The nominees for 59club’s European Service Excellence Awards have today been announced, with many of the Leading Golf & Hospitality Properties across Europe making the shortlist. The winners will be unveiled during the second edition of the prestigious awards ceremony, at Ombria Algarve on Thursday 27th March 2025.
59club’s prestigious accolades honour outstanding Venues, Teams, and Individuals in the global golf & hospitality industry consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences for members and guests.
The selection process remains unbiased, relying on scores attained through an in-depth and objective mystery shopping program. This program meticulously evaluates the experiences provided to members, visitors, and potential members across Golf, Greenkeeping, Retail, and F&B operations.
Highlighting Excellence in Service
This year, Europe’s top golf resorts and member clubs have once again earned multiple nominations. Among the frontrunners, Costa Navarino and Le Touquet Golf Resort have achieved notable recognition for their dedication to delivering world-class service. Other celebrated venues, such as Camiral Golf & Wellness, The Dutch, Finca Cortesin, The Scandinavian and Terre Blanche, stand out for their contributions to the industry and their commitment to elevating the customer experience.
The awards will also honour individual excellence, recognizing the best Food & Beverage Managers, Retail Managers, Greenkeepers, Golf Operations Teams, and Golf Managers of the year. Furthermore, the ceremony will spotlight the finest individual moments across the customer journey, with regional awards presented for standout performances in Europe South, West, Central and Nordic regions.
A Night to Celebrate
The glittering award ceremony, which is supported by 59club’s Industry Partners – Turtleson Apparel, Club Car and Golf Genius will conclude with the presentation of the 59club Bronze, Silver and Gold Flag awards to the Resorts and Members’ Clubs which have demonstrated distinction against criteria for both customer service delivery and the quality of their facilities.
Simon Wordsworth, CEO of 59club, expressed his excitement ahead of the event:
“The Service Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the incredible achievements of our clients and their teams. It is inspiring to see how these venues continue to set the standard for excellence in our industry. We look forward to sharing in their success and supporting them on their journey to even greater heights.”
*For the full list of nominations, see below.
59CLUB EUROPE ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS (in alphabetical order):
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year:
Audrey NICOL (Golf de la Grande Bastide); Cédric RAVAZ (Le Touquet Golf Resort); Jean BADÉA (Golf de Servanes); Joris LARIGALDIE (Costa Navarino – Dunes & Hills); Kersti KUUS (Estonian Golf & Country Club); Nicole EBNER (Costa Navarino – Bay); Rutger SMITS (The Dutch)
Retail Manager of the Year:
Antonia CHRISTOPOULOU (Costa Navarino); Carmen LAGUNA AGUILAR (Son Muntaner); Cécile PALA (Terre Blanche); Damien GUILMIN (Le Touquet Golf Resort); Halima PRUVOST (Golf d’Hardelot); Sabine DAVAL (Le Golf National)
Greenkeeper of the Year:
Cédric LE VÉZIEL (Le Touquet Golf Resort); Daniel LÜTTGER (Golf Club St. Leon-Rot); Ignacio SOTO (Finca Cortesin); Lucas PIERRÉ (Le Golf National); Paul O DONOGHUE (The Dutch); Russell ANDERSON (The Scandinavian)
Golf Operations Team of the Year:
Camiral Golf & Wellness; Costa Navarino; Old Course Vilamoura; Finca Cortesin; Terre Blanche; The Dutch
Golf Manager of the Year:
David ASHINGTON (Costa Navarino); Flavio PAPA (Camiral Golf & Wellness); Joaquin MORA BERTRAN (Infinitum); Jose Ignacio OLEA ZORITA (Finca Cortesin); Kristoff BOTH (Club de Golf Alcanada); Phil HELSBY (The Dutch)
59CLUB EUROPE ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS – Leading Individual Experience (in alphabetical order):
Europe South – Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience:
Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club; Costa Navarino – Bay; Costa Navarino – Hills; Ombria Algarve; Son Muntaner; Son Quint
Europe South – Leading Individual Retail Experience:
Costa Navarino; Laguna Vilamoura; Golf de Andratx; La Hacienda; Pula Golf
Europe South – Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation:
Camiral Golf & Wellness – Stadium Course; Club de Golf Alcanada; Finca Cortesin; Marco Simone; Pirin Golf Resort; Son Muntaner
Europe South – Leading Individual Golf Operations Team:
Aphrodite Hills; Camiral Golf & Wellness; Costa Navarino; Old Course Vilamoura; Ombria Algarve
Europe South – Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience:
Aphrodite Hills; Camiral Golf & Wellness; Club de Golf Alcanada; Costa Navarino; Finca Cortesin
Europe West – Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience:
Golf de Servanes; Le Touquet Golf Resort; Opio Valbonne Golf Resort; Royal Palm Marrakech; The Dutch
Europe West – Leading Individual Retail Experience:
Golf de la Grande Bastide; Le Touquet Golf Resort; Opio Valbonne Golf Resort; Royal Palm Marrakech; Terre Blanche
Europe West – Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation:
AA Saint-Omer Golf Club; Golf de Chantilly – Vineuil; Le Golf National – L’Albatros Course; Lyon Salvagny Golf Club; Terre Blanche – Le château; The Dutch
Europe West – Leading Individual Golf Operations Team:
Golf de Sainte Baume; Le Touquet Golf Resort; Opio Valbonne Golf Resort; Terre Blanche; The Dutch
Europe West – Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience:
Golf de Roquebrune; Le Golf National; Le Touquet Golf Resort; Terre Blanche; The Dutch
Europe Nordic – Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience:
Aalborg Golf Klub; Esbjerg Golfklub; Estonian Golf & Country Club; Ljunghusens Golfklubb; Stensballegaard Golf
Europe Nordic – Leading Individual Retail Experience:
Aalborg Golf Klub; Esbjerg Golfklub; Estonian Golf & Country Club; Pickala Golf; The Scandinavian
Europe Nordic – Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation:
Aalborg Golf Klub; Esbjerg Golfklub – Marbæk By Norsea Course; Kytäjä Golf – South West Course; Ljunghusens Golfklubb; Miklagard Golf; The Scandinavian – Old Course
Europe Nordic – Leading Individual Golf Operations Team:
Aalborg Golf Klub; Esbjerg Golfklub; Estonian Golf & Country Club; Linna Golf; Pickala Golf; The Scandinavian
Europe Nordic – Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience:
Aalborg Golf Klub; Esbjerg Golfklub; Estonian Golf & Country Club; Ljunghusens Golfklubb; The Scandinavian