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It was double-delight at Yarra Yarra’s picturesque sixth hole on Monday, as Jayden Cripps and William Flitcroft each made aces to catapult themselves to the top of the leader board after the first round of the PGA Professionals Championship.
Designed to showcase the outstanding playing ability of PGA Professionals, the 36-hole event – run in partnership with Acushnet and Club Car – saw twenty-one players go under par in stunning conditions on Melbourne’s Sandbelt.
A third career hole-in-one for Cripps, his 48-degree wedge landed past the hole and spun back into the cup, the New-South Welshman not sure of the final result until he made his way onto the green.
“I knew I hit it well, but I just kind of saw it disappear,” he said. “To be quite honest I thought it had spun off into the front bunker or the gulley short of the green.”
Energised by the hole-in-one, it kickstarted a run up the leader board for Cripps, who would finish the day with seven birdies and four bogeys to finish with 67.
“The first few holes I was just missing it in the wrong spots, which you really can’t afford to do around here – not with how quick and firm the greens are.
“I worked out pretty quickly that I just needed to keep the ball below the hole, you combine that with hitting fairways then there is certainly a chance to make a good score.”
Having found his groove, Cripps birdied seven of his last nine holes, including holing a nerveless twenty-footer on the last to claim the lead outright.
Due reward for effort, Cripps feels that his performance today is a reflection of the work he has put in recently – and the people with whom he surrounds himself.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time with Kelsey Bennett and Deyen Lawson,” said Cripps. “Working on my wedge game, distance control and just learning from them.
“You spend time around good people and it’s funny what can happen.”
For Flitcroft, there was no doubt that his 54-degree wedge was destined for the cup on the sixth.
“One of the boys actually called it mid-flight,” he laughed. “It’s my first one in thirteen years and first as a professional, so I’m very happy that it came today.”
It was the continuation of momentum for Flitcroft, who made an eagle on the sixteenth and a birdie on the eighteenth, after starting with bogeys on fourteen and fifteen in the afternoon field shotgun start.
“Those two (sixteen and eighteen) kind of got me moving, so it was great to add the hole-in-one there as well to keep it tracking in the right direction.”
Steady thereafter, Flitcroft also capitalised on the par-five ninth hole with another birdie, to finish the day at three-under, in a three-way tie for fourth. An impressive effort for his first time around the course, he is confident he knows what it will take to get the job done tomorrow.
“It’s all about where you leave it out there,” Flitcroft explained. “As soon as you’re above the hole you’re in trouble, but if you leave it in the right spots, then you can definitely post a good score.”
2018 Champion, Scott Laycock showed his class once again in pristine Melbourne conditions, firing an impressive four-under 68 to sit in a tie for second place.
Despite starting with two early bogeys, Laycock enjoyed a remarkable run through the middle of his round, playing a seven-hole stretch in six-under to make his way up the leader board.
“It was a bit of a funny start – it took me a while to get the speed of the greens,” said Laycock, who has prepared for the event by playing with the members at Royal Hobart.
“Then through that middle patch I didn’t miss many opportunities, so that was nice.”
Joining Laycock in second place is Queenslander Brenton Fowler, whose four-under round was highlighted by two eagles at the fifth and the ninth as he made his way around the front nine in just 31.
Fellow Queenslander TJ King also shone in the morning group, firing a three-under 69, to back up his impressive second-placed finish at the Links Hope Island earlier this year.
The final round nicely poised for tomorrow, the double shot-gun start will allow for the leaders to tee it up at 12:40pm, fighting for $50,000 in prizemoney and one of two exemptions into the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship.
Follow the event scores and updates HERE
A field of more than 160 will tee it up today at the PGA Professionals Championship at Yarra Yarra Golf Club, competing for $50,000 in prizemoney, as well as exemptions into the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and 2023 Vic Open.
Open to all Vocational PGA Professionals without a ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia category, the field will compete over 36 holes on the 10th and 11th October, as the tournament brings together some of Australia’s leading club, teaching and management Professionals.
