Final countdown to the 2025 GCMA Awards

13 November 2025

With the 2025 GCMA Awards just days aways, the finalists are edging ever closer to finding out if they will be crowned winners.

Anticipation is building for one of the most eagerly awaited nights in the golf club management calendar, as the 2025 GCMA Awards take place during the Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition.

Monday’s Awards Gala Dinner at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park will bring together golf club managers, industry partners and leaders from across the country to celebrate excellence, innovation and the spirit of community that defines the GCMA.

This year’s finalists represent the very best of the profession. From forward-thinking newcomers to experienced leaders and high-performing teams, each has demonstrated outstanding commitment to driving their clubs, and the wider industry, forward.

Over recent weeks, we have been catching up with all the finalists to share their stories and insights, offering a fascinating look behind the scenes at what makes successful golf club management tick.

The four competitive categories — Manager of the Year, Team of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Support Manager of the Year — have each been fiercely contested, following a rigorous two-stage judging process assessing performance, leadership and impact across a wide range of criteria.

Two special honours will also be revealed on the night. The Lifetime Achievement Award will recognise someone whose career has embodied consistent excellence and professionalism, while the Outstanding Contribution Award will celebrate an individual whose influence has reached across the industry, shaping the future of golf club management.

As the countdown continues, excitement is building for what promises to be a memorable evening, not only a celebration of success, but a showcase of the people and ideas powering the growth of our industry.

Join us at Cotswold Water Park as the GCMA community comes together to applaud the finalists, honour the winners, and shine a spotlight on the passion and professionalism that make golf club management such a vital part of the sport’s future.

Click the links below to hear from our finalists:

Newcomer of the Year

Support Manager of the Year

Team of the Year

Manager of the Year

An unmissable event for the industry

The Golf Club Management Conference & Exhibition 2025 will bring together experts, thought leaders, and innovators to share practical insights, strategies, and solutions for the future of golf club management. Attendees can expect a dynamic programme of keynote speakers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and an expanded exhibition showcasing the latest products and services in the sector.

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By GCMA Content Team

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John Steele

John Steele is a former professional athlete, sports coach, Olympic Leader and is the Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University. He has been Chief Executive across a range of sectors. Drawing on leadership experience of nine different Olympic and Paralympic Games (including the amazing events at the Rio Games), John reflects on the lessons from this unique period in British sport and relays his fascinating views on creating high performing teams.

Indeed, inspired from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, by the most successful performance ever for Team GB, he has a whole host of new business and leadership insights into how this was brilliant performance was achieved and how it can translate back into your organisation.

John moved into the corporate world, before he enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional rugby player achieving international honours. After his playing career, he turned his hand to coaching and achieved the highest accolade for a British club coach by winning the European Cup with Northampton Saints. He then became Executive Director on the Saints Board during a period of unprecedented growth, and served on the England Rugby Board during the successful world cup campaign of 2003. It was no surprise that John’s talents were called upon to drive through a change and modernisation programme as CEO of the Rugby Football Union – a challenge that became controversial and ended in his departure from the post after only a year, but with his dignity and professional pride intact.

Headhunted by UK Sport, John took up post as CEO the day before London won the 2012 Olympic bid – and this promising start was sustained as he embarked on developing the UK’s high performance sport system, which he led for a six-year period of unprecedented success through the Beijing and London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Post-London 2012, with the Olympic legacy in place and an obligation to continue inspiring a generation, John took up his post as Group Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust. He has also succeeded Steve Cram as Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, an organisation described as ‘the team behind the team’, which delivers a range of performance impacting solutions to over 40 Olympic and Paralympic sports and some non-Olympic sports.

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Dr Jo Salter MBE

Dr Jo Salter MBE is famed for becoming the first female fast jet pilot, having flown the Panavia Tornado ground attack aircraft during her services in the Royal Air Force. Joining the RAF aged 18, Jo has since taken Air Cadets into the skies as part of Air Experience Flights, become the Director of Global Transformative Leadership for PWC, and most recently become a Global Advisory of GenAI for PwC.

Jo has piloted flights in the Air Cadets Air Experience Flights and inspired countless budding armed service members to pioneer a male-dominated sector, having been the leader of an all-male squadron. Since leaving the military behind, Jo has established a strong business career working in roles such as Head of Technical Services for NetConnect, European Operations Manager for Automated Power Exchange and Managing Director of Saltin Ltd.

Having developed first-class expertise in leadership, analytical thinking and performing under pressure, Jo is now a highly sought-after public speaker to share stories from her time in the skies.

Jo is a passionate Trustee of The Royal Air Force Club and an Ambassador of the Global Angels charity, an organisation that gives communities around the world access to clean water, education, healthcare and encourages female and youth empowerment. Jo has also authored two books, titled Energy: 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel and Energize: Spring Clean Your Mind and Body to Get Your Bounce Back Today and Every Day.

In recognition of her achievements throughout her career, Jo has also been named as one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in the World by Harpers & Queen. She is now working as the Director of Global Transformation Leadership at PWC, after working in other roles such as Director of Risk Technology Strategy, Director Chief of Staff to Head of Technology & Investments and the Director of People & Organisations.

In 2022, Jo was invited personally by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Jo received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.