Congratulations, you have been nominated for a Section/Chapter Award. So what does that mean? And what is the process for selecting the winner?  Below are the “101’s” the Awards Committee has put together to help you understand the process. And a list of best practices for completing your Awards Application.

Am I nominated for a Section or Chapter award?

Both! When nominated, you’re nominated for your Chapter and for the Section award.  The Section and Chapter Awards Selection Committees select winners independently.

Who decides the awards?

• The Chapter Selection Committees consist of the Chapter Officers, Chapter Awards Chair, Chapter Golf Professional of the Year, Chapter Teacher-Coach of the Year, Chapter Assistant of the Year, and two at-large appointees from the Chapter.
• The Section Selection Committee consists of the Section Officers and a representative from each Chapter.

How are awards determined?

Each selection committee is an independent committee.  After the application deadline, each selection committee member (Judge) reviews each application independently, and grades each answer by assigning a score of 1 to 7. 7 is the highest (see scale below) score you can earn for each question answered.  The awards software calculates an aggregate score of all judges, for each nominee.  The nominees with the 5 highest aggregate scores become finalists.  At the selection meeting, each finalist is discussed alphabetically, without comparing other finalists.  After all nominees have been discussed, judges rank each finalist via a digital ballot.  The nominee with the highest ranking is the winner.

Rating Scale

• 1 = very poor
• 2 = poor
• 3 = fair
• 4 = average
• 5 = good
• 6 = Excellent
• 7 = Exceptional

The same Members win, so why should I complete the work?

Not true! Some Members do win frequently. Because they submit an application that is judged as the best application of those submitted.  The process is very systematic; no longer a “good ole-boy” process.  Members who have successfully earned the award have submitted great applications while following some standard best practices.

Nominees Best Practices

• Write in 1st person
• Draft in Word or Docs and then copy/paste it into the awards software
• Print a .pdf copy before submitting so you have a record
• Have a friend edit/proofread your answers
• Seek out best practices from a mentor or past award winner
• Ensure content is relevant for the award you are providing materials
• Be specific with your answer to the question being asked
• Be a self-promoter
• Share what makes you stand out
• Express what is important to you in the answer and subject matter