Designed to showcase the outstanding playing ability of PGA Professionals, the event – run in partnership with Acushnet and Club Car – is set to be hotly contested, with the top two in the field gaining a place in the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
Tournament Director, Broc Greenhalgh, is thrilled to be welcoming such a strong field for an exciting couple of days of golf on Melbourne’s famed Sandbelt.
“It’s wonderful to be in Victoria and to see the best of our PGA Professionals on show,” Greenhalgh said.
“PGA Professionals are the heartbeat of Australian golf, so it’s wonderful that they will have the chance to go out and test themselves on such an iconic golf course.
“There is plenty to play for, so we are looking forward to a great exhibition of golf.”
Reigning champion and Head Professional at Pacific Dunes Golf Club, Jamie Hook, is keen to repeat the dose, after his two-shot victory at Links Hope Island set up a strong string of performances this year.
“It would be nice to defend the title,” he said. “To gain another exemption into the Australian PGA would be awesome.”
Hook performed well at the Australian PGA in January, his two-under score enough to tie for 31st place.
“I get such great support from the members at Pacific Dunes, whenever and wherever I play,” explained Hook. “I’m keen to get out there and do them all proud.”
Along with Hook, TJ King (Mount Coolum Golf Club) and Matthew Guyatt (Nudgee Golf Club) have just returned from representing Australia at the Four Nations Cup.
Australia performed strongly at the inaugural competition, earning a second-place finish in South Africa in September. No doubt any potential for international honours will serve as added motivation down the stretch on Tuesday.
Similarly, in the female section of the field, Bree Arthur, Jessica Dengate, Katy Jarochowicz, Grace Lennon and Katelyn Must will all be fighting for more than the title, as an exemption into the 2023 Vic Open is also on the line.
“There is plenty to play for next week,” Greenhalgh said. “For both the men and the women in the field, strong performances will certainly give them the chance to keep playing on the big stage.
“This is one of the wonderful attributes of our Vocational PGA Professionals; that their skills are do diverse both on and off the golf course, so the PGA Professionals Championship gives them another opportunity to showcase that.”
It shapes as a big week for past champions too, as Scott Laycock (Royal Hobart Golf Club), who won in 2018 and was runner-up in 2019, chases a return to the top of the podium. Additionally, 2016 winner Chris Duke (Nudgee Golf Club) will be looking to cap off his recent move to Queensland with a strong showing at Yarra Yarra.
“There are so many great stories coming into the week,” Greenhalgh explained. “And there is bound to be another one come Tuesday evening.”
The Championship kicks off this morning with a double shotgun start (7.30am and 12.30pm).
To follow the Championship click HERE
The Golf Business Forum/ PGA Expo is now less than a week away. Your chance to come and help shape the future of Australian golf, at the Expo you will hear from a range of high-calibre speakers and presenters.
We chatted with PGA Professional Toby McGeachie, who will be sitting on the Digital and Technology Success panel. McGeachie can’t wait to get to Melbourne, and knows that attending the Expo is a wonderful learning and networking opportunity for everyone in the industry.
What are you most looking forward to about the GBF/ PGA Expo?
Being educated and motivated in my favourite subject area, GOLF! Personally I am looking forward to connecting with some friends while being down in Melbourne. In particular a few people who I have not actually met in-person but only hosted on my podcast or through social media.
Talk to us about the ‘Digital and Technology Success’ panel.
Firstly, I am really looking forward to being a part of the esteemed panel which includes Ned Coten and Michael Zisman from Golf Genius who have been leaders in the digital space for many years.
My role within the panel is to share insights into my online coaching successes and also a really cool demonstration on coaching within the Virtual reality space using the Golf+ app.
Our goal collectively as a team is to help shed some light in particular areas where people can be using technology to help optimise the experience of their clients, business, coaching and much more. Essentially what the potential future holds in the technology space.
How powerful do you think the relationship between golf and digital technology is?
Incredibly powerful. Social media is a great tool for building any business and in particular the online golf coaching space. The leaders in the online golf coaching world all have huge followings on Socials. It’s a great tool to help showcase your skills and what you have to offer.
