Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
There are few spare moments in the week of Perth-based PGA Professional Emma Liebenau but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
PGA Professional at Mount Lawley Golf Club.
Support Specialist at golf software provider MiClub.
MyGolf coordinator.
Wife and mother to two boys.
“I feel like I’ve got the best of both worlds. I’m really, really lucky,” says Liebenau.
“I coach Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, Thursday evenings, and then do a bit of MyGolf for schools as well. I do one day a week in the office for MiClub and then one day a week from home.
“I’ve always been flat out, Saturday, Sunday for so many years and then I realised that now the boys are full-time at school I needed to be a mum on the weekends.”
After moving from Darwin to Perth as an eight-year-old, Liebenau began attending the junior girls golf days run by Kay Lane before progressing to Melville Glades where she became a junior member.
With talent and persistence Liebenau developed to the point where she was selected to represent Australia in the Tasman Cup team but by 15 began to develop back problems that would curtail her playing days.
Even after it was suggested to her by her dad, himself a PGA Professional, that she explore the coaching route through the PGA it took special consideration to begin a traineeship.
“I tried to start my traineeship, but my back was just too bad,” she recalls.
“I played one round and I just said to them, ‘I can’t do this. My back’s not good.’
“Gavin Kirkman and Troy O’Hern were the big drivers of getting me an exemption, because this was before flexible arrangements. I was playing off 0.5 just before then so I got an exemption on my playing history, given my back condition, which I had to support with letters from surgeons outlining that it was a real injury.
“From memory Gavin told me that I was the first person to receive such an exemption.”
Liebenau completed her traineeship under the legendary Ross Metherell at Collier Park, got married and had her two boys in that time and was shortly after invited to Mount Lawley to help develop a junior program that today is the envy of many Australian clubs.
Working in cohort with Sue Thomson and Julie Lepp, Liebenau set about putting in place junior clinics with structure and consistency that parents could rely on and kids could look forward to.
“Once you create those opportunities of eight-week courses, provide structure in the lessons, turn up on time, get the basics right, you develop trust with parents. And make it fun,” she adds.
“When those juniors are ready to progress to the next level, you create another class and allow them to grow. That coaching pathway allows parents to see that their kids are developing.
“We also have a playing pathway. We’ve just introduced a five-hole modified course on a monthly basis on a Sunday afternoon that Sue and Julie are running and from there they graduate to the nine-hole course on Sunday where they can gain a handicap on the gold tees. Then they go from gold to red, then up to 18.
“It’s a slow burn but the club have recognised that juniors are the future of the club.”
Mixed in with her coaching duties is 18 hours per week with MiClub, further expanding Liebenau’s skill set and giving her cause to consider a potential move into club management in future.
“I can’t believe what I’ve learned,” says Liebenau, who has been assisting clubs in her part-time role for the past two years.
“I’ve learned some basic coding – very basic – but it’s really good to be in a really professional team in an office environment, just to see how that works.
“If I ever get a golf operations role or anything like that, it complements what I’m doing. I’m getting to speak with clubs all over Australia and people that I used to play golf with who are now golf ops managers now.
“I just love the balance. I love the IT side of it and I do think club management could be something I explore down the track.
“Golf operations would definitely be something I’d consider in the future but things will happen when they’re meant to happen.
“I know that sounds crazy, but sometimes you just keep plugging away and they’ll happen when it’s the time.”
James Macklin from Jindalee Golf Club has claimed the QLD PGA Associate Championship, coming from the clouds to clutch the tournament in a three-way playoff.
Harrison Wills, who lead the tournament from days one to three, stumbled on the last day, giving up his 6-shot lead within the first nine holes and opening the door for Macklin to pounce.
“I can’t believe I am standing here,” said Macklin, who earns a start on the 2021 QLD PGA Championship with this win.
“On Wednesday I thought I had torn my ACL and actually called the PGA informing them I was pulling out (of the tournament), but left it until I received my results, which showed the damage not so severe so I decided to play.
“It was hard to see Harrison (Wills) play like that today, but that is golf and I am glad I could come through with the win.”
