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In 15 years of playing pro-ams throughout the country PGA Professional Paul Williamson saw all manner of faults among amateur golfers.
Poor decision-making, succumbing to pressure and weird and wonderful swings that often defied the laws of physics gave him a grounding on what the vast of majority of golfers need to play better.
High performance coaches such as Matt Ballard have told Williamson that the thought of coaching those who can’t break 90 is akin to torture. Yet for the Emerald Lakes Golf Club-based PGA Professional it is his personal experience that makes him the perfect option for such golfers.
The concept of ‘building a brand’ among individuals sounds to many like a lesson in developing an inflated ego but Williamson has come to learn that a PGA Professional’s personal brand need not be anything more than the story behind why they are the coach that they are.
“Why do I coach the way I coach and what do I truly believe about what people need?” says Williamson, who has become a mentor with the RGX Coaching Training system.
“That then resonates with a certain amount of people. It also helps me to identify that the person standing in front of me who just wants to cure their slice is probably not my ideal client.
“Become very clear on your core beliefs about why you coach the way you do. Some coaches like to use technology and know the numbers and there are a ton of golfers out there who are exactly like that and respond best to that.
“Understanding your why, your story and how you are different to everyone else. From there it’s about creating an understanding amongst people that you might be someone they would like to be involved with.
“The brand – my story – has helped to create the tribe that is bringing more people in who are in turn telling the story for me.”
The combination of a clear personal brand with the internationally recognised symbol of the PGA of Australia is a powerful one.
The PGA brand is synonymous with golf excellence and expertise across the globe and should be used in conjunction with a PGA Professional’s own personal identity.
“When our PGA Professionals combine a strong personal brand with the recognition of the PGA brand, they present an excellent image to golfers – skills, knowledge, experience and strength,” says PGA of Australia GM of Membership and Education, Geoff Stewart.
“I encourage all of our PGA Members to consider their personal brand and ensuring the recognition of the PGA brand is incorporated.
“Our most successful PGA Members in a range of roles ensure the PGA brand is a component of their overall, effective personal brand.
“Don’t rely solely on external brands for career success. Your long-term career success is primarily determined by your personal brand – your knowledge, skills and experience and how you convey this to new and existing golfers.”
It was a focus on new golfers and the lack of lessons being undertaken by the existing membership at Rosebud Country Club that shaped Matt Bolton’s career trajectory.
In addition to the establishment of Bolton Performance Golf with club-fitting capabilities and the latest in technology, Bolton developed a program that enticed new golfers into the club and fostered an environment that has converted many into Rosebud members.
“One of the things that I have worked out over my time is that people don’t want to look stupid,” offers Bolton.
“We try to create an environment that isn’t like that. It’s welcoming, it’s an environment where people want to come and they don’t feel like they’re being watched.
“We developed a program called Learn to Golf. It is a six-month program and teaches them everything from rules and etiquette to basic technique and how to score for the regular formats that we play.
“The whole idea was to get those students to a point where they could join as a nine-hole member at the end of the six months.
“My pitch to the Board was that if we have these people here for six months they’re not going to go anywhere else; you’ve got a captive audience.
“Before COVID-19 we had two groups of 20 participants and we signed up 18 as members.
“If you work out the recurring spend over five years on just those 18 new members there is a lot of revenue there for golf clubs.”
Williamson’s way of differentiating himself from other golf coaches was to offer a guarantee of improvement.
‘Get Good at Golf’ guarantees that those currently shooting scores of 90 and above that they will improve by 10 shots per round if they follow Williamson’s instruction for a 10-week period.
It speaks to those Williamson knows he can help in a way that resonates with all golfers who want to get better.
“The people who sign up and accept those conditions know that I am going to keep coaching them for free until they get to their 10-shot target,” Williamson explains.
“That guarantee is something that entices a lot of people in.
“Is that for everyone? No, not even close. But it is for those who are fed up with whatever’s not been working.
“I’m getting the right people and there’s not one person on my books right now that I don’t really enjoy coaching. I’m really excited to get up in the morning and help every one of them.
