Some of the top media brand and people working in the golf media in the US took top honors in the 32nd Annual ING Media Awards program.
Results in 12 categories were announced on Wednesday at the 2026 PGA Show.
The International Network of Golf, a non-profit, media-based networking organisation, conducts the awards program for its members. ING membership is open to anyone in the golf industry and media. Over four-dozen First-Place and Outstanding Achiever awards were announced at the presentation press conference. Media Awards’ sponsors this year were Bridgestone Golf, CertiFresh Cigar, PGA Show, Stich Golf, and Zero Friction Golf.
John Steinbreder of Global Golf Post won first place in the Profile Writing Category with his article “The Medici of Golf.” Steinbreder also added four Outstanding Achiever awards in other categories for a total of five awards, tops this year.
Gary Van Sickle took home four awards, including a first-place finish in the Equipment/Apparel Writing Category with his story in SI.Com titled “James Bond Golf-Themed Grip is Worth Getting Your Hands On.”
Gary D’Amato captured three awards, including a first-place finish in the won the Opinion/Editorial Category for his Wisconsin.Golf story titled “Thank You Mr. B For Your Fatherly Concern”
Sean Martin of PGATOUR.COM earned a first-place finish in the Competition Writing Category for his story “Rory McIlroy’s Resiliency Rewarded With Masters Win.” Tom Mackin’s story in The Met Golfer titled” Luck Of The Irish” was voted best in the Travel Writing Category.
Ann Liguori’s radio show, Talking Golf With Ann Liguori, won top honors in the Long-Form Audio Category for her episode featuring coverage of the Masters. Other first-place winners included Dave Lockhart’s Golf360 TV show, the Golf Shop Radio Network, the MGA for short-form Video, FORE Magazine in Publications, Len Ziehm in Feature Writing and Scott Kramer in Business Writing.
An independent panel of three judges in each category determines First-Place Winners and Outstanding Achievers. Judges use a point system with several criteria. Scoring is done by judges when possible without knowledge of the person responsible for the work, or of the other judges in the category. The number of Outstanding Achievers in a category is determined by total entries and scoring range in the category.
SHORT-FORM AUDIO
1stPlace: The Golf Shop Radio Network, Charles Humphreys (“Marty Smith Interview”).
Outstanding Achievers: Chuck Garbedian, Garbedian On Golf (“Matt Ginella Interview”); Ann Liguori, Talking Golf With Ann Liguori, WFAN, New York (“Joe Theismann Interview”).
AUDIO – LONG FORM
1st Place: Ann Liguori, Talking Golf With Ann Liguori, WLIW-FM, New York (“Post-Masters Show”).
Outstanding Achievers: Chuck Garbedian, Garbedian On Golf, WRNW Wisconsin (“Season Finale”); Colin Weston, ModGolf Podcast (“Crafting Beautiful Stories”).
BUSINESS WRITING
1st Place: Scott Kramer, FORE Magazine (“Indoor Golf”).
Outstanding Achievers: Tony Leodora, Golf Central Magazine (“The renovation of River Hills GC”); Ed Sherman, Chicago District Golfer (“Highland Park man boosts hot new putter”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“Evoking Ely”).
COMPETITION WRITING
1st Place: Sean Martin, PGATOUR.Com (“Rory McIlroy’s resiliency rewarded with Masters win”).
Outstanding Achievers: Gary D’Amato, Wisconsin.Golf (“’It’s a dream come true’: Rory McIlroy caps a grand career with a Masters championship”); Bill Fields, The Albatross (“Hard until it wasn’t”); Gary Van Sickle, TheGolfShow.Com (“The agony, the ecstasy and The Putt at Oakmont”).
EQUIPMENT & APPAREL WRITING
1st Place: Gary Van Sickle, SI.Com (“James Bond golf-themed grip is worth getting your hands on”)
Outstanding Achievers: Abbey Algiers, NYGOLF Magazine (“What’s new in golf this year”); Gary D’Amato, Wisconsin.Golf (“That’s the Holy Grail, right?”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“Cool and retro Munsingwear”).
FEATURE WRITING
1st Place: Len Ziehm, Chicago District Golfer (“A Chicago U.S. Open 50 years ago.”
Outstanding Achievers: Jay Coffin, PGA.Com (“Golf, healing, and heroes: the journey of Franko Poynter.”; “Tom Cunneff, The Met Golfer (“Happy Place”); Adam Hawk, FORE Magazine (“A united response”); Ed Travis, California Golf + Travel (“Happy Father’s Day”); Rick Zurak, NewEngland.Golf (“To caddy in a PGA Tour event is a great experience.”).
OPINION/EDITORIAL
1stPlace: Gary D’Amato, Wisconsin.Golf (“Thank you Mr. B, for your fatherly concern.”
Outstanding Achievers: Bill Fields, The Albatross (“Pain and pleasure in recalling Payne”); Tina Mickelson, FORE Magazine (“Plumber by day”); Zack Moran, FORE Magazine (“Trauma and triumph”); Jimmy Roberts, The Met Golfer (“From white whale to Green Jacket”).
PROFILE WRITING
1st Place: John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“A Medici of Golf”)
Outstanding Achievers: Al Barkow, NCGA Golf Magazine (“The Corica in Corica Park”); Larry Baush, Tour Backspin (They didn’t allow colored people then”); Adam Schupak, Golfweek (“The unbreakable bond”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“The man who sees around corners”); Gary Van Sickle, The First Call.com (“Jim Nantz: A voice unlike any other”).
PUBLICATION
1st Place: FORE Magazine, Spring Issue (Adam Hawk, Managing Editor)
Outstanding Achievers: Chicago District Golfer, July Issue (Barry Cronin, Editor). NCGA Golf, Spring Issue (Adam Schupak, Editor); The Met Golfer, September Issue (Helen Farrelly, MGA).
TRAVEL WRITING
1st Place: Tom Mackin, The Met Golfer (“Luck of the Irish).
Outstanding Achievers: Tom Mackin, FORE Magazine (“The Colors of Kaua’”). Joe Passov, FORE Magazine (“Black is the new green”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“Hill country playground”); Gary Van Sickle, The Golf Travel Wire (“A proper salute to Rock Island Arsenal Golf Course”).
VIDEO – SHORT FORM
1st Place: Helen Farrelly, MGA (“WMGA 125th Anniversary Celebration”).
Outstanding Achievers: Colin Weston, ModGolf (“Five Tips To Help Women Get Into Golf”); Jamie McWilliams, TheSeniorDeliquent.Com (“Uneasy Ryder”).
VIDEO – LONG FORM
1stPlace: Dave Lockhart, Golf 360 (“Summer Special”).
Outstanding Achievers: Ryan Ballengee & Brendan Sweeney, Road To French Lick (“John VanDerLean is the man”); Jeff Gilder & Tony Leodora, The Traveling Golfer (“Valley Forge America 250”); Steve Kashul, The Golf Scene (“From Kemper Lakes”).