What value do you think PGA Members will get from the Expo?
Guy Chapple, along with the team have done a great job in handpicking the leaders in each of their fields. There is a lot of value for everyone attending not to mention the potential networking opportunities while being down there for the week. Personally, when I surround myself with people who are passionate about golf in particular PGA Members gets me really excited and motivated.
Why did you want to be part of the Expo?
I really wanted to present to PGA Members on the Online coaching space; from what it has to offer for the student and the lifestyle opportunities it can create for the coach. I have been truly gifted that I can work from anywhere in the world through my iPad! I want every PGA member to have the knowledge and opportunity to do the same.
Take your chance to be part of this history-making event and secure your tickets to the unmissable Golf Business Forum/ PGA Expo today!
We chatted with Kerrod Gray, PGA Professional and high-performance coach, about what he is most looking forward to at the Golf Business Forum/ PGA Expo.
The Golf Business Forum/ PGA Expo is nearly here for 2022. A unique opportunity for the golf industry to come together and shape the future of Australian golf, the Expo will be flush with a range of high-calibre speakers and presenters.
Giving attendees access to the leading ideas, trends, tools and connections to help them and their businesses thrive, anticipation is building. We spoke with PGA Professional, and high-performance golf coach, Kerrod Gray about what he is most looking forward to about the Expo.
Gray, a multiple-time PGA vocational award-winner, already has a fine record as a coach, but knows that attendance at the Expo will help him to take his offering to the next level; especially after hearing from the coaches of Major champions…
What are you looking forward to most about the GBF/ PGA Expo?
Hearing Rick Sessinghaus present
Why are you excited to see Rick Sessinghaus present?
To see how he can get his messaging across with his impactful presentation skills.
What value do you think the Expo will add for PGA Members?
Naturally, I can only answer for myself; but I am sure seeing Rick present will provide an element of inspiration – certainly for me and hopefully for the coaches in attendance.
What would you say to PGA members considering attending?
Online learning is a great tool for education but nothing replaces the in-person experience of being in an environment where we are all there to learn, connect and grow.
How do you think attendance will benefit you?
As a person, I know that it is great to be surrounded by like minded individuals and I am really looking forward to that.
Why do you think it’s a beneficial event for the broader industry?
The rising tide brings all to the top; and I believe that the more each of us invests in our own development, mindset and career only fuels our industry as a whole to reach new levels of success and impact.
Take your chance to be part of this history-making event and secure your tickets to the unmissable Golf Business Forum/ PGA Expo today!
Sydney’s Paige Stubbs is embracing her life as a new-age professional and will relish the chance to take her talents to the world stage when she represents Australia at the Women’s PGA Cup in October.
The youngest member of Australia’s five-person team, Stubbs is fearlessly chasing her dreams of becoming the world’s best female golf coach, harnessing lessons learned playing professionally to help her both as a player and a coach.
After turning professional in 2015, Stubbs took the chance to play overseas in both Europe and China, a grounding she believes will make her an effective coach.
“I kept pursuing that dream of playing professionally,” she recalls. “I loved it. I’ve always loved competing.
“Travelling as a professional during that time of my life was an incredible experience and I think it really rounds you as a person.
“It’s certainly made me the person and the coach that I am today.”
Now Stubbs, who became a full PGA Member at the start of this year, works as the Teaching Professional at Castle Hill Country Club where she is taking her coaching to the next level.
Determined to help as many golfers as possible, she has expanded her instruction to both in-person and online offerings, embracing technology and the power of social media to make golf instruction more accessible than ever before.
“I’ve always said that I want to help the whole world and I’m conscious of ensuring that I can reach as many people as possible,” she explains. “Only doing that in-person reduces the amount of people you can help.”
Stubbs emphasises that time spent in COVID lockdown- as well as when courses in New South Wales were closed due to floods – inspired her to take her coaching online as well. Now, she offers tuition through online platform Skillest in addition to her coaching at Castle Hill.
Tailoring a range of programs to the individual’s needs, her online offerings range from one-off swing analysis, right through to 24/7 swing support and communication.