“By understanding my ‘why’ I’ve created my own tribe who enjoy what I’m doing.
“And it means that I’m not getting lost in the crowd.”
Jake Higginbottom has won the Gunnedah Golf Club, Stripes Engineering & Komatsu Pro-Am at Gunnedah Pro-Am by three strokes.
Facing a tricky crosswind that whipped across the course all day, Higginbottom took advantage of the two par-5s on the course to move up leaderboard at the PGA Pro-Am Series event.
An eagle on the par-5 fourth hole, following by a birdie on the par-5 sixth went a long way to helping the Asian Tour player take victory with a round of 5-under 65.
“I’ve never had the chance to play here before but from talking to the boys the course has come a long way in the last 12 months,” said Higginbottom.
“It’s great to have something to play in after the year we’ve had so I’d like to thank Gunnedah Golf Club for hosting us today.”
Matthew Jones and Jordan Widdicombe tied for second place at 2-under the card, ahead of Justin Warren, Aaron Townsend and Martin Dive at 1-under.
The NSW swing of the PGA Pro-Am Series now moves to the Coffs Harbour Golf Club for the North Coast Open in early December.
View the final Gunnedah Golf Club, Stripes Engineering & Komatsu Pro-Am leaderboard at pga.org.au.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ commitment to 100 per cent recycled packaging is a good news story that PGA Professionals should share with golfers.
What’s a bottle of water worth to your business? $2? $3?
What if the perceived value of that bottle of water to the consumer stretched into a positive environmental message and a feeling of increased goodwill toward their golf club?
The commitment by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners to reduce packaging waste and achieve ‘packaging neutrality’ by 2030 is one that should be celebrated within the golf industry.
Recent studies have shown the positive impacts that golf courses have on the environment and as a valued partner of the PGA of Australia, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is opening the door to an important conversation and an initiative that every golfer can get behind.
Point to the packaging on bottles of Mount Franklin that display the 100% Recycled Plastic branding. Advise golfers of the recycling programs in place at your club and where they can return empty bottles at the end of their round. Make each consumer feel good about the choices they are making when they grab a drink from the fridge.
“We’ve heard the community message loud and clear that packaging waste is unacceptable,” says Peter West, Managing Director of Australian Beverages at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
All Coca-Cola soft drink brands (600ml and below) and all water brands (600ml and below) in Australia are now being produced in 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles. This includes Mount Franklin spring water and Powerade as well as Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta.
“Our 600ml still spring Mount Franklin bottle and our 600ml soft drink bottles now feature a message encouraging Australians to recycle in the right way so they can be made into bottles again,” says Ben Thiele, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ National Business Manager for Golf.
“We believe that this is a great conversation for PGA Professionals to have with all golfers and a positive message for those clubs who stock Coca-Cola Europacific Partners products.”
The extent of the positive impacts that Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ responsible packing commitment are many and varied, upholding lofty company targets and leading the way in government campaigns such as Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets.
In addition to ensuring that each bottle has more than one life through its manufacturing process, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is reducing its carbon footprint in the way it sources and bottles the water in each of its Mount Franklin bottles.
The water is sustainably sourced from Australian springs, bottled and transported within Australia, the end-to-end value chain including the manufacturing processes, packaging formats, delivery fleet, refrigeration
equipment and ingredient sourcing resulting in a 25 per cent reduction in carbon footprint.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ commitment to using recycled plastic builds on sustainable packaging initiatives to reduce or replace plastic across the whole portfolio. This includes 7 out of 10 plastic bottles in Australia now being made entirely from recycled plastic, removing plastic straws from sale, light-weighting (making plastic bottles less heavy so the production and distribution process is more efficient) and forming partnerships with
environmental organisations to clean up waste in the environment.
In June last year Coca-Cola Europacific Partners began rolling out recycled plastic packaging for their carbonated beverage line for the first time in Australia; another way in which they are helping to keep our golf courses beautiful.
“Such initiatives are the perfect example of why Coca-Cola Europacific Partners are such a valued partner of the PGA of Australia,” said PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman.
