⚡ 3rd Annual – Winner Announced
Meet Your 2026 Group Golf Leader of the Year
Every group has one — the person who books the tee times, wrangles the schedules, and keeps everyone showing up. This year, you voted in record numbers, and the crown goes to Liz Matergia and the Par-Tee Girls!
Why you Ask?
Do Our Group Golf Leaders Really Deserve This?
Yes! Leading a golf group is like herding cats… if the cats also argued about tee times and blamed their slice on the wind.
Decoding the Group Chat Mayhem
Endless texts, GIFs, and 14 different “maybes” for Sunday morning.
Choosing a Course Without a Mutiny
No pressure—just 12 strong opinions and a weather app.
Keeping the Peace on the Green with a Smile
Rules? Flexible. Lost balls? Plenty. Drama? Always.
Dealing with The Vanishing Golfer
He said yes three times and still didn’t show.
It’s too easy
How to Nominate
Nominating your group leader takes two minutes. Tell us who they are, what they do, and why they deserve to win. The more people from your group who nominate, the better their chances — so rally the crew.
Whether your group is 4 golfers or 40, your leader deserves to be recognized. Group size doesn’t determine who wins. The best stories do.
How it Works
This year, Your Group Decides
Nominate (Opens April 8, 2027)
Tell us who your leader is and why they deserve to win. Rally your group to nominate too.
Top 10 Revealed (Summer 2027)
We select finalists based on write-up quality, group nomination rate, years leading, and returning leader status. Group size doesn’t determine who wins.
Vote (Summer 2027)
One email, one vote. Rally your group and crown your leader.
Winner Announced (Late Summer 2027)
Revealed in our newsletter, on social, and right here on this page.
Prizes
Show me the Money
What our 2026 Grand Prize Winner received:
- $1,000 cash prize
- A custom-designed caricature t-shirt
- TeeTime Golf Pass swag pack for every member of the group
- Full-page feature in the 2027 TeeTime Golf Pass book
Top 10 Finalists:
- TeeTime Golf Pass swag pack
- Featured on the Group Golf Leader Awards page
2026 Winner
Par-Tee Time! Meet Liz Matergia
In 2026, Liz Matergia took the crown for her leadership of the Par-Tee Girls, a 50-woman league out of Moon Golf Club in Moon Township, PA. Ask any of her members and they’ll tell you the same thing: this isn’t just a golf league, it’s a sisterhood. From tee times and theme nights to the Christmas party and weekends away, Liz keeps it all running with grace, patience, and a whole lot of fun. Her group rallied like no other to vote her to the top spot, and she’ll be featured in the 2027 TeeTime Golf Pass book.
“Liz is the glue to our club. She is fair, non-polarizing, and our loving friend.”
“She’s our therapist, our mother, our guidance counselor and friend — she has the patience of a saint!”
2025 Winner
Past Winner Spotlight
In 2025, Ron Sislowski from Ohio was recognized for his outstanding leadership of the Lake Lizzards golf group. His dedication to organizing tee times, tournaments, and keeping over 30 golfers engaged earned him the top spot. Ron is featured in the 2026 TeeTime Golf Pass book.
“Ron is a great guy. He keeps us bunch of idiots (over 30 of us) happy and content and makes it look easy.”
“He does all this without any planned renumeration. He is a great guy and well thought of by all our golfers.”
2024 Winner
Past Winner Spotlight
In 2024, Michael Baumgartner from Ohio, was celebrated for his unwavering commitment to his golf group. His feature in the 2025 TeeTime Golf Pass book inspired many — and his group came back with 22 nominations the following year.
“A born leader, Mike organizes everything, even cooking breakfast and dinners on our week-long golf trip!”
“He’s the heart of our group, always making sure we play the best courses with the best deals.”
Frequently Asked Question
Answers to popular questions.
Who can be nominated?
Any group golf leader who organizes outings, books tee times, or keeps a golf group together. It doesn’t matter if your group has 4 people or 40 — every leader is eligible.
Can I nominate myself?
Yes! If you’re the one keeping your group together, you can tell your own story. But we’d love to hear from your group members too — the more nominations, the stronger the case.
Can multiple people from my group nominate the same leader?
Absolutely — we encourage it. Each person submits their own nomination using their own email. The percentage of your group that nominates is one of the factors in selecting the Top 10.
Does group size affect who wins?
No. Group size is not part of the judging criteria. A leader of 6 has the same shot as a leader of 60.
How are the Top 10 finalists selected?
After nominations close, every submission is reviewed and scored across four criteria. The nomination write-up carries the most weight — we’re looking for specific stories about what your leader does, not just “great guy.” The second factor is group nomination rate: the percentage of your group that submitted a nomination. This means a group of 8 where 5 people nominate scores higher than a group of 50 where 6 nominate — it levels the playing field regardless of group size. The third factor is years of leadership, and the fourth is returning leader status — leaders nominated in previous years receive additional credit. Each nomination is scored across all four criteria and the Top 10 highest-scoring leaders are selected as finalists.
What makes a strong nomination write-up?
Specific stories. Tell us what your leader actually does — booking tee times, organizing trips, driving 30 miles out of the way to pick someone up, settling the group chat debates. “He’s a great guy” won’t cut it. “He wrangles 32 of us every month and still shoots under 90” will.
How does voting work?
The Top 10 finalists are announced end of July. Then the voting starts through to the end of August, anyone can vote — one email address, one vote. Share the voting link with your group, your golf buddies, anyone who wants to back your leader.
When is the winner announced?
Late August 2027 in our weekly newsletter, on social media, and right here on this page. All Top 10 finalists will be recognized.
Can I nominate my leader more than once?
No — one nomination per email address. But the best thing you can do is get others in your group to submit their own nominations. The percentage of your group that nominates is one of the factors in selecting the Top 10, so the more voices, the better.
What is the prize?
2027 details coming soon. The 2026 grand prize winner received a $1,000 cash prize, a custom-designed caricature t-shirt for the winner and every member of their group, a TeeTime Golf Pass swag pack for themselves and every member of their group, and a full-page feature in the 2027 TeeTime Golf Pass book. All Top 10 finalists receive a TeeTime Golf Pass swag pack.
Why do I need to include a photo in the nomination form?
You don’t — the photo is optional. But we feature nominated leaders in our weekly newsletter throughout the season, and a great photo of your leader or your group on the course gives them a shot at a spotlight to over 60,000 golfers. Group photos, on-course action shots, or the classic post-round selfie all work.
Spread the Word!
Share the nomination link with your group and on social media. The more people who nominate, the better your leader’s chances of making the Top 10.
