Tag Archive for: Champions’

Bernhard Academy champions leadership and development

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Bernhard Academy champions leadership and development: The Bernhard Academy strengthened its commitment to driving education and thought leadership across the golf and sports turf industries as it delivered two highly engaging workshops at the 2025 Women in Golf Awards, held on 27 November at Foxhills Golf Club, Surrey.

With 20+ delegates in attendance, the sessions formed part of the Academy’s wider mission to elevate industry professionals not only through technical growth, but also through essential management and people-development training.

Bernhard Academy champions leadership and development

Bernhard Academy champions leadership and development

Delivered by Phil Helmn MG, Programme Leader at the Bernhard Academy, the workshops explored how understanding different personality types can strengthen communication and teamwork, alongside practical insights into the behavioural drivers that influence performance under pressure. Delegates praised the relevance and accessibility of the content, noting the immediate value it could bring to their everyday roles.

Attendees represented a broad mix of roles, from greenkeepers and club managers to events teams, trustees, and board members – reflecting the growing demand for inclusive leadership development across the sector. Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with Dolores Brown, Head of Tournaments at Golfbreaks, commenting: “It’s so engaging, has a relaxed feel but also combines a lot of learning – without feeling draining or boring!”

Sami Strutt, Education Director at the Bernhard Academy, commented: “We’re incredibly proud that the Bernhard Academy is continuing to work with such respected organisations across the golf industry. Our mission has always been to help raise standards through learning, whether that’s technical development or supporting people to grow as leaders. Opportunities like this reinforce the value of investing in people and help to create a stronger, more confident, and more connected workforce for the future.”

The Women in Golf Awards celebrates achievement, provides education, and drives cultural change within the sport. Bernhard Academy’s contribution this year further reinforces its role as a leading provider of progressive learning experiences, helping professionals build stronger teams, improve communication, and unlock their leadership potential while continuing to support technical growth across golf and sports turf management.

For more information on the full range of programmes, courses, and development opportunities offered by the Bernhard Academy, please visit www.bernhardacademy.co.uk.

For bespoke training or tailored workshop requests, organisations can get in touch via www.bernhardacademy.co.uk/contact-us-bernhard-academy to discuss customised packages designed to meet specific needs.

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Duo crowned TIMBERSPORTS® champions

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Duo crowned TIMBERSPORTS® champions: Zoe and Glen Penlington from Wales took the top spot amongst the UK’s best logger sport athletes over the weekend, with Zoe winning the first ever STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Championship and Glen being crowned the 2022 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Pro Champion.

Both events took place in front of a sell-out crowd at the Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern, where extreme sports fans watched the top male and female TIMBERSPORTS® athletes from all over Great Britain compete in a head-to-head race against time across challenging disciplines. In the British Pro Championship, the male athletes compete against each other across six disciplines, and the female athletes in the British Women’s Championship compete in three.

Duo crowned TIMBERSPORTS® champions

Duo crowned TIMBERSPORTS® champions

Using axes, two-metre crosscut saws and chainsaws, STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® pushes each competitor’s skill and endurance levels to the absolute limit, where they are awarded maximum points for the fastest time in each discipline.

In the landmark women’s event, the high-octane action brought the best out of all the athletes in a close competition, with Zoe beating her closest rival Justine Narusa by only four points. The event was decided in the final heat, the Underhand Chop, where Zoe recorded the fastest time to take the title. A delighted Sarah Cox took third place to complete the podium. In similar fashion, the men’s event was also decided in the final heat, with Glen holding his nerve against Graham Turner (2nd place) and John Lewis (3rd place) to secure victory.

In addition, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS British Rookie Championship also took place over the weekend, with Jack Morris, also from Wales, claiming first place.

Simon Hewitt, Head of Marketing at STIHL GB, said: “We were very excited to introduce the first British Women’s Championship and it was great to see the crowds come out in force to cheer on all the athletes. After several TIMBERSPORTS® events behind closed doors, all the athletes have been training extremely hard to put on a great spectacle for the TIMBERSPORTS® fans and they certainly didn’t disappoint.

“Glen is a worthy winner after a dominant display and we’re especially thrilled for Zoe who will go down in history as the first STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Champion.”

Zoe said of her victory: “I’m very proud to be the overall winner in the inaugural STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® British Women’s Championship, and then to watch my brother also win the men’s competition was the icing on the cake.

“All the women put on a fantastic display and we hope this will encourage more women to get involved in the original extreme sport.”