“Knowing that the drinks they sell in their pro shops are being produced and sourced in a sustainable manner should act as an extra selling point for our PGA Members.”
The PGA of Australia will launch a national campaign from next week celebrating the invaluable role of PGA Professionals in the industry.
The campaign – featuring three television commercials and outdoor media – aims to bring to prominence the vast skillset of PGA Professionals and enhance the recognition of the coveted PGA Professional accreditation badge.
“On the back of golf’s pandemic-inspired boom, we have seen thousands of new and returning golfers flood our fairways and facilities. Our multi-channel campaign is targeted to assist first-time golfers to understand who they can turn to for coaching or fitting advice and reinforce to existing golfers the important role and function of PGA Professionals,” said Gavin Kirkman, PGA of Australia’s chief executive.
“The fun, fresh and creative way in which we have promoted our PGA Professionals helps illustrate strongly that our Members are more than just good golfers. They are the heartbeat of the golf industry and are the leading experts in coaching, equipment and club fitting, retail, game development and golf club management.
“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 person, so when you see the PGA Professional badge, you know you are getting the very best in golfing advice from a fully qualified professional in their field.”
This campaign sees the creation of a fictional character, Dale the Driving Ranger, who hilariously attempts to give advice to golfers using a series of bizarre coaching techniques. Dale adorns a child-like Sherriff’s badge with the words ‘Driving Ranger’ scrawled over it on masking tape. The ad concludes by illustrating that the only badge that should be trusted is that of a PGA Professional, and acknowledges that they are golf’s only accredited professional coaches.
The outdoor advertising encourages audiences to get a lesson and fitting by a PGA Professional and will be showcased in high traffic locations across Australia.
Some of the golf industry’s leading equipment manufacturers – Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Cobra Puma Golf and Mizuno – have all assisted in widening the reach of this campaign by providing their support.
“These golf brands have been pivotal to bringing this campaign to life,” Kirkman said.
“They – like us – believe that a healthy golf industry is reliant on the success of PGA Professionals. We are proud to unite with these quality brands and thank them wholeheartedly for embracing this campaign.”
The PGA Professional campaign goes live later this month.
Currently the Singapore Golf Association National Coach, PGA Professional Matt Ballard is renowned for his short game expertise. In 2017 he helped to prepare Adam Scott for The Masters where he finished tied for ninth. Here he shares the challenge posed by Augusta National’s green complexes and the drills he used to sharpen Scott’s short game.
To the right of the par-4 11th. Over the back of both the par-5 13th and 15th holes.
At some stage over the course of 72 holes the winner of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club will be required to display some short-game wizardry that keeps their name at the top of the leaderboard.
The back of 15 is the perfect example of players having to control their spin and trajectory to land their ball in the section of the green that gives them the best chance to get up-and-down.
If you miss at the back-left of 13 you have to chip it up from that little valley and stop it on the top tier. I’ve seen players chip in and others chip it off the other side and almost into Rae’s Creek.
They’re the holes and shots that I like watching because the best players in the world have to fly it into the right portion of the green and control their spin.
Whether I am coaching club golfers, elite amateurs or helping professionals, my starting point is to make sure the player understands the low point in their swing and that they can hit it on a consistent basis.
I’m a big advocate of players understanding how to hit the ground and where to hit the ground. A lot of golfers try and achieve ball-first contact but in my mind that’s where a lot of issues come in.
Putting the ball back in your stance and pushing your hands forward are the two biggest mistakes that I see amateurs make. It leads to hitting the ground with the leading edge and effectively negates using the sole of the club and the trailing edge.
I like to have the ball more forward, have the shaft more neutral at address and the face slightly open. That set-up change alone will help a fair portion of amateurs who struggle with their chipping.
Back in 2017 I worked with Scotty on a short-game training plan for the shots he would need at Augusta.
One drill that I had him do was to chip from a spot off the green and using the same club land the ball in three different segments – just on the green, six-feet on and 12-feet on – and still have his ball stop next to the pin.
By varying his landing zones Scotty had to control both the energy of the ball, flight of the ball and subsequent spin to get the ball as close to the hole as possible.
