Path to Platinum: Submit an Award-Winning Application Today!

Since its inception 30 years ago, the AGM Platinum Awards application process has been continually refined. From transitioning to being fully online to providing guides and informational webinars, our goal is to make this process as streamlined and accessible as possible for you to be successful.

If you don’t yet know about the AGM Platinum Awards, it is a prestigious recognition that honors the top 100 golf shops from around the world. These awards not only acknowledge excellence but also highlight the facilities to the global golf community. For a more thorough overview, click here to read our article about what this recognition is and who can participate.

For those who have not yet submitted applications, this article is for you! This is an overview on how to submit an application for your facility.

Application Process

The application process for the 2025 AGM Platinum Awards is facilitated through an online platform called Judgify. This platform ensures that all judging is done blind, meaning that your information is safely secured and anonymous until judging is complete.

Initial Registration

Upon visiting the Judgify platform, new users need to set up an account. This involves entering primary registration information, including:

Facility information (name, address, phone number)
Primary contact person (name, title, email address)
Type of location (private, resort, public, or off-course)

Applicants can also add key golf shop staff members to highlight their retail operation. The more thorough you are in your application, the more likely you are to be chosen as the “Best of the Best.”

Golf Shop Statistics

The next step is to input detailed statistics about your golf facility from the year 2023. This section is in order to gather quantitative data to help us understand the scale of operations, financial performance, and technological advancements at the facility.

There are four sections to this, each asking no more than 6 questions such as “How many rounds of golf were played at the facility in 2023?”, “What were your 2023 sales per square foot?”, “What percentage of total sales was generated through eCommerce in 2023?”, and “Does your facility provide club-fitting?”

Display Photos

Awards entry submissions must include exactly five photos, each representing a different category from the list provided. All photos must be from shop displays created between January 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024. Choose your favorite five photos and submit them with your entry.

Photo Categories:

Men’s Visual Display
Women’s Visual Display
Children’s Display
Overall Shop Layout
Holiday Display
Impact Table
Hardgoods Display
Lifestyle Display
Window Display
Tournament/Event Display
Fun with Props
Display with Mannequin
Club Identity Display

Columbine Country Club - Fun with Props

Short-Answer Questions

This section has just been added this year in order to gain a wider scope of how your shop utilized innovative initiatives and strategies to enhance customer engagement. Each of the two questions must be answered in 300 words or less and clearly illustrate the impact and innovation of your initiatives. One is focused on customer satisfaction and feedback, while the other is focused on a ‘quick win’ initiative for customers.

Essay Questions

Last but not least are the three required essay questions. Each response should provide a detailed and thorough explanation of the initiative discussed and should clearly quantify the results and direct impact of these efforts.

Below are basic overviews:

Marketing Excellence: Focusing on the integration and results of a successful marketing campaign.
Merchandising Innovations: Focusing on the strategies related to successful visual displays, props, and shop renovations.
Management Practices: Focusing on management practices or training programs that have greatly improved staff performance and customer satisfaction.

Judges are evaluating the implementation, impact/results, and creativity of your initiatives. While there’s no strict word count, judges will determine the effectiveness of your response based on the clarity and quality of the content provided.

Judging Process

Each entry is evaluated by independent judges, and an average score is taken. All sensitive information is hidden to ensure fairness and maintain integrity. The top 100 golf shops will be celebrated, with the top 10 receiving the “Best of the Best” honor. Additionally, the 13th annual Cashman Award for Visual Excellence, named after Kevin and Ardie Cashman, will be awarded to honor an outstanding facility.

Platinum Award - The Sanctuary Golf Club

Best of the Best - Congressional Country Club

Kevin and Ardie Cashman

Application Deadline

Applications for the 2025 AGM Platinum Awards close on September 6, 2024. The top 100 Platinum Award recipients will be notified on or after January 1, 2025. The announcement of the Best of the Best and Cashman Award winners will take place at the 2025 PGA Show in Orlando, FL.

Conclusion

As AGM CEO, Jennifer Morton said,

“We urge golf shops around the world to take advantage of this opportunity to highlight their successes. By participating, you’re playing a vital role in the continuous development and prosperity of the global golf industry.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your shop’s excellence on a global scale. Apply for the 2025 AGM Platinum Awards today!

To join a merchandiser community and gain weekly educational opportunities and resources, sign up to become a member of the AGM.

"4 Common Inventory Mistakes" written in white with a blue border, all overlayed on a stock photo of a woman in a room full of boxes and various storage items.

AGM Platinum Awards

Path to Platinum: Submit an Award-Winning Application Today!