ORLANDO, FL (January 29, 2009) – Phil Tralies, who recently retired as CEO of Club Car, won the Business Achievement category and TaylorMade Burner Irons won top product honors in the 17th Annual ING Industry Honors, announced Friday at the PGA Merchandise Show.
Called by some the “Academy Awards of the golf industry,” the ING Industry Honors program is conducted yearly by the non-profit, 20-year-old International Network Of Golf to recognize outstanding achievement in the golf business.
Nominees in a dozen categories are accepted throughout the year from anyone in the golf industry. Sub-committees that include experts in each category then trim the entries to the top three in each category. ING members then vote electronically to determine the winners, who are announced and recognized at the Industry Honors Presentation Press Conference Friday in ClubING in the Orange County Convention Center.
ING’s membership is open to anyone in the golf industry, related industries and media. ING’s mission is to enhance and promote communication and education in golf.
Tralies helped Club Car expand its global presence, strengthen its support for the game through allied associations and was instrumental in forming an employee golf program that has become a model for grassroots grow-the-game efforts.
The TaylorMade Burner Irons won the vote in the Product Ingenuity-Market Leaders category. TaylorMade took its core driver technologies and used them in a progressive iron design. The Burner irons include the sweet-spot enhancing inverted-cone face technology. This was the best selling iron in golf in June 2009 according to Golf Datatech.
Winning the Product Ingenuity-Emerging Companies category was The Putting Game, a training product that also serves as a game. The training aid is different than others because it uses a “virtual cup” (not a physical cup) and is “Stimp aware” to provide feedback on putt distance.
Other winners included Pete Dye for his new course at French Lick Resort, Potomac Golf Club in the Player Development Category presented by Golf 20/20, and the PGA Tour’s Dress Sergio At The Players PR campaign. A complete list of winners is below.
Highlight of the year for ING is the 20th Anniversary ING Spring Conference set for May 9-13 at historic Pinehurst Resort.
ING exists to bring golf media together with representatives from all walks of the golf industry to discuss issues, exchange information and improve communication.
For more information regarding ING, call 407-328-0500 or visit www.inggof.com.
THE 2009 INDUSTRY HONORS RESULTS
WINNERS LISTED FIRST IN EACH CATEGORY
Business Achievement: Winner: Phil Tralies, Club Car; Other Nominees: Dana Garmany, Troon Golf; Peter Hill, Billy Casper Golf Management
Golf Course Design: Winner: Pete Dye – French Lick Resort Dye Course; Other Nominees: Tom Doak – Rock Creek Cattle Company; Michael Hurdzan – Country Club of Darien Renovation
Player Development: Winner: East Potomac Golf Club; Other Nominees: Eagle Ridge Golf Club; Hiwan Golf Club
PR/Promotions: Winner: Other Nominees: Haggin Oaks Golf Expo; PGA Tour – Dress Sergio at the Players; TaylorMade-adidas Golf – Buy Driver, Get Free Shoes
Print Ad-Products & Services: adidas – “Not A Shirt. A Freedom Movement.”; Other Nominees: Exotics – “Really Long. Really Really Long. Really.”; Nike Golf – “I’m Back.”
Print Ad-Trade Pubs: Winner: Other Nominees: Cleatskins-“This Is How We Roll.”; Page & Tuttle-“It’s Time To Rethink Your Apparel Resources.”; Toro-“How Ironic.”
Print Ad-Travel & Real Estate: Winner: Bermuda – “Short Flight To Long Drives.”; Other Nominees: Arrowhead Golf Club – “Classic Golf.”; RTJ Golf Trail – “Feel Like A Million Bucks.”
Product Ingenuity-Market Leaders: Winner: TaylorMade Burner Irons; Other Nominees: Adams Idea Tech A4/A4OS; Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Select Putters
Product Ingenuity-Emerging Companies: Winner: The Putting Game; Other Nominees: PowerBilt Air Force One Driver; YES Tracy III Plus Putter
Tournament Service: Winner: Women Playing For T.I.M.E.; Other Nominees: Birdies For Breast Cancer; John Deere Classic
TV Commercial: Winner: E-Trade – Shankapotamus; Other Nominees: NIKE – Welcome Back Tiger; Bridgestone Golf – Trevino The Bullfighter
TV Commercial Series: Winner: Bridgestone with Couples/Trevino; Other Nominees: PGA Tour FedExCup Promo; Crowne Hotels with David Leadbetter
Contact:
Michael W. Jamison
mike@jamisongolf.com
407-328-0500, ext. 1