A slight variation on that is to put a club on the green and play three different shots to get the ball close to the hole; one where the ball bounces twice before going over the club, then once and then have the ball carry the club on the full (below).
Golf is a sport in which we are constantly trying to control where the ball stops but few players give due consideration to – particularly in shots into the green – creating a predictable first bounce.
Being really specific about where the ball lands on the green is really important because that is how we create the most predictable first bounce possible.
When players survey the green before playing a chip shot or a pitch shot they are looking for the flat spot and if they land the ball in a certain position whether it will kick left, right or go forward. Do I want the ball to kick forward? Do I want it to check?
The complexities of greens such as those at Augusta and Royal Melbourne are such that you might want to fly the ball onto a different tier to get a certain kick so that it then can release down to the hole. Sometimes it can be like trying to land your golf ball on a frying pan in a certain spot to get the desired first bounce but if you can control that first bounce then ultimately the player can predict where their ball is likely to stop.
Your ability to control spin is paramount coming into the green because if you mis-hit your chip and it comes out with no spin, it will kick forward, roll and can get away on you very quickly.
When the margins for error are so tight it can make even good chippers look stupid but the ones who have good control with clean contact and can land their ball in the right sections will look like geniuses.
And quite possibly leave with a green jacket.
The PGA of Australia’s state PGA Professionals Championship schedule has been finalised with tournaments to take place across the country in November and December.
PGA Professionals are set to test their skills alongside their colleagues from the 29 November at the Tasmanian PGA Professionals Championship at Claremont Golf Club, followed by events in NSW/ACT, Western Australia, Queensland/Northern Territory and finally the PGA Professionals Championship of South Australia on 7 December. A Victorian date will be advised in due course.
Although the PGA Professionals Championship Final will not be played in 2020 a variety of exemptions will be available for participants including in state PGA Championship tournaments to be played in 2021.
In addition, an increase in prizezmoney will see players vie for a share of more than $33,000 across the state PGA Professionals Championship events.
Competitors will also receive complimentary gifts thanks to championship partners including Acushnet and Club Car.
“It has been an extremely challenging year for PGA Professionals across the country,” said PGA of Australia State Manager – QLD/NT/WA, Broc Greenhalgh.
“Through floods, bushfires, a global pandemic, lockdowns and everything that 2020 has thrown at them they have shown an incredible resilience and ability to adapt during these tough times.
“While we are unable to run our final at Hamilton Island Golf Club this year, we hope to provide participating PGA Professionals with a fantastic experience in their home states as a reward for everything they have done for the industry over the past 10 months.”
| Date | Event | Venue |
| 29th November | PGA Professionals Championship of Tasmania (in conjunction with Tasmanian PGA Championship) | Claremont Golf Club |
| 1st December | PGA Professionals Championship of NSW/ACT | Castle Hill Country Club |
| 1st December | PGA Professionals Championship of Western Australia | Wembley Golf Complex |
| 2nd December | PGA Professionals Championship of QLD/NT | Sanctuary Cove GCC |
| 7th December | PGA Professionals Championship of South Australia | Grange GC |
| December (TBA) | PGA Professionals Championship of Victoria | Sandhurst Club |
In the midst of a two-year project to build 28 new holes across the 36-hole facility in Brisbane’s northern suburbs, Nudgee Golf Club lost 19 of 20 critical workdays during February due to rain.
And then the coronavirus pandemic struck.
The club closed its doors on March 23 and arrangements had to be made for some of those carrying out the civil and irrigation works on the James Wilcher design to be granted access from New South Wales into Queensland, with specific health plans developed for the workplace to enable construction to continue.
“Whilst it’s been difficult, we’ve been able to operate and move forward, which has been fantastic,” says Nudgee Golf Club General Manager and PGA Professional Darren Richards.
When people were permitted to play golf again demand drastically outstripped supply and with only 18 holes to utilise, Nudgee made the decision to move to ‘members only’ with a request made to the membership to be considerate of others in how many times a week they played.
