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As he chaperones Bob Vokey to and from product testing during the week of the US Open at LA Country Club, Corey Gerrard can’t help but to catch himself.
In moments between discussions centred around latest product releases, Gerrard wonders how it is that he came to be here. How a golf-mad kid from regional Victoria could conjure a pathway that would one day see him appointed as the Global Director of Vokey Wedges.
He tells graduates of the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program to not be afraid of diversions from ‘the plan’ yet, in some weird way, where he sits today at Titleist HQ in Carlsbad, California is exactly where he always wanted to be.
Growing up in Swan Hill four hours north of Melbourne, Gerrard was talented enough to be selected in Victorian state junior squads. But as he dreamed of a life on tour, his parents directed him to first advance his education.
He was accepted to study law at Victoria University but, with a golf bug that continued to itch, Gerrard married up the timelines and devised a new plan. Rather than spend six years studying law, he would study for a Bachelor of Business at Charles Sturt University’s Wagga campus and then begin the three-year training to become a PGA Member.
Playing remained a priority and after receiving the Norman Von Nida Rookie of the Year award from the Queensland PGA in 2009, Gerrard set off to play mini tours in the US.
“I missed my first cut at like 4 or 5-under and quickly realised that everyone’s really good at playing golf,” Gerrard recalls.
He returned to Australia and had stints at both Hyatt Regency Coolum and Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast.
Working alongside the likes of Peter Heiniger, Grant Field and Steve Hutchison exposed Gerrard to the full scope of a PGA Professional but his transition into the equipment world was not entirely by design.
“In between giving lessons, I was kind of the accidental guy who was fitting product,” Gerrard adds of his time at Twin Waters.
“I got to meet the Acushnet team and then a year or so later a job popped up in Melbourne to run the fitting centre and fitting network for Titleist ANZ.
“Within the first three months I was flown over to California and shown the ropes. That was when I realised that they’d given this job to a guy that really had no clue.”
Self-deprecation aside, the combination of his university degree and “real-world” training through the Membership Pathway Program gave Gerrard the foundation to advance rapidly up the ranks, leading to his move to California in 2019 to take up the role as Global Product Marketing Manager for Titleist Golf Clubs.
“My PGA training opened my eyes to all of these different jobs within golf that I had never considered,” Gerrard explains.
“I still joke with people today that when I’m hiring, I look for PGA qualifications because I know they’re going to be a jack of all trades, that they put their hand up to do 15 different things at once and that they’re probably pretty good at all of them.
“The PGA brand is as strong as it’s ever been around the world because they know that if you’ve done that training, you’ve learned a lot, you’ve experienced something in the real world and it’s going to stand the test of time.”
And take you to places that you perhaps never thought possible.
If you would like to explore the opportunities available through the Membership Pathway Program and PGA Institute visit pga.org.au/education
Watching a beginner golfer hit the ball in the air for the first time has an addictive appeal for Jody Fleming, the new Head Teaching Professional at Rich River Golf Club.
Her time in golf has embraced playing at the top level as a pro, corporate golf, teaching, golf operations, running clinics, encouraging more women to play and much more.
That exposure has converted to one abiding feeling.
“I’ve always worked in the golf industry and there’s always such an opportunity to facilitate an enjoyable experience,” Fleming said.
“To watch the joy of a beginner golfer hitting the ball in the air for the first time is happiness for me. There’s an addictive side to wanting to help players get better.
“It’s a hard game and you forget sometimes. Once you have played for a long time, you can easily become self-absorbed so it’s good to see that sheer enjoyment.”
Fleming’s appointment to the top job at Rich River is a great fit for the busy 36-hole club at Moama, on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, and a great fit for her.
“It’s a welcoming club in general and really encouraging to females,” Fleming said.
“Rich River was the first NSW club to sign The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter (to maximise the potential of women at all levels in the game). In action, that has meant a massive shift so the ladies’ club championship is no longer just three mid-week rounds but includes Saturday play and a joint finale with the men.
“Rich River has a great line of juniors. You see them on the range from sun-up to sun-down and you want to see those kids progress.
“I conduct a lot of clinics and one piece we can do better is converting golfers from the beginners’ pathway to becoming members in an environment that isn’t intimidating.”
