No, but awards get you that all deserved time in the spotlight. You can obviously create great bats which have already been accredited by one of these awards already.
I should have gone in with my eyes open when I sent the bat off for review as I wanted a measure to see where I was more then anything else. Yep I make bats and yep I appreciate everyone out there that hand shapes there bats in a traditional way. I also know there are bat makers out there with years of experience as well and those guys need the plaudits as well, you need to appreciate the pionieers the innovators the guys that were trying stuff we talk/think about today 20-30 years ago. As an example and to keep this vaguely on the topic of handles, did you know Julian Millichamp has just about always used a 2 spring handle, also did you know even though Julian left puma years ago they still use a 2 spring handle. You know now James Laver had a carbon handle, Newbery also had the C6 handle both carbon handles both different methods of application, both different in there impact responses and both worked. GN [one of the big 4] had a carbon handle that failed somewhat and then there is the father to a great batmaker that insists on trying just about every type of flexible compound in handles as he reckons there is nothing left to do with the blades and he's seen most of the great bat makers and there bats
I don't have a website don't worry, I'm in it for my own knowledge which I appreciate you have added to.
I know you don't have a website so it wasn't really a comment for you, there is enough information about this subject for you to make an informed opinion as why some handles work for some bats and some don't. I would have said that to almost anyone that continued the questioning [yep even if it is a forum]