To find out more about the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series please visit https://blog.stihl.co.uk/timbersports/

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Bernhard and Company champions education

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Bernhard and Company champions education: Industry-leaders in sharpening equipment and turf management solutions, Bernhard and Company, utilised innovative company assets and sales tools to champion turf education and high-tech management solutions while promoting new product technology to prospective clients at the virtual GIS (Golf Industry Show) 2021.

“We made the decision to attend the virtual show to increase product awareness and promote education within the turf industry,” commented Director of Worldwide Sales for Bernhard and Company, Steven Nixon. “A key element to business longevity and success, our aim is to help people understand the extreme benefits, both short and long-term, to sharpening their mowing equipment.”

Bernhard and Company champions education

Bernhard and Company champions education

The GIS Industry Show, operated by the GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America), is the golf industry’s leading turf conference and trade show. As a company that sits at the forefront of education and development within the sector, the show falls perfectly in line with the values that Bernhard and Company represent.

The three-day virtual event took place in early February, with more than 9,000 attendees online, including industry experts and over 200 exhibitors. Over the course of the three days, there were more than 80 interactive education sessions with industry experts, numerous networking events, virtual booth visits, special guests, and award presentations.

Despite the virtual nature of the show, Bernhard and Company were able to demonstrate their constant strive to innovate with the latest features on their grinding machines. The company have taken the concept of sharpening and developed cutting-edge management solutions with new technology that allows turf professionals to constantly provide the very best playing surfaces. New products utilise market-leading technology such as contactless RFID (radio-frequency identification), laser surveying, intuitive touch screens, wireless handsets and remote service modules.

Available for 24-hours on each day of the show, Bernhard and Company made use of every hour of exhibiting time at their disposal. Global sales teams helped to manage the exhibition booth round the clock, allowing the company to speak to and welcome visitors from around the world, including distributors, existing customers and a raft of keen prospects.

The show also presented a great opportunity for Bernhard and Company to convey how they can help sporting venues through alternate turf management solutions, with the likes of SubAir and TurfBreeze, who were also present at the event.

“The show has been fantastic for us this year,” commented Internal Sales and Marketing Manager for Bernhard and Company, Angelique Crosnier. “With a new format it has been great to virtually meet show attendees from all over the world in a safe environment.

“The virtual show still allowed us to showcase all that we have to offer. The response from our customers, distributors, prospects and show attendees has been noticed by all our sales team members who managed the booth – these relationships are key to us,” she added.

There are 30 days of on-demand access to content from the show, so attendees can digest educational resources at their own pace.

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Golf’s ‘Sustainability Champions’ recognised

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Golf’s ‘Sustainability Champions’ recognised: GEO Foundation has announced an exciting new initiative to recognise and celebrate individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to advancing sustainability in golf.

These ‘Sustainability Champions’ are honoured for their significant and measurable achievements in club and course management, and in the future, this will extend to course design, tournament staging and advocacy.

Golf’s ‘Sustainability Champions’ recognised

Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, GEO Foundation said: “Golf’s positive contributions to the environment and communities come from the commitments, actions and results generated by real people across the sport, around the world. It is their voluntary leadership that is helping deliver stronger and more sustainable businesses; changing the image of the game; and delivering even more value to society. This is our way of recognising and rewarding them, as individuals, and will hopefully inspire many others to step forward and follow suit.”

See the eligibility criteria and inaugural list of Sustainability Champions

One of the first Sustainability Champions is Richard Mullen, Course Manager at Banchory Golf Club. Richard said: “Always within our professional industry we try to create the best surfaces we can, we should not however create these surfaces to any detrimental measures. We must work day-to-day with a sustainable approach to ensure not just the future of our game but the environment we live in. No bigger reason to change the way we think.”

New individuals will always be welcomed as Sustainability Champions, as they meet the criteria, to create a recognisable, public listing of sustainable golf leaders around the world.

Steve Isaac, Director – Sustainability, The R&A said: “Addressing sustainability often requires behavioural change and investment in infrastructure. It takes courage for individuals at golf facilities to take the lead in promoting such activities to their managers and employers. Those that succeed have to be truly committed and persuasive. ‘Sustainability Champions’ recognises these individuals who not only follow their conscience and do what is right, but who take action that reflects favourably on the golf business and on the sport itself.”

Each Champion is provided with a recognition mark and supporting materials to represent their important roles in the workplace, on their CV and in their communities.

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