Fleming, 37, has been a PGA Professional since the beginning of 2020 and her breadth of experience made the transition from player mode easier than it is for some.
As a pro through her 20s, Fleming won the 36-hole Texas Women’s Open in 2012. Her 7-under-par 65 in the final round included a hot stretch of five birdies and an eagle in six holes mid-round.
On home soil, a 2-under 71 on the final day for 43rd at the 2012 Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne was of the highest quality.
No player in the field made up more ground that Sunday when winner Jessica Korda and major winners Jiyai Shin and Yani Tseng were shooting 74s.
“I gained so much confidence from that round. It was one of the best days I’ve had on a golf course; it felt like I’d shot 65,” Fleming said.
“Pitching to greens below the hole all week, putting well, hitting the ball into the right places… it gave me a feeling I belonged out there.
“Having grown up on the Mornington Peninsula and in Melbourne and having played pennants for Yarra Yarra, it was an extra thrill in my home state.”
After her stint on the ALPG, the former Victorian State team member’s shift into corporate golf didn’t mean suddenly giving up her own game.
“You had to perform at corporate days so it kept my golf at a fairly good level along with those years learning about that side of the game,” Fleming said.
Teaching at Sydney’s Pittwater Golf Centre and time as an Assistant Professional at Long Reef were all part of her progression.
“It certainly got me to the mindset that I needed to be a PGA Professional to make this a career. I transitioned nicely,” Fleming said.
Fleming works beside the experienced Steve Loader, Rich River’s Director of Golf. She’s also been offering helpful advice ahead of the Deniliquin Pro-Am set for September 6.
“Doing the bridging program took hard work. There was the study, playing, still doing corporate golf and life’s curveballs but the assistance I got along the way was greatly appreciated,” she said.
New Club President Susan Hull added: “The signing of the Women in Golf Charter in March is Rich River Golf Club’s commitment to progress the sport and career opportunities golf presents to women of all ages.
“We are very fortunate to have Jody, along with outstanding facilities, to progress the Charter for the club.”
A single parent, Fleming has a smile on her face each time she sees her boisterous 4-year-old, Noah, reach for his Young Gun clubs.
“He and his little friend from day care love mini golf. Them just hitting a ball is that pure joy that golf can bring,” Fleming added.
Christine Shin’s deafness means she’s never heard the distinctive sound of a well-struck drive but golf is filling her life with something greater.
Her PGA Women in Golf Scholarship has launched her into Year One of the Membership Pathway Program at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club in Sydney’s north.
For Shin, 23, she counts the benefits from pursuing golf as a career almost daily beside Terrey Hills Head Professional Glenn Knott.
Those gains may be invisible to some, but mixing with a greater range of people and feeling more confident about solving problems she may have avoided in the past are just two strong examples in everyday life.
“As someone born with congenital deafness, I have encountered numerous obstacles in my life,” Shin explains.
“My journey with golf has been transformational, empowering me with confidence, social connections and vital life skills.
“I am extremely grateful for this scholarship. It enables me to continue my education and to realise my dream of growing the game of golf for children with disabilities.”
Shin was born deaf and wears cochlear implants. She has never let it define her on course and had a string of teenage achievements in Sydney’s west while a member at Castle Hill Country Club.
“My early childhood years were challenging due to my hearing impairment and it took me longer to develop my speech and communication skills than other children,” Shin adds.
“Discovering golf at 12 was life-changing. As I improved my golfing abilities, I also noticed a remarkable increase in my self-confidence.
“Golf allowed me to interact with people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures and I developed strong social skills from communicating with the ladies at Castle Hill.
“While my golf handicap went down, so too did the apparent impact of my hearing handicap on my life.”
Shin won the women’s title, at 19, at the 2019 Australian Deaf Championships at Tasmania’s Prospect Vale Golf Club when playing off a handicap of 6. She’s currently off 5.7.
Working in the pro shop at Terrey Hills at a busy Sydney golf club has been an upbeat move.
“Working here has boosted my self-confidence with the learning of new skills. In the beginning, I was a bit insecure but as I’ve gained more experience and mastered my tasks, my confidence has increased,” she says.
“I also feel more confident in my skills after compliments from my managers and co-workers. At Terrey Hills, the work atmosphere is encouraging and welcoming, which contributes significantly.”
