Leicester Golf Centre owner Anders Mankert has been honoured by the King with a British Empire Medal for his services to golf and to people with disabilities. This is part of the King’s Birthday Honours List.
Mankert was born in Sweden, and it is an Honorary BEM because of this. It will be presented to him by the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, at a ceremony to be confirmed, followed by a trip to Buckingham Palace next year.
He is one of only 65 people in the 100 year plus history of the Professional Golfers’ Association to be acclaimed Master of the PGA and he was presented with this honour at the annual meeting of the PGA at Birmingham University earlier this year.
Now Mankert owns and runs Leicester Golf Centre on the site of Leicester Racecourse. He welcomes families, including children, of all ages, to use the facilities, whether they are complete beginners or more experienced and aiming to hone their skills. There are few rules and regulations, just a request for everyone to respect all the highly popular facilities, which include a space themed 18-hole adventure golf course, a 16 bay Toptracer range and 9-hole golf course, open to all.
30 years ago, Mankert became the first golf professional to coach totally blind or visually impaired people to play golf, and he has become the first ever pro to become a patron of the England and Wales Blind Golf Association to mark this effort. Many of his blind pupils have gone on to become highly proficient at the game, competing in tournaments around the world.
Anders commented: “I am greatly honoured by the award of a BEM from the King and am looking forward to receiving it once the medal has been made in the next few months. My kids can even have their weddings in St Pauls Cathedral one day now I’m told!”
