Some of the people making an extraordinary difference to young lives through golf have been celebrated this week at the Golf Foundation President’s Awards, presented with the support of Pitchbook.
AHosted by Golf Foundation President Nick Dougherty on Tuesday 15 September, the annual awards recognise inspirational winners from across schools, golf clubs and communities, celebrating the people and organisations helping to make golf more accessible, inclusive and meaningful for the next generation.
The celebration also marked the beginning of a significant week for the Golf Foundation, which returns to Wentworth as Official Charity of the BMW PGA Championship in 2026 for the second time this week.
The Awards were generously supported by PitchBook, whose continued support helped the Golf Foundation shine a spotlight on the volunteers, young people, schools, clubs and organisations creating opportunities for children and young people through the game.
Six winners making a difference
The School of the Year Award went to Sir Francis Hill Primary School in Lincolnshire, where the school has embraced the Golf Foundation’s mental wellbeing programme Unleash Your Drive on an exceptional scale.
A total of 357 pupils across six classes completed pre- and post-programme assessments, with results showing a 21% increase in pupils’ understanding of mental toughness tools and a 9% increase in wellbeing. The school demonstrated how golf can be used not simply to introduce a new sport, but to develop skills that can support children across school and everyday life.
The Community Project of the Year Award was presented to Link Golf UK, which has placed accessibility at the centre of its approach to public golf.
After beginning by rescuing a municipal golf course from closure in Rochdale in 2019, Link Golf now operates eight public golf facilities. Children aged 16 and under can play completely free of charge, with free weekly junior coaching, equipment provided and no requirement for membership or previous experience. Its academies and junior programmes now introduce more than 1,000 children to golf each year.
Indy Smith Peter received the Young Spirit of Golf Award for an inspiring contribution to the game and her community.
Inspired by the memory of her late sister Elexis, Indy has become an outstanding young ambassador for the Elexis Brown Golf Foundation. She has dedicated countless hours to volunteering, fundraising, supporting community events and helping children taking their first steps into golf – particularly young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs and disabilities.
The Junior Club of the Year Award went to Dainton Park Golf Club in Devon, recognising a club that has developed a complete pathway for young golfers from their first experience of the sport through to competitive golf.
Its junior journey includes the Unleash Your Drive mental wellbeing programme, academy coaching, GolfSixes League, GolfNines and county pathways. The results have been remarkable, with the club’s junior section growing from around 40 members in 2019 to 120 active junior members today.
The Fundraising Award was presented to Rushcliffe Golf Club, recognising the tremendous support of Captains Celestine Stafford and Adrian Bexon, along with the club’s members, staff and volunteers.
Through a programme of fundraising including a Charity Open, sponsored tees, raffles and competitions, the club raised an outstanding £8,444 for the Golf Foundation, helping the charity create more opportunities for young people through golf and its mental wellbeing programmes.
The evening concluded with the prestigious Sir Henry Cotton Lifetime Achievement Award, named after the Golf Foundation’s founder, which was presented to John Pritchard from Niddry Castle Golf Club in Scotland for his exceptional commitment to growing the game.
John delivered an incredible 282 golf sessions during 2025 alone, including 85 Unleash Your Drive sessions in local schools. His work has extended far beyond traditional golf settings, supporting organisations including the Beavers and Down’s Syndrome Scotland, developing new coaches and creating opportunities for juniors, women and new golfers to enjoy the game.
Together, the six winners demonstrate the breadth of impact taking place at grassroots level – from a child experiencing golf for the first time at school to thriving junior sections, accessible community facilities, fundraising and a lifetime of volunteering.
Grassroots to the BMW PGA Championship
The President’s Awards form part of a major week at Wentworth Club for the Golf Foundation.
Having first become Official Charity of the BMW PGA Championship in 2025, the Foundation returns in the role once again this year, working alongside BMW and the DP World Tour to raise funds and awareness while giving thousands of spectators the opportunity to engage with its work.
And the connection between grassroots golf and the very top of the professional game runs through to the famous BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am, where the Golf Foundation have a team in action for the third year in a row. Since launching Unleash Your Drive in Schools back in 2023, the Golf Foundation have been lucky enough to receive a team in the Pro-Am for the last three years running – this allows the charity to run a national campaign where golfers can win their place in the prestigious tournament, all while raising funds for the Golf Foundation.
Gavin Moore, Dean Fair and ten-year-old Harrison Grainger, who earned their places through the Golf Foundation’s 2026 Unleash Your Drive competition and Final, have the incredible opportunity this year of playing alongside Ryder Cup-winning captain Luke Donald at Wentworth.
Their appearance provides another example of the opportunities golf can create and a fitting bridge between the grassroots heroes celebrated at the President’s Awards and the world-class players taking centre stage later in the week.
“The President’s Awards are always one of the most special moments of our year because they recognise the people who make everything happen at grassroots level,” said Golf Foundation Chief Executive Brendon Pyle.
“These six winners show what is possible when passionate people use golf to create opportunities for young people. Whether that is improving confidence and wellbeing in a school, removing the financial barriers to playing, creating a thriving junior pathway or simply giving up hundreds of hours to help others, their impact is incredible.
“To celebrate them here at Wentworth, as we begin another week as Official Charity of the BMW PGA Championship, feels particularly appropriate. We are hugely grateful to PitchBook for supporting the President’s Awards and helping us give these grassroots heroes the recognition they deserve – and of course we are hugely thankful to BMW and DP World Tour for giving us this platform and this opportunity.”
“PitchBook is proud to support The Golf Foundation and the work they do using golf to build confidence, life-long skills and resilience,” added Rod Diefendorf, President and Chief Operating Officer at PitchBook. Golf is one way that we’ve brought our people and customers together at PitchBook, and we believe in the power of community and relationships. That’s why we wanted to be part of this year’s President’s Awards, celebrating those who are furthering that mission. We hope that for years to come, more young people get to experience what golf can teach them through programs like this.”
By Mark Shanley