On a wet and waterlogged course after heavy overnight rain which delayed the start of play, low scores were hard to come by.
Overcoming the conditions to earn spots in the three-way playoff were Dylan Gardner, who shot a final round one-under 71, and Zoe Maxwell, who posted the day’s best round of a 2-under par 70 to equal 290 at the top of the leaderboard.
Zoe Maxwell subsequently three-putted and bogeyed the first playoff hole, narrowly missing her chance to become the first ever female QLD PGA Associate Championship.
“I was nervous seeing all those people watching me,” laughed Maxwell after the round.
Macklin then produced a 15-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to edge out Gardner and seal the victory.
Tournament-long clubhouse leader Wills had a day to forget, hitting 84 – 20 more shots than his course record-equalling 64 on Monday – to slip to a tie for seventh with Peter Lyon.
Rounding out the top five were Alexander McCoy, Elliot Beel, and Bailey Arnott.
James Macklin now takes home the Carnegie Cup and $6,400 prizemoney, as well an automatic start in the 2021 QLD PGA Championship at the Nudgee Golf Club in January.
For a full scorecard please click here.
Harrison Wills is in prime position heading into the final day of the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship, teeing-off with a 6-shot lead.
An even par round of 72 in wet and windy conditions extended Wills’ margin yesterday, as his nearest chaser at the start of the day Peter Lyon shot 3-over 75 to slip down the leader board into a tie for third.
“I played well again today, other than a few wayward tee shots and two three-putts,” Wills said.
“It was a strange round and although I had those three-putts, I did have quite a few one-putts also which kept the score respectable.”
Elliott Beel from Mackay Golf Club, who finished runner up in last year’s tournament, fired a 1-under par 71, to post a 54-hole total of even par (216).
That round helped Beel climb the leader board to outright second, six shots behind Wills at the commence of today’s final round.
“I had a poor start which didn’t help with me chasing down Harry (Wills) but I did keep it together toward the end,” Beel said.
“Obviously Harry will need to falter to have any chance, but if he does I will be there to pounce”.
Low rounds of day three were produced by McLeod Golf Club’s Robert Spence and Nudgee Golf Club’s Zoe Maxwell, who nailed rounds of 2-under par 70 in the elements.
The final round begins at 11:00am today at the Windaroo Golf Club in the City of Logan.
For all scores and information please click here.
Club Catalina at Batemans Bay on the New South Wales South Coast is built around its connection to the community.
When bushfires ravaged the region and came close to encroaching on the golf course in January 2020, the clubhouse became a place of refuge for members whose houses perished in the blaze as well as serving as an overflow for the adjacent bushfire evacuation centre.
That community connection has again been evident through the time of COVID-19 as the golf course became a sanctuary for members and their guests, the club has also leant on its community for assistance.
Members have in the past conducted the club competitions and ‘Cadet Masters’ administered the junior program, the club recently took the step of bolstering the presence of PGA Professionals in their pro shop to not only better serve the members but provide a consistent delivery of service with greater attention on programs for women and juniors.
Mitchel Judd (Director of Golf) and Rodney Booth (PGA Professional) joined Club Catalina earlier this year, Judd most recently serving as the Director of Golf at Cathedral Lodge and Booth as Director of Golf at Tocumwal Golf and Bowls Club on the Murray River, their immediate focus a simple but significant one.
“Our goal is pretty simple really, we strive to be the pre-eminent golf destination on the South Coast,” says Judd.
“I believe if we focus on our people, our community and the experience our members and guests are having then everything else will look after itself.”
To achieve this Judd and Booth have set about implementing broad changes to elevate the club’s golf operations more in line with 21st century thinking.
The administration of competitions that currently run five days a week and the implementation of more formal women’s and junior programs are designed not only to improve the experience for existing members but to provide a seamless pathway for those looking to join.
“The first three months that I was here I was amazed just how active the committee was in the golfing operations,” says Booth, who relocated to Batemans Bay with his young family.
“The Club are looking to move the golfing operations forward, hence the employment of Mitchel and myself into our current roles. Club Catalina is a large scale Licensed Club, so the aim to have a stronger structure built into the golf operations has become a primary focus.
