Press Releases
Montgomery County Revenue Authority Wins Award as ‘Golf Public Leader;’ Players Choice Recognizes Sligo Creek Course as ‘Best Value,’ Rattlewood for ‘Best Conditions’
For Immediate Release: Monday, March 2, 2020
The spring golf season is not far away, but Montgomery County Golf (MCG) of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority is still collecting recognition for its efforts in 2019.
MCG, which is based in Rockville and operates nine public golf courses across Montgomery County, has been awarded the 2019 National Golf Course Owners Association’s (NGCOA) “Public Golf Leader Award” recognizing the organization's programs to promote golf in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
MCG hosted more than 380,000 rounds of golf in 2019 and the award specifically cited the organization for contributing more than 1,500 rounds of golf to Montgomery County high school teams, 500 rounds to local charities and hosting more than 500 young golfers in its junior golf programs. The MCG junior golf program is one of the most extensive in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Two of MCG’s courses also have been awarded Players Choice Awards from the collaboration of the Players 1st and Golf, Inc. organizations, which surveyed golfers at more than 200 courses nationally between June and August in 2019. Sligo Creek Golf Course in Silver Spring was named a Northeast Region winner of a “Best Value” award. Rattlewood Golf Course in northern Montgomery County was named the winner of a “Best Conditions” award.
In addition to the Sligo and Rattlewood courses, MCG operates the courses at Falls Road (Potomac), Hampshire Greens (Silver Spring), Laytonsville, Little Bennett (Clarksburg), Needwood (Derwood), Northwest (Silver Spring) and Poolesville.
In announcing MCG as winner of a Mid-Atlantic Public Golf Leader award, NGCOA said, “This award recognizes programs executed by public facilities to promote golf in the region. This diverse and unique organization manages nine public golf courses, offering a myriad of services to golfers of all types. There may be no peer in the U.S. from the standpoint of having nine courses so tightly connected like MCG is. There are long, tough courses and short, fun courses. There are parkland-style courses and others featuring rolling hills.”
Keith Miller, the CEO of MCRA, said operators of golf courses must do more than direct smooth operating facilities and provide outstanding golf conditions.
“We have always taken pride in having facilities that are simply great places to play golf,” said Miller. “But we have also realized that we have a duty to make the game of golf available to people of all abilities, ages and incomes. The extensive number of rounds played at MCG courses allow us to also provide opportunities for young golfers, high school golfers and community organizations to benefit. We want golf to be a Montgomery County game for generations ahead and feel it is our obligation to spread the joy of the game.”
Miller said MCG department leaders Wayne Rohauer (golf operations), Jon Lobenstine (agronomy) and Mike Kenny (golf instruction) work to make sure all nine MCG courses achieve that mission.
“With the Players Choice Awards, we wanted to recognize courses that are embracing customer-experience technology and bringing their guests' feedback into the boardroom to make decisions,” said Peter Smith, Players 1st senior vice president and general manager. “By putting the customer at the center of their operations, these courses are aligning their strategies to respond to what matters the most to their members and guests--and are improving their business performance as a result.”
For more information on Montgomery County Golf, go to https://www.mcggolf.com/
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Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-777-6532