“It’s more feasible for the player and for the coach,” says Stubbs, who had three top-five finishes on the WPGA Tour Australasia.
“It means that the player knows they are practising the right things and, in a sense, keeps them accountable as well.
“Where there can be a lag time between lessons in-person, I am able to provide instant feedback for everyone online.”
In addition to those who sign up to her online programs, Stubbs also maintains a strong social media presence, sharing tips and insights for everyone, particularly via her Instagram account.
“I think social media is extremely powerful when used correctly,” says Stubbs. “We do need to be cautious, though, when people just start trawling for answers to their swing.
“There’s no doubt that creating quality content for social media is time consuming, but it is certainly rewarding in the long run.”
Regardless of whether a student shows up on the range or on screen, a lesson with Stubbs is built on the same fundamentals as she tries to understand their goals and then simplify technical advice as much as possible.
“I try to make a distinction between whether someone is chasing a quick fix or whether they are looking to make longer term progress,” she says. “Then it’s about communicating the information in a manner the student can understand. I’m very hands on.
“You learn to explain things differently to different people. We are always learning as PGA Professionals and it’s important we continue that process.”
For all of the time and dedication she gives to help other golfers on their journey, Stubbs is particularly excited to have the chance to focus on her own game and represent Australia next month.
“I’ve always wanted to represent Australia,” she smiles. “I’m incredibly proud to do it and to have the flag on my arm is just super, super cool.
“I can’t answer it any other way.”
Stubbs will tee it up alongside Anne-Marie Knight, Nicole Martino, Katelyn Must and Angela Tatt at Twin Warriors Golf Club in New Mexico October 24-29. The field, comprised of teams from six world PGAs, will compete in a 54-hole strokeplay format, with each team’s lowest three scores counted after each round.
We chatted with father/son PGA Professional duo John (Maroochy River Golf Club) and Mackenzie Wright (Sunshine Coast Golf Centre). Together, they shared their reflections on working in golf, visions for the future of the game and even a birthday to remember.
What is one piece of advice you would offer to a new PGA Professional?
JOHN WRIGHT: Make a big effort to develop your communication skills; that will really take you places. It’s important that we stop and check in with members at golf clubs about how their golf is going – a short chat can mean the world! No one is ever above anyone else or the game.
MACKENZIE WRIGHT: Have a plan. It’s important that you write down where you want to get to and what you need to do to get there. I think that’s crucial in whatever aspect of the golf industry we are working and the more disciplined you can be, the more likely you are to see positive results.
What barriers do we need to break down to get more people into the game?
JW: The game has moved forward rapidly in the past decade and we have a great opportunity to attract the friends of “COVID golfers”. There has been a massive jump in membership and participation and we can really make the most of that.
MW: I think the time it takes to play a full 18 holes can be hard for people balancing work and family commitments. I think incorporating things like more par 3 courses and shorter holes for new golfers will help to attract more players.
What is the best part about your job?
JW: As a full-time teaching professional now, I enjoy turning up to work knowing that I have the opportunity to change someone’s day for the better. I love the client feedback when things are going well or when someone has a career best score. I’m very proud to be a PGA Member; it’s a privileged position.
MW: As a coach, I love the challenge of problem solving. Helping people learn the game and watching them improve and enjoy it is immensely satisfying. I’ve also appreciated the time I have had learning from other PGA Professionals and hearing about their experiences.
What’s the most memorable golf experience you have had with each other?
JW: No doubt that would be taking Mackenzie and his older brother Jack to Barnbougle Dunes for his 21st birthday. Mackenzie shot 69 to beat us – you might say he was destined to win that day!
MW: When dad surprised my brother and me with a trip to Barnbougle for my 21st birthday. That’s one I’ll always remember! Any time we are on the course together is memorable and there’s always a healthy dose of rivalry.
Queensland golf’s highest achievers of the past 12 months will be honoured at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night to be held at The Star – Gold Coast on Tuesday, October 25.
