59club USA’s second annual Service Excellence Awards Ceremony took place in Orlando, Florida, on January 23rd, 2025, as the global leader in Customer Service Excellence, supported by Turtleson brought the golf industry together to recognize the Country’s finest service providers.
These prestigious accolades are determined by scores collected from 59club’s impartial mystery shopping program, which evaluates the entire experience afforded to visiting golfers, and the sales journey that unfolds as prospective clients inquire for club membership, group golf days and special events.
Celebrations unfolded for Reynolds Lake Oconee after they retained the most prestigious accolade of all, the enviable title, that is the Gold Flag of Excellence. 59club’s Flag Designations are presented to properties that not only achieved the required standard of customer service during their audits across 2024 but also provided excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.
To this day, Reynolds remains the only club in America to have achieved Gold status. Reynolds also saw Caroline Basarab and her team honored for delivering the Leading Individual Retail Experience, and the club went on to claim the my59 Service Excellence Award for their dedication when engaging with members and guests across 2024, having launched a multitude of diverse surveys, serving various revenue streams, utilizing 59club’s survey tools. The feedback they receive, has empowered the team to translate consumer insights into positive actions, to perfect their member & guest experience.
“We are truly honored to receive Gold Flag recognition for the second year in a row. We are committed to the highest standards of service and quality at Reynolds, and we depend on 59club’s non-biased feedback to evaluate ourselves and ensure that all customers are receiving a wonderful experience. This award recognizes our team’s continued commitment to excellence.” -Wesley J. Forester, PGA Director of Golf, Reynolds Lake Oconee
Lingering with America’s leading independent clubs, a double dose of silverware was presented to Westhaven Golf Club, who saw Karol Gajda receive the Food & Beverage Manager of The Year award, and Chris Cauthen crowned Retail Manager of the Year. With We-Ko-Pa Golf Club retaining their Silver Flag Designation.
Casting the spotlight on the industry’s finest Management Companies, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail emerged as the big winner on the day, claiming 4 individual awards – Chloe Borders, Jack Simms and their team claimed Golf Operations Team of the Year and Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience for Silver Lakes, with Josh Cook from Ross Bridge claiming the Golf Superintendent of the Year, along with the Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation award. The group also amassed 8 Flag Designations, with Grand National, Ross Bridge, & Silver Lakes awarded Silver Status and Capitol Hill, Highland Oaks, Magnolia Grove, Oxmoor Valley & The Shoals claiming Bronze.
The TPC Network saw their sales teams receive the triple crown for managing the best ‘one off’ inquiry process, with Don Baldassare from TPC Boston awarded Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance, Kayleigh Murphy from TPC River Highlands claiming Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance, and Lisa Krueger awarded Leading Individual Event Sales Performance for TPC Twin Cities.
Kemper Sports enjoyed back-to-back celebrations with Natasha Yarchevskaya and her team from Waverly Woods Golf Club claiming the best one-off Food & Beverage Experience award, and Scott Bailey led the golf operations team from The Governors Club to receive the Most Improved Golf Visit Experience accolade. Kemper rounded off the day with Desert Willow Golf Resort retaining their Silver Flag Designation.
Andy Elliot of Cascata Golf Club secured the envious Golf/Club Manager of the Year title for CDN Golf Management, who also enjoyed an additional 2 Silver Flags that were presented to Cascata Golf Club and Rio Secco Golf Club.
“We are very honored to be recipients of the 2025 Silver Flag awards at both Cascata and Rio Secco. The teams at both facilities take great pride in giving amazing service experiences to our guests. We are very proud of our teams for what they do each and every day. My congratulations go out also to our General Manager at Cascata, Andy Elliott who received the Golf/Club Manager of the Year award. We are grateful to be associated with the 59club team as we strive to be best in class in providing guest service.” -Jeff Krohn, PGA, Executive Vice President, CDN
Troon’s retail team at Indian Wells Golf Resort, managed by Pam Vincent, claimed the best one-off retail experience, after demonstrating impeccable product knowledge, stock management, customer interaction, and sales influence. Troon also celebrated 2 Silver Flags for Monarch Beach Golf Links and Eagle Mountain Golf Club.
Cody Piper of Manhattan Country Club was reveling after securing a win for Landscapes Golf Management, for achieving the Most Improved Sales Performance of 2024.
Of the event, Mark Reed, 59club Director said, “What an incredible celebration of excellence. We are 2 years into our awards journey with 59club USA, and it’s a privilege to witness such passion and commitment to excel the customer experience across our affiliate properties. Congratulations to all of our winners and contenders, you are a credit to the industry. I can’t wait to welcome the best performers to our Global stage in 2025, as all ten 59club divisions from around the world come together for the first time, as we crown our Ultimate Service Champions”.
59club USA Service Excellence Award Winners 2024
Gold Flag Designation
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Silver Flag Designations
Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Rio Secco Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Eagle Mountain Golf Club (Troon)
Monarch Beach Golf Links (Troon)
Desert Willow Golf Resort (Kemper Sports)
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Independent)
Grand National (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Bronze Flag Designations
Capitol Hill (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Highland Oaks (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Magnolia Grove (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Oxmoor Valley (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
The Shoals (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Andy Elliot – Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Golf Superintendent of the Year
Josh Cook – Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Retail Manager of the Year
Chris Cauthen – Westhaven Golf Club (Independent)
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Karol Gajda – Westhaven Golf Club (Independent)
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Chloe Borders & Jack Simms – Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Chloe Borders – Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Josh Cook – Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Retail Experience
Pam Vincent – Indian Wells Golf Resort (Troon)
Caroline Basarab – Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance
Lisa Krueger – TPC Twin Cities (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
Don Baldassare – TPC Boston (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience
Natasha Yarchevskaya – Waverly Woods Golf Club (Kemper Sports)
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Kayleigh Murphy – TPC River Highlands (TPC Network)
Most Improved Golf Visit Experience
Scott Bailey – The Governors Club (Kemper Sports)
Most Improved Sales Performance
Cody Piper – Manhattan Country Club (Landscapes Golf Management)
My59 Service Excellence Award
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