“With Mitch and I taking over the two roles it was a longer-term plan of streamlining golfing operations, as most clubs are accustomed to.
“Mitch and I are gradually involving the Golf Shop in terms of timesheet preparation, competition structure and providing that professionalism we were employed for.”
Part of that message in recent times is centred on making women feel more and more welcome at Club Catalina. The latest in the series of beginner ladies clinics is scheduled for September, where the primary goal is to make the participants feel comfortable and that the club is there for their enjoyment.
“Golf has certainly become a sport that has actively pursued increasing the engagement of females and the approach taken by Club Catalina since my arrival is certainly along these lines.” Booth says. “Driving female participation is not only essential in securing the longevity of a golf club, it shows the club is serious in the area of inclusiveness and its position within the sport.”
“We’re looking to engage with that beginner ladies crowd and show them that you don’t need to have all the flash gear or be an expert to play the game. You can come out and enjoy walking the golf course and engage yourself amongst another social outlet.
“Golf is a chance to share time and space with another group of people who they perhaps hadn’t originally thought of.
“Whether it’s men, ladies or juniors, anyone can get involved in the game. If it results in one more person on the timesheet, it is another social outlet for them to enjoy and to appreciate the club’s facilities.
“The immediate impact that Mitch and I have had is to provide a professional inclusive service that will welcome anyone to come and play at Club Catalina.”
Harrison Wills’ lead on the QLD PGA Associate Championship has been reduced to four strokes, after a tough weather-affected second round.
Wills backed up yesterday’s record-equalling round with a 2-over par 74, comprising three birdies and five bogeys, for a total score of 138.
“It is always hard mentally backing up a low score the next day,” Wills said.
“In saying that I played well again, although was disappointed with the two late bogeys.”
Grappling in second place to pick up one shot on the outright lead was Peter Lyon, who made up late ground with a back nine score of 2-under to finish the day with a round score of 1-over par 73 and sit on 142 total strokes.
“I started off poorly today but played my back nine well and I guess that has kept me in sight of Harry with 36 holes to play,” Lyon said.
“We had so much rain overnight but it was remarkable how well the course was (playing), especially the greens.”
In outright third and a further shot back after a round two score of 1-under par 71 for a 1-under par 143 total is James Macklin form the Jindalee Golf Club.
Handling the soggy conditions best was Jackson Jubelin from the Palm Meadows Golf Club, who carved-out an adroit 2-under par 70, putting him in sixth place with 146 after two days’ play.
Round 3 of the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship will begin at 11:00am tomorrow at the Windaroo Golf Club in the City of Logan.
For all scores and information please click here.
Harrison Wills equalled a 26-year-old record with a round of 8-under par 64 to lead the QLD PGA Associate Championship by five shots after the first day’s play.
“It all came together today with both my long game and the putter,” said Wills who is undertaking his PGA Membership Pathway Program at KDV Sport on the Gold Coast.
“I have not done anything different with my game other than sticking to my plan – and it is starting to pay off.”
Wills’ bogey-free round, which comprised six birdies and an eagle, matched a feat set by Wayne Perske at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club in Logan during the 1995 QLD Open, on the tight and windy course where ball control is crucial.
Not to be outdone, Mackay PGA Associate Gavin Moran added to the highlight reel by hitting a hole-in-one with his 6 iron on the par three 15th hole.
Five shots back in second place is Southport PGA Associate Peter Lyon after his 3-under 69 which included five birdies and two bogeys.
“I played really well today, other than a few shots, and it’s hard to believe I am five shots behind actually,” Lyon said.
Rounding out the top three is last year’s runner-up Elliot Beel from Mackay Golf Club who posted a 2-under par 70.
Round two of the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship will begin tomorrow morning at 7:00am at the Windaroo Golf Club in the City of Logan.
Luke Parker from the Wynnum Golf Club will return and attempt to defend his title at the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship to begin Monday at the Windaroo Lakes Golf Club, located in the City of Logan.