Represented by the PGA of Australia, Golf Australia, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland and Golf Management Australia, the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night acknowledges the achievements all finalists have accomplished in a period where the state has continued to see significant growth in the game of golf.
“It is wonderful to see that those individuals, golf facilities, programs and events that have assisted the game to continue its strong momentum can be recognised on our night of nights,” said PGA State Manager, Broc Greenhalgh.
“Our list of award finalists this year are a great representation of the high standards our state has come to expect in servicing our sport.”
Golf Australia State Manager, Luke Bates, explained how the evening is an opportunity to celebrate those making an impact from all corners of the industry.
“Traditional facilities servicing thousands of golfers play an integral role in the growth of golf but through the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night we are also able to recognise the smaller facilities and less well-known individuals around the state,” said Bates.
The evening is truly an industry-wide event and as Golf Management Australia (QLD) President Aaron Muirhead explained, it’s an opportunity to recognise the efforts of those behind the scenes.
“The past 12 months have been challenging for many golf administrators, boards and golf club employees with government restrictions, busy courses as well as adverse weather adding to the pressures,” said Muirhead.
“The Awards Night allows us to celebrate those who have gone over and above to keep our facilities operating effectively, an opportunity that we look forward to each year.”
Golf Course Superintendent Association (QLD) President Paul McLean has also highlighted that the event is a wonderful way to bring the industry together.
“Our golf clubs reflect on achievements separately though to celebrate successes as an industry alongside peers and partners shows our sport’s positive culture we are so very proud of,” said McLean.
To book your tickets or for further details about the QLD Golf Industry Awards Night, please visit www.qldgolfindustryawards.com.au or alternatively contact the PGA (QLD/NT) office on 07 5657 6100 or via e-mail on [email protected].
2022 finalists for their respective awards (in alphabetical order)
Golf Club of the Year
Golf Club of the Year (Under 400 Members)
Golf Supplier of the Year
Junior Program of the Year (MyGolf Centres of the Month – QLD)
Volunteer of the Year
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – Game Development
Distinguished Manager Award
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – High Performance
PGA Queensland Club Professional of the Year
PGA Queensland Management Professional of the Year
Golf Club Staff Member of the Year
Golf Club Board Member of the Year
Tournament of the Year
Superintendents Achievement Award
Metropolitan Tournament of the Year
Golf Course Assistant Superintendent Recognition Award
Regional Tournament of the Year
PGA Legends Tournament of the Year
Golf Course Turf Apprentice of the Year
Additional awards presented at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night that don’t attract finalists include:
The PGA is proud to release a new multi-channel campaign to promote the invaluable contribution that PGA Professionals make to the golfing industry every day.
The campaign, featuring TVC commercials to run on Foxtel and Kayo, as well as outdoor and online media, celebrates the vast skillset of PGA Professionals and emphasises the number of ways in which they help golfers to enjoy the game.
Here for you takes the audience on a relatable journey, serving as a reminder that wherever you are on your golfing journey, “PGA Professionals are here for you.”
From the course, to the driving range and practice facilities and into retail settings, PGA Professionals are positioned as the solution for every golfer. The heartbeat of the golf industry and the leading experts in coaching, equipment and club fitting, retail, game development and golf club management, PGA Professionals help every golfer – from the advanced, right through to the very beginner.
The campaign, which closely aligns the expertise of PGA Professionals with the PGA Professional roundel, will ensure that golfers right around Australia know who to turn to when they need assistance in any aspect of their game.
PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman emphasised the importance of ensuring that the broader golf industry is aware of the important role that PGA Professionals play.
“They are the heartbeat of the golf industry and are the leading experts in golf,” Kirkman said.
“To earn the right to wear the prestigious PGA Professional badge, aspiring Professionals must undertake a three-year PGA Membership Pathway Program. Their education and training makes them golf’s most skilled people, so when you see the PGA Professional badge, you know you are getting the very best in golf advice from a fully-qualified professional in their field.”
The campaign encourages audiences to seek out the services of their local PGA Professional, both by visiting the Find a PGA Pro website or at their local golf facility, where more than 1,700 PGA Professionals are servicing the industry every day. The campaign will run for a month on Foxtel’s sporting networks and go live later this year across outdoor media and digital display advertising.