Shin’s view on the game of golf as a broader vehicle to help within the community is an admirable take for one so young.
“I aim to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities. I believe that the game of golf can help these children develop critical skills, such as confidence, teamwork and social connections, just as it did for me,” Shin says.
“I also want to show others that having a disability does not stop you from achieving your goals and making an impact in society.”
Her ambitions are encouraged through the Membership Pathway Program.
“I hope to become a PGA member, pursue a teaching career, promote inclusiveness, motivate others, advocate for greater accessibility to golf for people with disabilities, help others develop their skills and have fun doing it,” Shin adds.
Continue on this positive path and she’ll feel the impact around her, if not the sounds of laughter and success. It’s like flushing a driver off the tee.
“I might not hear a well-hit driver but my body still feels the impact of a well-hit drive,” she says.
“When I make a clean touch and see the ball fly through the air, I feel accomplished and satisfied.”
Applications are now open for the Membership Pathway Program. For more information on the various career opportunities on offer visit pga.org.au/education/membership-pathway-program/
For further information on the PGA Women in Golf Scholarship Fund, visit pga.org.au/education/pga-women-in-golf-scholarship-fund/
Ballarat Golf Club’s new Head PGA Professional, Angela Tatt, has turned the episodes of anxiety in her own career into valuable teaching tools.
It’s a fascinating slant to her busy role in country Victoria. In March, she stepped up as Australia’s latest female head pro and the first at a club with a heritage dating back to 1895.
Tatt’s eight-year tenure at Ballarat Golf Club as an Assistant Professional prepared her perfectly when predecessor Dave Wallis was a mentor.
“I love it and feel great pride in seeing the family name on this business,” she said of forming Tatt Golf.
“In many areas it actually doesn’t feel any different because helping Dave with the everyday running of the business and golf were some of my roles anyway.
“I’ve always been someone who enjoys wearing many hats in golf. It keeps things interesting. It is never Groundhog Day because you are doing everything from lessons to managing stock within the shop.”
Brother Travis works beside her and is in his final year of the PGA Membership Pathway Program. Nephews Jackson, 17, and Riley, 15, are helping in the shop and learning the ropes.
“Dad and Mum have also been popping in every now and then to lend a hand. It’s a real family feel in here and poor Steve (Patterson) and Liam (Howlett) are asked regularly, ‘Are you a Tatt too?’, as part of the team,” Tatt said with a smile.
“It’s nice to feel a level of respect from male and female members, young and old. Growing up in the golf industry has helped with all those conversations and the relationships you build in the game.”
Those conversations come easily. Harder for Tatt, 38, was delving deep inside herself to draw a positive from attacks of anxiety in her own game when playing at the top level.
She played pennants for Victoria Golf Club in 2005, the same year she won the women’s club championship. Success at the Castle Hill Country Club Pro-Am on the ALPG Tour in 2008 in the final year of her PGA training was another highlight.
“I suffered anxiety on course and the main reason I talk about it now is to help others who suffer from it,” Tatt said.
“Unless you’ve gone through a few mental demons and tried to play golf, it’s hard to understand.”
Tatt lined up for the Women’s Australian Open last December at Victoria Golf Club with Wallis as caddie. It was all to simply enjoy the experience and the chance to play at Victoria GC again. The demons returned on her eighth hole, the 17th.
“Off the tee, I toe-shanked my 4-wood out of bounds,” Tatt recalled.
“I had that horrible feeling in the hands and said to Dave, ‘I can’t do it’. I topped the next one off the tee.”
To her credit, she kept going and conquered another mental hurdle on the next tee.
“My security blanket 4-wood was gone so I had to take out driver, which had been a problem club in the past. I piped it up the middle. The rest of the round wasn’t great but I was OK,” Tatt said.
That latest tournament experience has fed into many of the messages she now imparts to club golfers with a problem club, a perceived hang-up or jitters as a beginner.
“I want to be open because issues I have had can assist others,” Tatt explained.
“I’ve had young guys open up to me during lessons about anxiety problems on course. We go through the possible triggers and develop coping techniques from there.
