BOSTON – PGA of America President Suzy Whaley, Bridgestone Tour B Reactiv Golf Ball and Bushnell Wingman were among the winners in the 27th Annual ING Industry Honors awards program. Results in eight categories were announced this week via a ZOOM Presentation.
Also, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan received the special ING ‘Spirit Of Golf’ Award for his leadership in helping the PGA Tour set the standard worldwide for bringing professional sports safely back during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The ING Industry Honors program recognizes outstanding achievement in the golf business. The non-profit, media-based networking organization International Network of Golf conducts the awards program.
Nominees in all categories are submitted 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. Holly Geoghegan of Golf Marketing Services is the committee chair.
Suzy Whaley, the first female President of the PGA of America spearheaded the Golf Emergency Relief Fund, which offered financial help to workers affected by COVID-19. She also helped craft the Back2Golf protocols that kept courses running safely.
Bridgestone Golf and Pyramid Putter each won their respective Product Ingenuity-Golf Equipment categories for their cutting edge products. The Tour B line features a Reactiv cover that’s built with an “impact modifier” that yields firmer performance on faster strikes for more ball speed, and softer performance on slower swings for increased spin. The key to Pyramid Putter is a directional groove design that imparts spin to help keep the ball on line. Hit a ball on the heel and the grooves impart a clockwise gear effect. Hit it on the toe and the grooves impart counter-clockwise effect.
The Bushnell Wingman, a GPS Bluetooth speaker, won the Product Ingenuity-Technology category. It wirelessly connects to a smartphone to play music on the course, and it has a few hidden surprises. The Wingman will announce the distance to the front, middle and back of the green.
Other winners included Katherine Roberts, Founder, Yoga for Golfers in the Player Development Category; SuperSpeed in the Product Ingenuity-Training Aids category; Skechers in the TV Commercial category and Zero Restriction in the Digital/Print Ad category.
2020 ING Industry Honors Winners/Finalists
BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT
Winner: Suzy Whaley, President, PGA of America
Other Finalists: Howard Milstein, Chairman, 8AM Golf; Tom Stine/John Krzynowek, Co-Founders, Golf Datatech.
PLAYER DEVELPOMENT
Winner: Katherine Roberts, Founder, Yoga for Golfers
Other Finalists: Gary Gilchrist; Operation 36
PRINT ADVERTISING
Winner: Zero Restriction – “Get out. Stay out.”
Other Finalists: Casa De Campo; TaylorMade Golf
PRODUCT INGENUITY – EMERGING COMPANIES – GOLF EQUIPMENT
Winner: Pyramid Putter
Other Finalists: Edison Forged Wedges; Never Looz Golf Bags
PRODUCT INGENUITY – MARKET LEADERS – GOLF EQUIPMENT
Winner: Bridgestone Tour B Reactiv Golf Balls
Other Finalists: Callaway Mavrik Driver; TaylorMade P790 Irons
PRODUCT INGENUITY – TECHNOLOGY
Winner: Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker
Other Finalists: FlightScope Mevo; Tagmarshal
PRODUCT INGENUITY – TRAINING PRODUCTS
Winner: SuperSpeed
Other Finalists: Sure-Set; Wellputt Mat
TV COMMERCIAL
Winner: Skechers – “I Love You”
Other Finalists: Bridgestone Golf; American Century Investments
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