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.

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.”

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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.

After the format was revised in 2022 as the world transitioned out of the pandemic, the 2023 PGA Professionals Championship will return to its traditional structure of state championships played around the country with a goal of PGA Professionals to win through to the National Final.

The PGA Professionals Championship is designed to showcase the skills of more than 250 PGA Professionals around the country who will attempt to qualify, many whom may be principally based at golf facilities teaching, servicing and managing the sport.

“We are proud of our men and women around the country whom have been helping maintain the momentum in the golf industry over recent years, and the PGA Professionals Championship allows us to continue to promote their skills in playing the game,” said PGA of Australia Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Kirkman.

“The talent of our PGA Professionals in Australia has always been strong, be it in their capacity to service the game, coach the game as well as play the game. I am confident the qualifiers for this year’s National Final will be no different.”

Upon qualifying for the PGA Professionals Championship National Final, 60 PGA Professionals will compete for $50,000 in prizemoney in addition to the leading two places receiving an exemption into the 2023 Australian PGA Championship. The National Final will be played at Heritage Golf and Country Club in Melbourne from 17-20 October.

Defending champion Scott Laycock (pictured) will be hoping to make it three wins in six years with the Royal Hobart Golf Club Teaching Professional receiving an automatic exemption into the National Final.

“The PGA Professionals Championship is high on the priority list for us professionals who get the opportunity to stay competitive and play for a national championship,” said Laycock.

“To have $50,000 in prizemoney and the exemptions into the Australian PGA Championship are great motivators to put time and effort into preparing for the championship.

“I am considering myself lucky that I don’t need to qualify this year.

“It was a shame that I didn’t get to use my exemption to play in the Australian PGA Championship last year owing to my wedding being on at the same time however I was pleased to give some of our younger PGA Professionals an opportunity that I have had the pleasure of doing many times before.”

The PGA is proud to partner with championship partners Acushnet and Club Car who have both supported PGA Vocational Professionals for extended periods, be it at their golf facilities or their professional playing ambitions.

For a full list of the state championship dates and venues, please click here.

A chance for women and girls to come together and learn about the career opportunities that exist in golf, we are thrilled to announce the panel for the first Showcase. Meet them below:

Stacey Peters – Women and Girls Pathway Manager and Tasmania High Performance Manager, Golf Australia

Stacey has worked at Golf Australia for six years, but her connection to the sport runs even deeper than that, having been a Professional golfer in Europe and the USA for eight years, as well as the 2013 Victorian Open Champion. Now she is passionate about sharing her experience to help the next generation of talented golfers reach their potential.

“I love that I can use my past experiences, both good and bad, to help our next crop make the transition to professional golf,” she says.

Stacey is equally excited to share her knowledge, more broadly, as a panellist at the Women in Golf Careers Showcase.

“We are doing so much as an industry to help women and girls, which is fantastic,” she says. “Days like these are all about giving women the confidence to get into the industry in one way or another.”

Kate Torgersen – Director, Environmental Golf Solutions Australia

Kate established Environmental Golf Solutions Australia in 2013 to help drive the golf industry towards a more sustainable future.

Having worked at golf courses in one way or another ever since leaving school, Kate’s passion for resolving environmental issues within golf has led her to be involved in a range of key projects over the last decade.

From helping clubs with management plans, environmental design and habitat restoration to ensure native fauna can thrive, Kate is dedicated to providing realistic and beneficial alternatives.

At the Showcase, Kate will share information on some of the recent projects she has been working on; from increasing the presence of native grasses on Australian courses, to sourcing environmentally-friendly golf products and even setting up a community kitchen and garden at Sandhurst Club – home of the PGA Golf Learning Hub.

Stephanie Jamieson – Training Manager, PGA of Australia

Currently in her eleventh year with the PGA, Stephanie works as the Training Manager, where she helps to create the best possible education opportunities for PGA Members.

“I’m blessed to be surrounded by a wonderful team who are each so passionate about their role and the difference they are making in the golf industry, every day,” she explains. “I love the diversity of the role, and enjoy taking the chance to make the PGA Membership Pathway and ACE Programs as strong as possible.”

Having had the chance to see the industry grow and change over the last decade, Stephanie loves driving increased opportunity for PGA Professionals – where the benefits flow to the entire industry.

Abby Freny – Places to Play Engagement Coordinator, Golf Australia

Abby has worked in golf for almost twelve months, having started as the first ever intern in the Clubs and Facilities department at Golf Australia. Although still relatively new to the sport, she is thriving in her time in the industry.

“I love that I am learning something new every day,” she smiles. “I started my job not knowing much about golf, and now I am fully immersed in the sport.”

Additionally, Abby is proud to work in an industry that is doing so much to promote women and girls.

“I love that I get to work in an environment that is undergoing transformational change and we do a great job to acknowledge and celebrate the women and girls who are doing great things,” she says.

Passionate about helping engage Australia’s network of clubs and facilities, Abby is looking forward to sharing her experience and continuing to advocate for diversity in leadership.

For more information on the Women in Golf Careers Showcase and to register your attendance for the 16^th April at the Australian Golf Centre, click HERE

A chance to honour the people, places and programs that help the game to thrive, The Grand Ballroom at Crown Perth played host, as PGA Vocational award winners and recent Western Australian Membership Pathway Program graduates were announced.

PGA Membership Manager for WA, Brendon Allanby was thrilled to celebrate the achievements of the state’s PGA Members and graduating class.