Although we will again be without a majority of our interstate visitors owing to travel restrictions, Parker will not have it all his own way with a number of his QLD PGA Associate peers in red hot form. Mitchell Smith (Sanctuary Cove), current QLD Order of Merit leader Bailey Arnott (Caloundra), AJ McCoy (Caloundra), two-time runner-up and City of Logan local Dean Jamieson (Hills), Elliot Beel (Mackay) and a host of other 2021 players who have won in 2021 will all be looking at denying Parker a back-to-back victory.
“I have not had the best year by way of wins however I obviously love the course and the layout suits my game,” said Parker.
“We have a strong group of players this year with a number of players having wins with really low scores so it will be a really competitive 4 days of golf.
“It has been a very competitive year thus far amongst the PGA Associates with a variety of winners, which no doubt means this week will be no different.”
For Mitchell Smith, he will be eager to add another state title to his growing list of ‘major’ wins after victories in this year’s NSW PGA Associate Championship and more recently the prestigious Pampling Plate.
“It has been a big year so far and I’m really keen to win my home state championship,” said Smith.
Again, the Windaroo Lakes Golf Club is in fantastic condition with its famous tough finishing stretch, including the par four 16th hole named ‘snake gully’ sure to play a part in who will be holding aloft the ‘Carnegie Cup’ come Thursday afternoon.
“It is our marquee event of the year to which the community and members really get behind by playing in the Pro-Am, volunteering and even just following the players,” said Windaroo Lakes Golf Club Head Professional Daniel Bird.
Logan City Council City Lifestyle Chair Councillor Laurie Koranski said it was the third time the City of Logan has hosted the championship event.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming some of Queensland’s best golfers back to our City,” Cr Koranski said.
“Windaroo Lakes Golf Club is among the best golf courses in South East Queensland and will provide the perfect backdrop for this year’s Championship.
“I wish all competitors the very best and I encourage our local golfing community to come out and show their support.”
In addition to a prize purse of $35,000, the winner of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship will also be awarded an invitation to the 2021 QLD PGA Championship on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
The winner will be crowned on Thursday afternoon, for all the scores and information on the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship please click here.
Twenty-five years after completing her PGA traineeship, Michelle Becroft is calling for an even greater focus on bringing more women into the PGA Membership Pathway Program.
I grew up an hour the other side of Horsham in a tiny little town called Goroke. Only 300 people live in Goroke and my mum was such a good golfer. My mum’s mum passed away when my mum was only four and she was raised by her aunty and uncle in a little town called Harrow. Aunty Nellie played golf and Mum wanted to take up golf. My uncle Charlie went out to a tree, found a branch that looked like a golf club, cleaned it up and gave her that and a tennis ball. That’s how she learned to play golf and she still has that branch. Still has that golf stick, her original golf stick.
My mum and dad were legends in the area. They went around to all the tournaments, they won all the mixed and my dad won a lot of club championships, as did my mum. I grew up playing tennis and really loved it but I went and played in this tournament got absolutely wiped by this girl in the final. I think I was 12. This girl was younger than me and I said to my dad, “There’s no way I’m ever going to be that good. I’m going to start playing golf.”
When I was 10 there was no golf course in Goroke but my dad had a bulldozer on our farm and he and two mates went to the local council and said, “We want to build a golf course in Goroke.” They gave them a plot of land just outside of town and my dad drove his bulldozer all the way from our farm out to this plot of land and built a golf course.
I started playing there and I played at Edenhope and then when I was nearly 15, Dad sold the farm and we moved down to Warrnambool. I played at Warrnambool for a couple of years and then I moved to Melbourne. That was how I started playing golf.
I played a lot with Karrie Webb growing up and when you play with someone like Karrie, you soon realise that you’re not good enough to make a career out of playing. But from a very young age I loved teaching. I actually wanted to be a schoolteacher and I got to a stage with my golf where I thought, You know what? I’m not good enough to be a player but I want to teach.
My best friend Jodie Hawkins – she was Jodie Adams at the time – was playing at Kooringal and David Wren was on the trainee committee at the time. He asked Jodie whether she was interested in doing a traineeship and then she rang me and said, “If I do it, will you do it too?”
