EWGA Earns First-Place Award at Annual ING Industry Honors


January 31, 2012. The Executive Women's Golf Association - an organization that enables current and aspiring business and professional women to learn, connect and play through golf - captured first place in the Player Development category at the 19th Annual ING Industry Honors awards program on January 27 at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

The EWGA beat out two other finalists - Tradition Golf Club and the Virginia State Golf Association Foundation - in the category, one of 12 at the awards ceremony attended by leaders in the industry last week. EWGA was lauded for connecting more than 100,000 women through golf, offering ongoing education and training to improve both their game and careers.

"At its core, golf is a social sport that connects people," said EWGA Chief Executive Officer Pam Swensen. "It's a great honor to be recognized for harnessing that power among working women, knowing it helps in keeping them in the game longer, and providing a platform of mentorship and support for golf's next generation."

The EWGA is the largest women-focused amateur golf association in the U.S., with 125 chapters in nearly every U.S. major market and corporate center, and in Canada and Europe. It provides affordable, organized golf; free networking; business and success insights from accomplished executives; travel and equipment discounts; and a variety of local and national benefits. Nearly 75 percent of the members play more than 25 rounds per year and are considered avid golfers. The organization welcomes an average of 3,000 new or beginner golfers annually.

The ING Industry Honors were created 20 years ago to recognize outstanding achievement in numerous categories from the golf business, and are presented annually. The program is conducted by the non-profit International Network of Golf (www.inggolf.com).

Nominations for the ING Industry Honors were solicited and accepted from anyone involved in the golf industry. Subcommittees, including experts related to each specific category, then reviewed all nominations and trimmed the list to three in each category. The inclusion of these subcommittee experts, who are not necessarily ING members, ensured a thorough review of all nominees. A ballot describing nominees in each category was placed on the ING voting site. Voting was open to all current ING members.

For more information about the EWGA, membership and chapter locations, visit www.ewga.com.