“I’ve one member who now finds the positives to every round he plays rather than concentrate, to his detriment, on a couple of poor shots. We don’t hit perfect shots all the time. That’s a good thing for players of all standards to understand.
“Play one shot at a time, rather than counting shots, is one thing I often talk about. Beginners to the game don’t need to look pretty with their swings but absolutely they can still enjoy it, improve and play in a comp when they never imagine it is possible.”
Last year at Wembley Golf Course I gave 2,280 individual lessons and 330 beginner and intermediate clinics that totalled 2,640 participants. So that they each got the most out of their lesson, I shared these cues to put them in the right mindset for success.
They may also work for your students and help to build a long-term player-coach relationship.
Attention over intention
Golfers will invariably arrive at a lesson with lots of intentions, but the reality is that they can only devote their full attention to one thing. It’s important that they understand the difference so encourage them to focus their sole attention to one aspect of their game during the lesson so they leave better-equipped than when they arrived.
Control you, then the club
Watch Rory McIlroy swing a golf club and most golfers will marvel at the combination of speed, power and balance. As PGA Professionals we cannot be expected to get everyone swinging like Rory McIlroy but we can put them in a starting position that will give them the best chance of making their best swing. I might say the word ‘balance’ 20 times every lesson because without it, we can’t control what the club does on a consistent basis.
Care less, but don’t be careless
Anyone who swings a golf club has a 50/50 chance of achieving one of two results; hitting it where they want the ball to go, or not. And if it doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world. Encourage that mindset within your lessons and you will see a significant increase in their rate of improvement.
Consistent actions, not consistent results
Nine out of 10 people who come to me for lessons want to improve their consistency. The issue I have with that is that most golfers don’t do enough things consistently within the golf swing to generate consistent results. The most we can ask of our students is to concentrate on being consistent in their setup and their thought process; the results will speak for themselves.
Leave with confidence
Most golfers think that once they leave a lesson, the magic stays behind. I stress to my students that whatever good shots they hit, whatever progress they make, is completely their doing. The bad shots? They’re on me. Whether I am standing beside them or not, they are now more capable of hitting better golf shots after the lesson than they were before. That should fill any golfer with confidence the next time they play, and make them want further lessons in future.
Andrew Thomas has been a PGA Professional for the past 30 years. He teaches at Wembley Golf Course in Perth and was named the 2022 WA PGA Game Development Coach of the Year.
Chris Howe’s six golf simulators are within a well-struck 4-iron of Hyper Karting, Strike Bowling and the fad of pickleball.
If you want a measure of golf’s current “cool” as a fun, entertainment option of broad reach, here it is in the heart of Sydney.
Howe2Golf is the brainchild of former Royal Sydney Golf Club Head Teaching Professional, Chris Howe.
Setting up a new indoor golf training venue, accompanied by an elegant clubhouse vibe, has put the venture on the map in The Entertainment Quarter at Sydney’s Moore Park.
“It’s a fact that a lot of golfers are time poor so I got thinking about providing more access to a training centre with all the right tech at an inner-city location,” Howe explained.
“That goes hand-in-hand with being more able to find time to hit some balls. The way I’ve designed it, I also wanted to give people a very clubhouse-esque ambience combining modern and old regal.”
Howe’s April opening has coincided with strong efforts to revitalise The Entertainment Quarter. Having the three courts for pickleball as a neighbour is a positive because the array of sports options are attracting a more voluminous flow of people.
The six bays at Howe2Golf have TrackMan 4 simulators installed to give members and casual visitors access to playing more than 250 golf courses worldwide.
“We find a lot of people want to play the great links courses like St Andrews on TrackMan and perhaps prepare a little for their own trip to play in Scotland or Ireland,” Howe said.
You’ll always engage Howe, 45, with a conversation about Nottingham Forest because the football club of his English roots has stayed up in the English Premier League.
After some time on Europe’s Challenge Tour and Euro Pro Tour, Howe ventured to Australia and has been a Full Vocational Member of the PGA of Australia since 2004.
He remains grateful for a “rewarding” decade at Royal Sydney (2009-19). Many of his loyal golfers still have lessons with the two-time NSW PGA Coach of the Year nominee (2010 and 2017) at Howe2Golf.
“I’m very thankful for my time at Royal Sydney. For me, it became time to expand and try something different with my own business,” Howe said.