“It is wonderful to gather together and recognise the achievements of the golf industry in this way,” he said. “To be part of the broader industry award night is a special way to highlight the contribution that PGA Professionals make to the game every day.”

Four PGA Professionals won awards one the night, with categories for Club Professional of the Year, Coach of the Year – High Performance and Game Development, as well as Management Professional of the Year.

For his outstanding work at Sun City Country Club, Jim Danas was named Hilary Lawler Club Professional of the Year.

Due recognition for the exceptional service he and his team provide to club members and the general public, Danas has also significantly grown participation at the club, through a dedicated junior academy and Women and Girls programs.

Additionally, five Membership Pathway Program graduates were presented with their graduation certificates, as they prepare to begin their journeys as Full Vocational Members.

“To have five graduates on the night is amazing – recognising them and their dedication in becoming PGA Professionals is always a highlight,” Allanby said.

Joshua Herrero of the Rockingham Golf Club was one of the graduates, and also took out the gong of WA PGA Associate of the Year for the second year running.

Designed to recognise outstanding achievement across the core competencies of the PGA Membership Pathway Program, Herrero once again excelled in the playing component and his consistently strong academic results made him a deserving winner.

A full list of award winners and graduates is available below:

• 2022 PGA WA Hilary Lawler Club Professional of the Year: Jim Danas – Sun City Country Club
• 2022 PGA WA Coach of the Year – High Performance: David Milne – Lake Karrinyup (image is of GM LKCC Gavin Burt who accepted the award on Davids behalf)
• 2022 PGA WA Coach of the Year – Game Development: Andrew Thomas – Wembley Golf Course
• 2022 PGA WA Management Professional of the Year: Tristian McCallum – Seaview Golf Club
• 2022 PGA WA Associate of the Year: Joshua Herrero – Rockingham Golf Club
• 2022 PGA WA Tournament of the Year: Godrey Hirst Joondalup Resort Classic

GRADUATES

• Joshua Herrero – Rockingham Golf Club
• Calum Juniper – Gosnells Golf Club
• Charlton Knoll – Royal Fremantle Golf Club
• Craig Lowry – The Link Kennedy Bay
• Brett Rumford – Wembley Golf Course

His father the General Manager at Peninsula Golf Club for thirty years, Stone grew up with the game in his blood. Having loved his early experiences in the game, he now thrives knowing he can offer that same feeling to golfers every day.

“When I was younger, I knew I wanted to be around this industry properly. For me it didn’t necessarily have to be as a player – I just always liked golf clubs; the people and the whole atmosphere,” he recalls.

Now the head Teaching Professional at The National on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Stone enjoys the challenge of working with a range of different golfers – and tailoring his offering to what they need.

“You can’t have the same approach all the time. Instead, you have to be able to chop and change to help everyone see results and improvement.

“Ultimately, that’s very fulfilling when people want to share their improvement with you and can see themselves getting better.”

He has seen the industry change dramatically too, especially since the pandemic. What’s more, he believes it is incumbent on all PGA Professionals to be willing to embrace the changing face of the game.

“People are more lifestyle driven than before, so in terms of golf, everyone is looking for different ways of having fun,” he explains. “Golf has become more experience focussed, and we have the chance to help people find what works for them.”

In his role coaching, Stone describes himself as a “problem solver,” but enjoys the fact that he has the chance to work with members on club-fitting, hardware sales and the management of member-activities as well.

In fact, his breadth of responsibility keeps Stone on his toes – and he passionately pursues ongoing education to ensure he is offering a premium service, no matter what role he might need to play on a given day.

“I think you can always be seeking out ongoing education opportunities,” he says. “It keeps you enthusiastic and fresh. As soon as you think you know it all, you’re going backwards.”

Stone makes a concerted effort to stay on top of available courses through the PGA’s Accreditation and Continuing Education program (ACE). He has advanced status in both the Coaching and Small Business streams and is effusive in his praise of the program.

“Often, as PGA Professionals our education can be just as valuable for confirming that what we are already doing is actually right,” he says. The things you learn and the way you communicate it to golfers is very important.”

As part of his ACE education, Stone and the broader team at The National, regularly complete available courses from Myagi.

Software designed to help retailers learn, understand and advocate for brands, Myagi courses through ACE help PGA Professionals to remain at the cutting edge of the golf industry.

“It is vital that we stay as up-to-date as possible, representatives can’t come out from all the brands, all of the time,” says Stone. “Consumers these days are so well educated, so if they have an inkling that a salesperson doesn’t know the product, then they will be quick to move on.”

Through Myagi, Stone keeps abreast of the latest information on golf hardware – specifically clubs and shoes – and encourages his colleagues to do the same.

“When I see a new course become available, I am generally on it within twenty-four hours.

“We want all of our staff to be able to engage with members in the best possible fashion,” he explains. “We all need to have a broad knowledge of the products, so we can work out who and how we can help them the best.”

More broadly, Stone remains passionate about improving golfer experience in every possible way.

From looking at shorter, faster formats, to changing traditional perceptions of the sport, he really wants to help get and retain more golfers every day.

“We need to break down the idea that golf needs to be a hard sport,” he explains. “These things form roadblocks to enjoyment, and we need to be looking at breaking those down; making it faster, more accessible and enjoyable.”

For more information on Myagi training software, click HERE

For more information on the PGA’s Accreditation and Continuing Education program (ACE) and how PGA Professionals continue to upskill in all areas of the golf industry, click HERE