Industry News
McDade named Teacher of the Year
Renowned Victorian PGA Professional
Denis McDade was honoured as the
PGA of Australia’s 2012 Teacher of
the Year.
McDade, who bases himself at the
Yarra Bend Golf Course, accepted
the award in front of a room of his
peers gathered in Queensland for
the Srixon PGA Coaching Summit.
Dedicating the achievement to his
late father, McDade was humbled
to receive the award that is fittingly
named in memory of his former
employer, Ross Herbert.
A Member of the PGA for over 20
years, McDade has coached as part
of the Victorian Institute of Sport
Golf Program for 11 years, and has
spent two years as the Scholarship
Coach at the AIS Golf Program.
McDade also coaches a number of
leading Tournament Professionals
including Marcus Fraser, 2012
Travelers Champion Marc Leishman,
OneAsia winner Matt Griffin, Paul
Sheehan, Ash Hall, Gareth Paddison
and Clint Rice.
He also coaches 2011 British
Amateur Champion Bryden
Macpherson, the first Australian to
win the championship since Doug
Bachli in 1954.
As Head of the Titleist Performance
Institute Junior Advisory Board,
McDade is also passionate about
researching and improving the way
junior golf programs are structured
and delivered – a topic he presented
to his peers at the Srixon PGA
Coaching Summit.
“On behalf of the PGA and all my
fellow Members, I congratulate
Denis on this his latest achievement
in what has already been an
outstanding career,” said Mark
Gibson, Chairman of the PGA of
Australia.
“Denis has always represented our
Association with great passion,
and his dedication to the game of
golf at all levels commands great
respect. I’m sure we will continue to
see many more achievements from
Denis and his players for many years
to come.”
The Ross Herbert Teacher of the
Year accolade is awarded every
two years to coincide with the
Srixon PGA Coaching Summit, the
pinnacle educational opportunity for
Australian PGA Professionals.
Former winners of the award include
Steve Bann, Ian Triggs, Gary Edwin,
David Milne, Mark Gibson, Gary
Barter and Dale Lynch.
Malaysia Golf Tourism Association Seeks To Expand Membership
Newly-elected Malaysia Golf Tourism
Association (MGTA) President Paul
Gibbons has called on all parties
involved in the golf industry to use
the association as a conduit towards
closer co-operation to boost inbound
golf tourism.
Speaking after the MGTA’s first
annual general meeting (AGM),
Gibbons noted that the association’s
close ties with Tourism Malaysia
and the International Association
of Golf Travel Operators (IAGTO)
make it the ideal avenue to promote
Malaysian golf to the world.
being returned unopposed as
president during the AGM at Kuala
Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
Gibbons, who will feature on a
high-powered golf tourism panel at
December’s Asia Pacific Golf Summit
in Brunei, said: “Being a member of
the MGTA will open a host of benefits
to anyone who has an interest in the
golf travel industry, from golf clubs
and resorts to golf tour operators
and even the media,” he said after
“Through the MGTA, we can speak
as a strong collective voice to bring
up issues that affect the golf travel
industry to the relevant authorities.
Our close ties with Tourism Malaysia
and other government agencies can
also help speed up proceedings and
cut through red tape.
Golf Industry Central Spring 2012
7