Fate is often associated with cruel twists; destiny a pre-ordained path to the inevitable. Harrison Endycott has experienced both sides of life’s flip of the coin and it has led him to the PGA TOUR.
Endycott will make his debut as a member of the PGA TOUR in the early hours of Friday morning at the Fortinet Championship in California.
It represents both the culmination and beginning of a path that has been littered with forks in the road, forks that for many can leave childhood dreams unfulfilled.
And it all starts with a cup of coffee.
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Bob Leach would regularly frequent the Thyme Square Café in Hornsby in Sydney’s northern suburbs.
As his wife Dianne worked tirelessly in the kitchen, Brian Endycott was up front making cups of coffee and chit-chat with customers in equally large doses.
Brian saw Bob’s son Ben grow up to be a highly accomplished golfer at Avondale Golf Club and Ben would have a critical influence on Harrison Endycott’s development as a young golfer.
Previously a member at Asquith Golf Club, Brian was told that Avondale was starting a new junior program under the watch of PGA Professional Mark Paterson.
A club frequented by Prime Ministers, ex-Wallabies and titans of business was beyond the financial means of the Endycotts at that time so Ben Leach stepped in and convinced Avondale to sponsor young Harrison as a development player so that he could be coached by Paterson and his son Ben, the Assistant Professional at the time.
It was a moment in time that changed everything that followed.
“I don’t know why Mark and Ben took a shine to me,” says Endycott, pictured above with Ben, Avondale member David Donnelly and Mark.
“I’ve got no idea. I just wanted to go play good golf and I was very fortunate to be able to be mentored by that family.
“Avondale is a place in my heart that I’ve never forgotten and never will. Hopefully one day I’m in a position to give back a lot to that golf club.
“I wouldn’t be playing the PGA TOUR if it wasn’t for them.”
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As Paterson began to build a junior program from scratch, Endycott gave him a glimpse of the future.
Like most active 12-year-old boys, Endycott had visions of sporting greatness that changed by the hour.
Playing for the Wests Tigers in the NRL, playing cricket for Australia, surfing like Kelly Slater, playing rugby union for the Waratahs and playing golf on the PGA TOUR.
These were not fanciful dreams, simply options.
But there was a talent and an intensity to his golf that separated him from almost everyone else his age.
“You’re talking about 1 per cent of kids in the world,” Paterson says of those who realise seemingly impossible dreams.
“It’s pretty hard for us to say that they’re going to make it but he had the drive, the dedication and he just had this thing about his game.
“There are kids that are special. There are kids when you watch them hit a ball who are special. They get it in the hole, they know how to score. He just had all those special talents and he was good in every aspect of his game.
“He knew what he wanted in life. We set a dream for him and he’s reached that dream now.”
Tragedy would take the player-coach relationship to even greater depths.
Endycott lost his mother to ovarian cancer at just 15 years of age.
It is a time in a young man’s life where even the slightest disruption can greatly alter their direction; Harrison had to suddenly face a life without his mum.
As his father and sister both struggled to come to terms with their loss, Endycott had the Paterson family to hold him in place.
“We’ve dealt with a lot of family hardship but what Mark and Ben have done not only for me but my dad, for my sister, their whole family is unbelievable,” Endycott says.
“Not only did they develop me and help me to get to an area of my career where I wanted to get to but they’ve coached me to be the person I am and to look at life in a completely different way.
“I can’t buy that. I can go out and win 10 majors and be world No.1 but I couldn’t buy that loyalty of family.
“I’m very, very humbled to have that in my life.”
The Paterson family influence is all encompassing.
Mark was Endycott’s first coach, is now his mentor and is described by both as being “a second father”.
Ben is Endycott’s current coach and surrogate big brother, the pair talking daily from all corners of the globe.
Ben’s wife Abbey is a trained social worker who provided counselling support to the entire Endycott family and Mark’s wife Robyn has opened her heart and her home to be something of a second mother.
