Hardys Wines names first woman golf club secretary of the year

West Hove Golf Club’s general manager Megan Bibby has become the first woman to be named ‘Hardys’ Secretary of the Year’. Bibby was picked ahead of six other finalists in the UK, winning a holiday for two to Australia with £500 spending money, five cases of Hardys Wines, a visit to some of Hardys’ Australian vineyards and a round of golf at the Royal Adelaide GC.

Bibby won the award largely because of her success in raising revenue for West Hove Golf Club, which had to be saved from liquidation by a members’ rescue fund in the 1990s. She was responsible for an increase in advertising income, the setting up of conference and wedding facilities and the receipt of a Sport England grant, due to a junior-friendly set up.

Bibby said: “As a female in this job, you’ve got a lot to prove. Many men perceive you as a weak manager and want to see you fail, so I hope this success encourages more women into the industry and proves that they can do the job.

The Hardys’ Secretary of the Year competition rewards and recognises achievements by golf club managers. Every previous winner has been male, and Bibby’s success is believed to signify the growing number of women who run British golf clubs today.

Patrick Schmitt, 11/04/07