Charleston, S.C. (August 4, 2025) — The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) is adding three new categories to its annual awards program, designed to recognize and honor its public and daily-fee facilities and other outstanding member courses for their unique contributions to the golf course industry. The new awards are: Jemsek Public Course of the Year, Municipal Course of the Year, and Resort Course of the Year.
More than 50 years ago, the NGCOA was founded by private owners of daily-fee courses. Today, the association’s membership includes every ownership model and business type, from practice ranges and short courses to municipal courses and golf resorts, and everything in between. These new awards allow the association to spotlight those members who exhibit excellence in privately-owned (and often family-operated) daily-fee courses, government-owned/managed facilities, and resort courses in destination markets—and round out an already robust collection of awards which honor advocates, leaders, and life-long contributors to the game of golf.
“Since 1983, the NGCOA awards program has recognized and celebrated outstanding golf course members and golf industry professionals,” said Chuck Bennell, former operator of family-owned Tam O’Shanter Golf Course (a past winner of Ohio’s “Course of the Year”), and current member of the NGCOA Awards Committee. “The addition of these awards to NGCOA’s already robust program will shine a spotlight on those well-run, creative and successful facilities that might have been overlooked in a previous award category.”
Nominations for the 2026 awards will be accepted from Friday, August 1, until midnight on Sunday, August 31, 2025. Award winners will be honored during NGCOA's annual Golf Business Conference, which will take place from January 19–21, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. The 2026 Champion Award will be presented separately at the 2026 National Golf Day in Washington, D.C. For more information about NGCOA’s annual award program, the nomination process, and to view a list of previous winners along with their presentation videos, visit ngcoa.org/membership/awards.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL GOLF COURSE OWNERS ASSOCIATION
The NGCOA is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The association represents and promotes the interests of golf courses as the principal businesses and economic assets of the game of golf. The not-for-profit organization is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to golf course owners and operators. Through advocacy, education and information resources, purchasing programs and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information or to join, visit ngcoa.org or call 800-933-4262.
Media Contact:
Renée Flowers, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, NGCOA, rflowers@ngcoa.org