The Australian Golf Media Association (AGMA) last night announced the winners of the 2019-2020 Australian Golf Media Awards, an annual event honouring excellence in golf media.
Inside Golf editor Richard Fellner was awarded the highly esteemed Best Photographic/Illustration Presentation award for his photograph of a burnt teemarker at Buchan Valley GC in East Gippsland, Victoria, following the state’s ravaging bushfires early in 2020.
The judges labelled Fellner’s photo, which appeared on the cover of the April 2020 Inside Golf Travel section, “evocative”, and noted that it “told a powerful story”.
“I would like to thank the AGMA, the judges, my team at Inside Golf, the warm and welcoming golfers at Buchan Valley GC, and all of our readers who have offered feedback and support throughout the year. You are all truly appreciated,” Fellner said.
The photo was taken during a trip through Gippsland, as Fellner (with family in tow) was touring Buchan, Mallacoota and other courses and businesses in the area to help promote and support the region following the bushfires which swept through the region in January.
“Those regional clubs and businesses are doing it tough right now,” Fellner said. “Some of them may never recover, so my wife and I took it upon ourselves to make a few visits out to the region (in-between Covid lockdowns) to help support the businesses as best we could.”
The award is Fellner’s fourth AGMA gong, following his 2007 award for “Best Photojournalism” and his 2012 and 2016 awards for “Best Opinion Piece”.
The award winners were decided by a panel of judges which included Karen Lunn – Former touring pro and now CEO of the WPGA Tour of Australasia; Steve Perkin – Melbourne-based journalist, author and golf tragic; and John Coomber (chairman) – Former AAP Editor and long-time golf writer.
The award ceremony was held via a virtual zoom meeting, hosted by Rod Morri and Michael Green.
Other winners included:
Best Short Form Story: Brendan Moloney, “George Begg obituary”
Best Long Form Story: Brett Robinson, “Up for the Fight”.
(Highly commended: Steve Keipert)
Best Opinion Piece: Rod Morri, “Moore vs Moore Park”.
Best Reportage of Women’s Golf: Sam Squiers, “Karrie Webb interview”
(Highly commended: Karen Harding)
Best Aural Presentation: Rod Morri, Mike Clayton, “All About Seve”.
A four-time winner of the Australian Golf Media Awards, including Best Photojournalism, Best Opinion, Best Column and Best Photographic Presentation, Inside Golf Group Editor Richard Fellner is the quintessential Golf Tragic, having played the game for over 50 years (but has never gotten any better!) He has played and reviewed courses all over the world, and has interviewed many of the great players of the game (including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Greg Norman). Richard is a member of both the Australian Golf Media Association and the Golf Society of Australia, and has been a featured guest on many Australian "sports talk" radio shows and networks, including ABC Grandstand, SEN 1116, Melbourne Talk Radio 1377, 2GB and others.
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