“There has been a boom in golf but you still have to keep evolving as a game to continue that growth into the future.
“The indoor space for golf is only going to grow. There was a time when eyes glazed over when you offered tech online in teaching.
“Now, far more golfers want the coaching combined with the metrics for validation because it helps their understanding of what they have to do to improve.
“Whether it is the purist or someone who plays with the shirt out of their shorts all the time, it’s all golf and you have to appeal.”
Howe2Golf has four TV screens, a bar and corporate catering for bigger groups.
Howe does like golf’s interaction with the broader sporting community that the facility’s location offers.
“I was teaching a cricketer not so long ago and the Sydney Roosters have keen golfers and are based just nearby,” Howe added.
When roving Far North Queensland PGA Professional Luke Newman took his trusty red sedan in for a recent service, there were more than 200,000 kilometres on the odometer.
You won’t get a better indicator of how far and wide he operates to help service the burgeoning demand for group and individual lessons, ladies clinics and junior coaching.
Newman, 47, fills an invaluable niche outside metropolitan Cairns at those smaller golf clubs which don’t have their own PGA Professional under a contract with Golf Australia.
His regular week is a mix of working at Drummond Golf in Cairns and hopping in his red Suzuki Swift for his roaming role.
In the weeks ahead, he’s heading to Atherton Golf Club to coach junior girls (June 23). A week later, he’ll be in Innisfail Golf Club guiding the juniors, boys and girls (June 30).
In July, Atherton (July 16 and 23) and Innisfail (June 28) are booked for visits.
You can add Mareeba Golf Club, Mossman Golf Club and Ravenshoe Millstream Country Club as well.
“The vision was to become a roving coach and it has worked out that way because the smaller golf clubs don’t have a PGA Professional,” Newman said.
“Since COVID and the boom for golf, the number of people through the store and those wanting a lesson has gone through the roof. It’s the same with player numbers at the smaller clubs.
“You do get a positive feeling of making a difference when you are coaching the ladies or developing juniors who might not otherwise get instruction.
“It’s a buzz when you see good juniors progress into adult squads.”
Newman had a thorough grounding at Cairns Golf Club, between 2000-12, where he began his PGA training under Brett Wilson and became a PGA Professional in 2004.
He had a hand in the early development of leading Queensland amateur Sarah Wilson, who was a junior playing out of Half Moon Bay Golf Club when she attended a coaching camp in Mareeba.
“You never know where talented youngsters are going to begin their journey in golf. It’s satisfying to play a part and I joke with the kids when they move on ‘Don’t forget the little people in your first victory speech’,” Newman said with a laugh.
Country clubs can register for MyGolf and Get Into Golf programs through Golf Australia which streamlines the whole process when it comes to those new to golf being linked with coaches such as Newman.
Over the past four years, the juniors and ladies at Atherton Golf Club have got to know who is behind the wheel when a red Suzuki Swift arrives in the car park.
“My mates call it a hairdresser’s car or Rudolph’s red nose but the little car has put in the kilometres over the past 10 years,” Newman said.
So has our roving pro.
Ideally, the new-look Albert Park Driving Range in the heart of Melbourne would have been ready to welcome the flood of new golfers enticed to the game during the COVID-infused explosion.
As it stands, when Albert Park’s 52 new Trackman-enabled bays opened for business last week, it became a place that caters to passionate golfers, those freshly embarking on their golf journey and those looking for a social environment in which to give golf a try for the first time.
The opening of the driving range is simply phase one in what will be a staggered release of facilities designed to revolutionise the driving range offering. With so many extra facilities the business has also undergone a name change to Melbourne Golf Park to reflect the expansion of what is now available.
In the coming months there will be a rooftop bar, pizza restaurant and 36 holes of mini golf that will not only make Melbourne Golf Park a golf epicentre, but a social hub less than 10 minutes from the centre of the city.
“We’re already a very, very busy and popular driving range so we’ve done everything in our power to make sure that we don’t upset the people that were already coming to the range,” explained Melbourne Golf Park General Manager, David Tapping.
“You can come along and hit golf balls and have fun and interact as much, or as little, as you want with the technology that’s available to you.
