Surrey Golf
Kris Kim and Alex MacGregor win England Golf Awards
England Golf hosted their Centenary Dinner and Awards 2024 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester last night with Kris Kim and Alex MacGregor both winning awards.
Surrey’s Alex MacGregor was crowned the England Golf Participation & Development Coach of the Year for 2024 at Tuesday’s England Golf Centenary Dinner & Awards at The Midland Manchester Hotel.
Alex MacGregor - Participation and Development Coach of the Year
Alex is dedicated to creating golf opportunities to everyone in the community of South London, running activities in 2023, which included engaging with over 20 schools and community groups in delivering to hundreds of children.
He hosted the Croydon Borough Primary Golf Festival for 90 children and trained 16 young leaders in the process, collaborating with Deshi Golf to give young people from an Asian background their first golf experience. He has also trained staff as Activators to support and host their first on-course experiences.
Alex has taken golf to the Canary Wharf Football Academy Community session, building a strong relationship with the local Muslim Centre and delivering golf to family and junior groups.
After winning the award, he said: “It’s a great feeling and spurs you on to achieve more. There are so many talented coaches and people trying to grow the game and it’s nice to be recognised on such a special night on the 100th year of England Golf.
“There are so many talented people that want to grow the game through different avenues and to be recognised is a wonderful feeling in that you’re doing your bit to spread the love of golf.
“The most rewarding part has been people staying for sessions and coming back week on week, such as the ladies, juniors and seniors. If they come back week after week then we’ve created a community that want to come and play a sport they can socialise in, so that’s a rewarding feeling. I just want to spread the word that golf is a great game and to try and change some of the stereotypes that have been attached to it.
"As long as we get clubs in people’s hands then people will realise the benefits of the game and what a great game it is. It’s all about getting more people playing golf in whatever format they feel comfortable in and then they’ll stay for life in the sport."
Over 65 per cent of the people Alex coached in 2023 were from ethnic minority backgrounds and 60 per cent were female, which has had an extraordinary impact on the complexion of Addington Court Golf Club. He has developed a pathway into golf at the club that is as much about creating a relaxed, social environment as it is about delivering engaging group activities.
Alex delivers year-round sessions to around 100 women, 120 juniors and 40 seniors, including golfers with dementia and long covid, as well as putting on social events for golfers.
Kris Kim - Performance of the Year
Walton Heath golfer Kris Kim was crowned with the 2024 England Golf Performance of the Year award at Tuesday’s England Golf Centenary Dinner & Awards at The Midland Manchester Hotel.
The 16-year-old is one to watch in the golfing world after his magnificent 2023 saw him pick up a host of accolades.
As well as the Fairhaven Trophy and the McGregor Trophy (English Boys’ U16), Kim won the coveted R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship.
The Surrey youngster also enjoyed team success with England as he picked up a bronze medal at the European Boys’ Team Championship, while helping England Boys & Girls win The R&A Home Internationals. He was also shown live on Sky Sports as he helped Team Europe to a convincing Junior Ryder Cup win over the USA.
Upon winning the award, Kim said: “It feels amazing and like all my hard work has paid off. It means so much because the people in the room are all doing an amazing job in golf and also the names that have been on this trophy in the past, is outstanding.
“Mainly the British Boys Championship and the Junior Ryder Cup stick out for me. The result at the British Boys’ event got me into the Ryder Cup and the Ryder Cup was out of this world. That week was amazing and I’m so thankful to all the pros for talking to us, it was an unreal experience. When we got back home I got back to normal life and it felt very weird!
“In terms of moments from 2023, the MacGregor Trophy in the play-off to win it, I think that showed my hard work with my putting which I’ve struggled with a bit. Holing those two putts on the two play-off holes meant a lot.
“I’m thankful to so many people. I’d like to thank all the England Golf coaches and selectors because without them I wouldn’t be in places to play good golf, as well as my sponsors and parents coming round the world with me too.
“I’m aiming to play in the DP World Tour Q School to try and follow in the footsteps of Josh Berry and to try and get in a major would be huge. I’ve got an exemption into the final qualifying into The Open because of the British Boys’ Championship, so that’s my target.”
“Golf is so good because it represents life too. There can be so many ups and downs – you can be playing the best golf of your life one week and then next week you don’t know how to swing the club! It’s the ups and downs I enjoy.”
Photo credit Leaderboard Photography
Kris Kim receiving his award
Alex MacGregor centre, with his award.
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