“We feel like we’re a village with ‘Harro’ because he’s not just a student to us. He’s more than a student to all of us. He’s like a second son to me and a brother to Ben,” Paterson adds.
It’s created a support network that has been vital in moving Endycott through the various stages it takes to join the PGA TOUR.
With financial support from some Avondale members, he spent two years battling language difficulties in South American countries playing the PGA TOUR-Latinoamerica circuit and then graduated to the cut-and-thrust of the Korn Ferry Tour, a cobblestone road toward the promise of gold.
Harrison, Mark and Ben all talked through taking the path with no promises but only opportunity, confident that the drive and determination he displayed as a kid hadn’t faded.
“He’s still got that drive. He wants to get better and better and better. And he will,” Paterson says.
Victory earlier this year at the Huntsville Championship was pivotal; the pro shop at Avondale Golf Club full of members craning to see young Harrison fulfil his destiny as the Korn Ferry Tour season reached its climax.
They will all tell you that he is just getting started, but he has already come so far.
“All because of where Bob Leach bought his coffee,” Endycott adds.
Scott Barradell, PGA Professional and Director of Golf at Melbourne’s Eastern Golf Club, is proud to drive increased female participation and engagement through an exciting Women’s Get Into Golf membership initiative.
Established in April this year, the program helps to make golf more accessible for women, promoting the invaluable physical, mental and social benefits that the game provides.
“The whole concept was around promoting golf as being something fun, social and good for both the mind and body,” Barradell says. “We are so excited to open up that opportunity.”
The program, which provides participants a free, restricted 12-month membership, is designed to align with The Eastern Golf Club’s vision to support growing participation amongst women and girls. Barradell and his team at Eastern clearly struck a chord with the local female community, as they received over 300 expressions of interest.
Initially slightly overwhelmed by the uptake, Barradell was thrilled to see so many people – and such a range – keen to be involved.
“The first induction evening was crazy with 180 people in attendance,” he recalls. “We had women of lots of different ages and abilities join, which has been great.”
From that starting point, the program has gone from strength to strength, as Barradell and his team at The Eastern Golf Club continue to offer a premium experience for their newest female golfers.
“We have had another 50 or so join since that initial night in April, he recalls. “It’s just fantastic.”
Members of the program receive a range of benefits and can enjoy a fully immersive golfing experience at Eastern. Weekly clinics and practice sessions provide a warm and welcoming environment for everyone; where participants include those totally new to the sport, some who are returning after some time away, and others simply looking for an edge.
“I think a lot of the time, there can be an intimidation factor when women are looking to get in to golf,” Barradell explains. “Essentially, we are trying to remove that.”
The clinics themselves cover every aspect of the game, to ensure that participants are able to enjoy getting out and playing, without having to face the stress of competition golf.
For Barradell, that has been a rewarding experience, too.
“We have a structure that we follow; working through chipping, putting and full swing,” he explains. “It has been something new and of course it has its challenges, but it’s just so rewarding.”
The program is also acting as a catalyst to get an increased number of women onto the course. With the benefit of having 27 holes at The Eastern Golf Club, including the Shark Waters Par 3 course, Barradell is seeing more women on the fairways than ever before.
“Our women’s fields have doubled since the start of the program,” he says.
Even after the final putt is holed, members of the Women’s Get Into Golf program are able to enjoy an all-encompassing experience at The Eastern Golf Club.
“We are running special monthly events as well,” Barradell explains. “From equipment fittings, to rules seminars and even fashion shows, we are keen to make sure we get the girls together as much as possible.”
An outstanding initiative, the Women’s Get Into Golf membership program is setting the standard for increased female engagement. Opening the door for greater participation in the game, Barradell and the team at Eastern are helping more and more people embark on their own golfing journey.
“It’s all about having more people at the golf club,” he says. “That’s a good thing for everyone.”
A PGA Professional since 1995, Barradell considers the Women’s Get Into Golf initiative as something of a watershed moment.
“The take up has just been great,” he says. “It really has to be one of the biggest success stories I have ever seen.”
