Cheshire Golf Ltd has been named County of the Year, sponsored by Citation, at the 2026 England Golf Awards - recognising an exceptional first year as a unified county and a period of remarkable progress, collaboration and achievement.
The award celebrates the organisation’s commitment to strengthening relationships with all 95 affiliated clubs and delivering meaningful support across every level of the game.
Since unification, each director has taken responsibility for a cluster of clubs, ensuring regular contact, tailored guidance and a clear understanding of local needs.
Insights gathered through these visits shaped three county‑wide roadshows, which brought together managers, PGA Professionals and delegates to explore key topics including WHS™, Course Rating™, development and competitions.
Cheshire Golf Ltd has demonstrated strong leadership during challenging moments, coordinating courtesy tee times and providing financial assistance to clubs affected by severe weather and equipment loss.
Communication has also been transformed, with social media engagement rising by 300% and Instagram followers surpassing 1,000, helping members stay connected to county successes and coaching opportunities.
Aligned coaching programmes have delivered significant impact—particularly for junior girls, where participation has doubled and half of all girls now benefit from county‑funded coaching.
Inclusivity continues to underpin the county’s values, with expanded women’s and girls’ opportunities, weekend championship scheduling and a growing Life Membership category open to all.
Competitive results have been outstanding, including victory in the English Boys’ County Championship, national titles for Sarah Naden and Lucy Jamieson, a ninth consecutive Richardson Trophy for the Women’s Seniors, and regional success for the Senior Men.
Cleveland McCurdy, Chair of Cheshire Golf said: “We are truly thrilled. We have tried and tried and tried again, so it's a real honour to receive the award on behalf of all our volunteers and directors. Cheshire Golf would not function the way it does without them, so this is on behalf of everybody in the county.
“A lot of people have come up to me to say congratulations. People I don't know, shook my hands. Obviously, they've heard of what we've been doing and they've heard of, I guess, my story as a late entrant into golf. So I feel proud and validated in what I've tried to achieve.
“One of the first things was to change our mission statement on our website – to try and live it. It's not just words. We live that in terms of bringing people in and we have allocated clubs based on where our directors live, so they can get closer to the clubs and become the local face.
“I chaired a unification committee, so I spent 18 months doing that before I took on the role of Chair, and in that, by going around to the clubs before we unified, there was a sense of disconnect between the county and the clubs. The ordinary golfer would say, "Well, what do you do for me?"
“So what we've done is create a document that says, "This is what your county does for you." It's on our website, and I've asked all the clubs to send that out when the affiliation fees are due, so the members can see what they're getting for their affiliation fees.”
Following unification, Cleveland added: “I would encourage other counties to follow suit and unify because there's an enormous pool of talent on both sides. We have found merging the men and women together really strengthened what we are trying to achieve in Cheshire Golf – now with 35,000 men and 10,000 women.”
Cheshire Golf Ltd’s year has been defined by unity, inclusivity and excellence—qualities that make this national recognition richly deserved.
Since unification, each director has taken responsibility for a cluster of clubs, ensuring regular contact, tailored guidance and a clear understanding of local needs.
Insights gathered through these visits shaped three county‑wide roadshows, which brought together managers, PGA Professionals and delegates to explore key topics including WHS™, Course Rating™, development and competitions.
Cheshire Golf Ltd has demonstrated strong leadership during challenging moments, coordinating courtesy tee times and providing financial assistance to clubs affected by severe weather and equipment loss.
Communication has also been transformed, with social media engagement rising by 300% and Instagram followers surpassing 1,000, helping members stay connected to county successes and coaching opportunities.
Aligned coaching programmes have delivered significant impact—particularly for junior girls, where participation has doubled and half of all girls now benefit from county‑funded coaching.
Inclusivity continues to underpin the county’s values, with expanded women’s and girls’ opportunities, weekend championship scheduling and a growing Life Membership category open to all.
Competitive results have been outstanding, including victory in the English Boys’ County Championship, national titles for Sarah Naden and Lucy Jamieson, a ninth consecutive Richardson Trophy for the Women’s Seniors, and regional success for the Senior Men.
Cleveland McCurdy, Chair of Cheshire Golf said: “We are truly thrilled. We have tried and tried and tried again, so it's a real honour to receive the award on behalf of all our volunteers and directors. Cheshire Golf would not function the way it does without them, so this is on behalf of everybody in the county.
“A lot of people have come up to me to say congratulations. People I don't know, shook my hands. Obviously, they've heard of what we've been doing and they've heard of, I guess, my story as a late entrant into golf. So I feel proud and validated in what I've tried to achieve.
“One of the first things was to change our mission statement on our website – to try and live it. It's not just words. We live that in terms of bringing people in and we have allocated clubs based on where our directors live, so they can get closer to the clubs and become the local face.
“I chaired a unification committee, so I spent 18 months doing that before I took on the role of Chair, and in that, by going around to the clubs before we unified, there was a sense of disconnect between the county and the clubs. The ordinary golfer would say, "Well, what do you do for me?"
“So what we've done is create a document that says, "This is what your county does for you." It's on our website, and I've asked all the clubs to send that out when the affiliation fees are due, so the members can see what they're getting for their affiliation fees.”
Following unification, Cleveland added: “I would encourage other counties to follow suit and unify because there's an enormous pool of talent on both sides. We have found merging the men and women together really strengthened what we are trying to achieve in Cheshire Golf – now with 35,000 men and 10,000 women.”
Cheshire Golf Ltd’s year has been defined by unity, inclusivity and excellence—qualities that make this national recognition richly deserved.
ENDS
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org