We researched it and at the time you could do a 12-week course with the ALPG and become a fully qualified coach or you could do the three-year PGA Membership Pathway (Program). Obviously we thought it’d be much easier to do the 12 weeks but I just felt like there was so much more to it and so much more education. I came out with a Diploma in Business and I wanted to be well respected by my peers.
I went to Royal Melbourne, did my playing test and was accepted into the PGA but I couldn’t get a job. In the end, Wayne Rogers, who was at Werribee Park at the time and chairman of the trainee committee, rang and said, “I need a trainee, come and work for me.” That’s how I started my traineeship.
Girls didn’t work in pro shops back then. It was a very male dominated area in golf, and now I can’t tell you the amount of people who ring me and say, “I need a female pro. Do you know of anyone looking for a job?” Females are really sought after now.
I think women are more approachable in a pro shop. We tend to be more active in the pro shop as far as the shop being tidy, displays well presented. I think our phone manner is better. And I think clubs are now beginning to understand that they need to look after the women coming into their golf club better. This is where we need to embrace female membership a little bit more and embrace the women who walk into the pro shop. It’ll be interesting to see in the next 5-10 years how that’s going to shift as far as how women are represented in the pro shop environment.
Golf is the time to get away from everything in your life and go out there and be in beautiful surrounds and enjoy that time that you’re outside with friends. There’s no reason not to play golf and I think that that’s one of the things that we’ve got to get across to women. There’s no reason not to play golf, except the fact that it has been a male dominated sport in the past. That’s a perception that we need to change.
There are currently around 150 female PGA Professionals throughout Australia. For information on how you can become a PGA Professional and unlock a myriad of career opportunities in the industry, head to www.pga.org.au/education/academy/membership-pathway-program/
A wave pool, integrated resort and replica of the famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass are the latest development proposals put forward by Parkwood Village as it seeks to become a major tourism destination on the Gold Coast.
Once a destitute golf course overlooked by visitors who preferred the high-end resorts that has made the Gold Coast one of Australia’s most popular destinations, Parkwood’s transformation has shown the Australian golf industry an innovative way in which to approach their operations.
By converting the driving range into a rugby league field Parkwood was able to entice the NRL Gold Coast Titans to take up residency and by incorporating medical suites, yoga studio and kids trampoline park made the facility a buzzing hive of activity.
The golf offering has also been upgraded with dramatic improvements to the layout and presentation of the par-69 golf course, new mini golf facility and Topgolf Swing Suites that connect directly with the bar and restaurant.
At the heart of it all is PGA Professional Luke Altschwager.
Hailing from Adelaide, Altschwager completed his PGA traineeship at Royal Adelaide Golf Course and arrived at Parkwood in 2009 conscious that the industry was not advancing beyond the limitations it had placed on itself.
Rather than looking for a new twist on the way things had always been done, Altschwager invested countless hours examining the retail space, learning about the development process and attending seminars focused on the entertainment and hospitality experience.
As Managing Director and in consultation with Parkwood’s group of owners, Altschwager set to redefine what a golf facility could look like… and they’re just getting started.
“This particular surf park is something that we haven’t yet seen in Australia but there are going to be some exciting innovations when it comes to the golf course too,” Altschwager said.
“There are a number of ideas that we’re tossing around and everything is up for discussion.
“We might look at a structure whereby we have two shotgun starts every day at 7.30am and 12.30pm. We might fit out the golf carts so that you can watch the footy while you’re having a hit on a Sunday afternoon.
“We want our 18th hole to be as close to a recreation of the 17th at TPC Sawgrass as possible and make that an experience that people want to capture on their phones and share on social media.
“The golf course itself won’t ever be considered one of the best in the country but we think we can design a pretty special par-70 layout that people will want to play over and over again.”
The latest step toward Parkwood Village’s integrated golf and surf resort was the lodgement of a Change Other Application which, when combined with the existing approved Development Application, will result in a mixed-use hub of sport and recreation, comprising various ancillary and primary uses for the site.
The ‘Endless Surf Wave Lagoon’ will be the equivalent of three football fields in length, pump out 12-second rides every eight seconds and have the capacity to cater to every level of surfer from beginner to professional.