“But we also now offer a really good social space for groups to come along, have a hit of golf, have some food and a drink socially with a great view.
“We’re going to expose that to more young people that perhaps would not realise that golf can be relaxed and fun.
“They’re going to see this digital upgrade and I’m sure they’re going to love it and interact with it.
“Thankfully, the industry has done a good job to keep these young people engaged.
“Hopefully this will inspire another boom for our facility where they now go back and say, ‘You’ve got to come and see this. This is next level.’”
At the foundation of Melbourne Golf Park’s makeover is the installation of TrackMan technology in each of the ultimately 62 bays that play out onto a range that measures 275 metres.
An increase on the 48 previously available, 42 of the bays are undercover with an interactive TrackMan screen within the bay. Twenty outdoor bays will make TrackMan data available through the TrackMan app.
It will allow users to play interactive games with friends or measure the distance and dispersion of any and every club in the bag.
A 17-year PGA Professional himself, Tapping has nine PGA Professionals on site available for lessons.
With TrackMan data at their fingertips, golfers who use the range will see exactly where they need help with their game.
“Rather than a perceived idea of what they’re good at and what they’re not good at, we can now quantify it,” Tapping added.
“We’ve got a lot more accuracy in how we analyse someone’s game than we have had in the past.
“That’s a real positive for our coaches because we can set targets and start to see how they’re improving and making sure that they are improving.”
Eyeing a full launch in spring, it is the addition of the rooftop bar that Tapping believes has the greatest opportunity to transform how Melbourne Golf Park is received.
“The rooftop bar is a game changer for us in terms of turning the venue into a place for groups to come,” said Tapping.
“A lot of the bays will have lounges where you can sit back and watch on the TV screen as your friends hit. Then you can head upstairs to the bar overlooking Albert Park Lake and toward the city skyline.
“It’s going to be a really cool place to hang out.”
For more information on Melbourne Golf Park click here.
Direct pathways to specialist careers in Sports Turf Management, Hospitality Management and Tourism within the Australian golf industry are now available thanks to the partnership between the PGA of Australia and Holmesglen Institute.
The PGA Golf Learning Hub, a world-first facility established at the prestigious Sandhurst Golf Club in Melbourne’s south-east, offers a range of courses for students keen to pursue or develop careers in the golf industry.
The PGA of Australia is proud to enhance these offerings alongside Holmesglen, one of Victoria’s largest providers of Vocational and Higher Education.
As a result of the partnership, Holmesglen now offers accredited courses in Sports Turf Management, Tourism and Hospitality Management between its Glen Waverley campus, Zest training restaurant and Sandhurst.
The qualifications complement the PGA Institute’s Diploma of Golf Management, which is run both from the Learning Hub at Sandhurst in conjunction with flexible online study options.
All courses, which are nationally accredited and endorsed by the PGA, provide practical training, industry placement and a focus on the golf industry, which employs 25,000 people in Australia.
General Manager of the PGA Membership and Education Department, Geoff Stewart, said the partnership positions the PGA Golf Learning Hub as the No.1 location for people wanting to kickstart a career in golf.
“This is a significant moment for our sport,” Mr Stewart said.
“We are proud of our partnership with Holmesglen Institute, Victoria’s largest TAFE, to provide an unrivalled golf education offering for our industry now and into the future.
“There is no doubt that a solid grounding in golf education is the best way to ensure the ongoing success of the entire golf industry and this partnership means we can continue to do that.”
Holmesglen Executive Director for International Education and Enterprise Solutions, Andrew Williamson, said partnering with the PGA of Australia – through the Golf Learning Hub – was a win for those who loved the sport and aspired to a specialist career in golf.
“Melbourne has long been regarded as the sporting capital of Australia with a plethora of events on our doorstep. So, it’s not surprising that demand for sporting courses has seen significant growth in recent years,” Mr Williamson said.
“The PGA Golf Learning Hub offers dedicated golf training in an integrated and effective golfing ecosystem that will inevitably open up more pathways for people aspiring to work in the industry.”
He said new intakes for the Holmesglen courses will occur in February and July each year, with a strong pipeline of local and international students expected to enrol to meet the needs of the Australian golf industry.
