With the rise of dedicated turf education courses in recent times, the calibre of apprentices increases from year to year, which makes this award one of the most difficult to judge. The NSWGCSA Apprentice of the Year Award (Vince Church Award ) is special in that it gives an indication of where the future of the industry lies. Today's recipients will be tomorrow's superintendents and turf managers and will ultimately go on to play a major role in the development and direction of golf course maintenance in this country.

For the lucky apprentice, the award provides a huge boost, helping to launch their career in the best possible way.

Selection Criteria

To be eligible, students must have graduated from their studies in the previous 12 months. This award is not open to persons already holding management positions within a golf turf facility.

In deciding upon who wins national honours, the judging panel will consider the apprentice's academic achievements, career aspirations, ambassadorial skills and how winning the award will assist the graduate in meeting their career aspirations.

All finalists will be judged by an independent panel consisting of golf course superintendents and industry specialists. The finalists will be required to give a 15-20 minute presentation and take 10 minutes of questions from the judging panel.