“The variety and quality of waves is going to truly revolutionise the sport,” Altschwager added.
“To complement the surf park, we will be completely redeveloping and upgrading the existing 18-hole golf course, with a brand new golf clubhouse and practice facilities overlooking the 18th hole.”
The proposed integrated resort will incorporate a range of mixed-use facilities, including a hotel with some private residences, offices, education, a health, sports and recreation precinct, as well as a collective food and beverage experience that comprises a large casual dining experience with both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the wave pool.
The collective will incorporate foot and beverage outlets including a craft brewery, market kitchens, café, bakery and various restaurant options, as well as an event and festival hall, sports bar and gaming lounge, bowling alley and kids adventure playground.
“The objective is that by 2023, Parkwood Village will be an exciting sports and family venue that not only adds value to the Gold Coast’s tourism industry, as well as a fun family destination for locals, but also has the facilities to create an elite training environment for athletes across various disciplines,” added Altschwager.
It’s not a skill that can be learned in a textbook, through an online course or by watching a video on YouTube.
Tony Di Tommaso’s innate ability to not only remember the names of his members at Carbrook Golf Club but their football team of choice, names of partners and golf ball preference comes from his passion for people, a passion he has shared with indentured trainees for the past 30 years.
It comes naturally to Di Tommaso, but he is adamant that a passion for the club and the people you are serving will bring such a talent out in anyone.
The PGA Professional at Carbrook in Brisbane’s south-east since March 1991, Di Tommaso has guided a dozen trainees through the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program and as they worked hard on their studies and playing, urged them to take great joy in the career path they had chosen.
“I try to make sure they’re gregarious in terms of talking to the members, not just treating it as a 38-hour-a-week job,” says Di Tommaso, who has worked alongside younger brother Paul for the majority of those 30 years at Carbrook.
“One of my great assets is the ability to listen to people and create conversation that engages them.
“It’s not talking down to them or listening to them and not caring about what they’ve got to say.
“I try to get that across to my kids, to really engage in the conversation and bring out the best in their personality.
“I’ve got a young guy working with me at the moment from Colombia and he says to me, ‘How do you know everybody?’
“It’s just about paying attention and showing people that you care.”
One of the PGA Assocaites to have come through under Di Tommaso is current Carbrook Golf Club General Manager, Scott Wagstaff.
Wagstaff, who has since employed another Di Tommaso graduate in Angus Porter as the club’s Manager of Membership and Development, believes it is his manner with the members and visitors that has entrenched Di Tommaso as a fixture at Carbrook.
“He’s always looked after others, whether that’s an Associate or a member,” says Wagstaff, who completed his PGA credentials under Di Tommaso from 1997-1999.
“He’s often put others in front of his own needs, to his detriment in some instances.
“He will look after people and make that his highest priority and if he happens to make some money then that’s a bonus.
“That’s why someone like Tony has lasted more than 30 years, because everyone rates him as a human being.”
Growing up four doors down from The Brisbane Golf Club, Di Tommaso’s first foray into the golf industry was to fox balls for Errol Hartvigsen out the back of the pro shop.
A talented junior athlete, he began playing, did some caddying, won the 1979 Queensland Junior Championship and then in 1984 began his traineeship under Hartvigsen.
There was time on tour playing the mining towns littered throughout the Queensland Sunshine Tour – where he honed his skill for remembering names of pro-am partners – spent time working in the pro shop at both Brisbane and Indooroopilly before ultimately accepting the position at Carbrook at the start of 1991.
When he joined Carbrook Michael Billington was into the final year of his traineeship, Di Tommaso taking great pride in the relationships he has forged and the people he has guided through the PGA program.
“I’ve probably had about a dozen trainees, and I still have a great relationship with all of them,” says Di Tommaso.
“They’ve always enjoyed their time and I think that’s because I’ve never looked down on any of them. I’ve always tried to treat them as equals.
“It’s been my life, and my brother’s life, and I just feel like I want to keep fostering the game and to keep people playing golf.
“If I can pass that onto the trainees that come through Carbrook then hopefully that has a positive impact on the industry as a whole.”
