were decided by a judging panel led by former Herald Sun editor Bruce Baskett and representatives from golf oragnising bodies – Golf Australia, the PGA of Australia, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Australian Ladies Professional Golfers.