The partnership between the PGA Institute and Holmesglen allows the team at the Golf Learning Hub to offer qualifications across all six workforce pillars of the golf industry – Club Management, Coaching and Small Business, Sports Turf Management, Hospitality Management and Tourism.
“We are passionate about offering a unique, world-class education service and we are now able to take that to the next level, working collaboratively with Holmesglen,” said PGA Institute Manager, Suzanne Burns.
To register your interest to study at the PGA Institute, PGA Academy, and Membership Pathway Program, click here.
For more information on the courses that Holmesglen offer as part of the partnership, click here.
To learn more about the PGA Golf Learning Hub, click here.
The only thing as astonishing as Mike Callaby’s 50-year stint in the pro shop at Carnarvon Golf Club is that he’s only ever had a handshake deal.
In many ways, it sums up the affable PGA Professional’s manner, methods and loyalty as a fixture at the popular club in Lidcombe in Sydney’s inner west.
It’s always been about the club members, doing the right thing by Carnarvon, a harmonious relationship with a succession of General Managers and respect in return.
“I’ve never had a contract and every new GM asks the question. It’s a handshake,” Callaby, 67, said.
“The goodwill flows both ways. Appreciation means everything and I feel it from the club and the members. That means more than dollars to me because the club is always very supportive around things I’ve asked for help with.”
Made a Life Member of Carnarvon GC in 2021, he is the “face of Carnarvon” as well as the voice because he’s starter for most comps and can greet most of the club’s more than 900 members by name.
“Dealing with the passionate members we have and the public keeps me young. Some members would be worried if I didn’t pick on them. You’ve got to be able to interact, banter and have fun,” Callaby said.
“The diversity of people is the thing I love about the job.”
The immaculate Carnarvon pro shop tells its own story.
Leave a shoelace dangling after trying on a pair of FootJoys and Callaby will tuck it neatly back into place or wonder who is playing a prank.
He arrived at Carnarvon in 1973 to finish his apprenticeship under Terry Bolger after being a handy young all-rounder who played Green Shield Under-16s cricket for Parramatta.
His trainee invites to play in the mid 1970s gave him a rare ringside seat to a blond-haired tyro on a rapid ascent.
“Greg Norman grew up in my era. We played in some of the same trainee events in 1975. Twelve months later, he’d won his first pro tournament and was away,” Callaby recalled.
“I love golf but early on I realised there’s a big difference between playing the game well and being really, really good at it.
“I worked for Terry for over 20 years. He gave me the reins over stock control for the pro shop and was a big help. I also did a lot of teaching in the early days.”
Callaby is typically understated about his own game. He shot an eight-under-par 64 midweek at Carnarvon in his 20s and was still testing his game at the Australian PGA at NSW Golf Club in the 1990s when he pre-qualified.
In his late 50s, he rifled a 5-iron into the cup on the 162-metre par-3 16th for his second hole in one at his home course.
A full PGA Member since 1976, Callaby has been Carnarvon’s head professional since 1998 and seen the course test all-comers.
He still remembers the sign of a champion he saw in the young Cameron Smith when he won the Australian Boys’ Championship at Carnarvon by eight strokes in 2011.
“Cam reached the green in two on the fourth, our longest par 5. It was all downhill beyond the flag and he putted off the green with his eagle putt,” Callaby recounted.
“There was no tantrum. He showed no emotion at all, chipped the ball to a foot and made par. He was just so impressive with the way he handled that situation.”
Carnarvon Golf Club General Manager Craig O’Brien saluted Callaby’s professionalism.
“There could be no one better in our pro shop. As far as the Board and I are concerned, we wish we could keep Mike for another 50 years,” O’Brien said.
“His knowledge of the course and people, the way he conducts interviews with new members, promoting kids’ programs, his welcomes on the mic, his loyalty… he’s just one of the nicest gentlemen on the face of the earth.
“He gives all the time. Someone will turn up to play without a collared shirt and Mike will provide a shirt. When the person comes back to pay for it, Mike has often waved them away. You know he’s paid for it.
“Everyone knows Mike.”
This weekend, Callaby will rise at 3am, as usual, to give himself time to prepare the pro shop for the first of the golfers with their early tee times.
“Golf has given me a lifestyle. It’s a good life and I plan on a few years more,” Callaby said with a smile.
