JL Turf Group Wins 1st Place at the 2026 SAPIA Industry Awards

JL Turf Group has been named a winner at the 2026 SAPIA Industry Awards. It took 1st place in Landscaping in Synthetic Grass (Commercial) for an 18-hole putting course at Landers Pocket in Queensland, and 2nd place in Multiple-Sports Projects for its work at Newcastle University in NSW. These results add to the company's 2025 SAPIA win for Blackman Park.

What the 2026 SAPIA Awards Recognise

The Sports and Play Industry Association (SAPIA) is the peak industry body for sports and recreation construction in Australia and New Zealand. Its annual Industry Awards judge member projects across sports fields, courts, synthetic grass, playgrounds and specialist surfaces. The 2026 program attracted 128 entries. Winners were presented as part of the 2026 SAPIA National Conference in Kingscliff, NSW, which Pure PT and California Sports Surfaces also covered for their own category results.

JL Turf Group's 2026 Results

• 1st Place, Landscaping in Synthetic Grass (Commercial): Landers Pocket 18-hole putting course, Queensland
• 2nd Place, Multiple-Sports Projects: Newcastle University, NSW

The full list is in SAPIA's 2026 winners presentation.

The Landers Pocket Putting Course

Landers Pocket is a hospitality and entertainment precinct near Brisbane Airport, built around golf, food and live events. A commercial putting course in that setting has to look premium, play consistently and handle constant foot traffic from casual players and serious golfers alike. The category win reflects the base preparation, contouring and finishing JL Turf Group puts into its mini-golf construction work.

Newcastle University Multi-Sport Project

Multi-sport surfaces are some of the hardest to get right. One surface may need to support several sports, each with its own line marking, ball behaviour and wear pattern. The 2nd place result recognises JL Turf Group's ability to deliver shared-use sports surfaces for institutions that need durability and flexibility from one build.

Back-to-Back Recognition After 2025

At the 2025 SAPIA Industry Awards, JL Turf Group took 1st place in Surfacing of Sports Fields for Blackman Park in Lane Cove, as listed in SAPIA's 2025 winners presentation. Since brothers Luke and Josh Packham founded it in 2022, the company has grown from Sydney sports fields into hospitality, institutional and FIFA-grade work, including the 16,000 square metre Fraser Park pitch.

Why Awards Matter to Clients

For councils, schools, clubs and hospitality operators, an industry award is independent proof that a contractor's finished work holds up to peer review. That matters when you're comparing quotes for a surface that has to perform for years, not just look good at handover.

Working with JL Turf Group

Elyment works with JL Turf Group on its website and search visibility, and our JL Turf Group case study covers that work. Congratulations to Luke, Josh and the team on another strong year. To discuss a sports field, court, putting green or commercial turf project, visit JL Turf Group.