Richards’ operations know-how and understanding of the wants and needs of members enabled the club to prosper while navigating an all-encompassing time of change.
In a challenging environment the benefits of having a PGA Professional in a management position at the club have been countless.
The golf industry’s willingness to share expertise and encourage learning was a defining aspect of Richards’ introduction to the career of a PGA Professional.
“Don Gregory was a great mentor for me, giving myself my first golf job at Pacific Golf Club as a junior,” Richards explains.
“In typical Don style he said, ‘If you’re going to be here every day you may as well be useful and work for me’.”
Since then Richards has been building a bank of golf knowledge that equipped him with the skill set required to navigate such unpredictable winds.
A traineeship under Hugh Dolan at The Brisbane Golf Club was followed by five years out on tour before 10 years at Indooroopilly. The role as General Manager at Ipswich Country Club was next before his latest position as General Manager at Nudgee.
Richards was named the 2019 PGA Management Professional of the Year for the way in which he guided the club through the course reconstruction in the wake of land resumption by the Queensland State Government.
He has needed all of his expertise to manage the variety of issues thrust his way the past six months in addition to pro-shop operations at the club bring brought in-house.
“Certainly my golf knowledge in being able to run a pro shop at the same time as being under Government restrictions was needed more than ever before,” Richards admits.
“Luckily that’s my background and I was comfortable explaining to people what we were doing and why we were doing it.
“Understanding what golfers want at their club, having the background to be able to be flexible in the way we played the golf course and then to run the pro shop at the same time was a challenge but having done it before provided a sense of calm across the management team that it was going to be OK.
“It’s definitely been a huge advantage being a PGA Member as the GM at that time.”
For the first time since the coronavirus struck Nudgee returned to 27 holes on the weekend of August 1, paving the way for an expansion from 224 players to 334, all of which were eagerly snapped up on that first Saturday.
That came as 14,000 square metres of turf was laid and marked the opening of the new sixth hole on the East Course, the club expecting that there will be as many as an additional eight new holes for members to play by the end of the year.
In the midst of such upheaval and ever-changing operational procedures, Richards has seen opportunity.
Nudgee is one of a large number of Australian golf clubs to have experienced significant membership growth in the past five months and intend to continue some of the innovations born out of necessity.
“We’ve been looking as an industry as to how to make golf quicker and playing in groups of two certainly had that affect here at Nudgee,” Richards says.
“We’ve been having competitions every day and playing in twos on Monday morning we regularly had groups finishing in three hours. That’s something we’re looking to continue even when we’re back to full capacity.
“With our course configuration at present we’ve got the ability for members to play six holes and they love that, to be able to come out and play six holes, have a drink with their friends and be home in less than two hours.
“The golf industry can be slow to adjust at times but I really hope that the experience and the interest we have seen the past few months encourages us managers to try new ways of doing things.
“It’s a great opportunity for golf as a whole to capture those people, impress them with your service, impress them with your facilities and get them back more regularly.”
Main image: Nudgee Golf Club
Robert Kennedy and David Paddison have won the inaugural NSW/ACT 4BBB Handicap Matchplay final 2&1 at Pennant Hills Golf Club over Dimitrios Papadatos and Michael Smyth.
Kennedy and Paddison made the perfect start on the first hole with Kennedy making a tap in birdie from two feet to take the early lead.
Papadatos’s length off the tee helped the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia champion take advantage of the par-5 third hole, finding the green in two and making birdie to square the match.
Paddison and Kennedy hit back on the par-4 fourth thanks to a birdie from Paddison that restored his team’s lead.
After a win on the seventh hole Kennedy and Paddison found themselves 2UP through nine holes. An additional birdie on the 10th took the pair to 3UP with the Papadatos, Smyth duo fighting to make up the deficit.
On the extremely difficult par-3 13th, however, Smyth made a magnificent shot. The New South Welshman knocked his 5 iron to six feet to make birdie and win the hole, elevating hopes that a win was still within reach.
A crucial 15 foot par from Kennedy to halve the 16th hole kept the game steady for the Paddison, Kennedy duo with two holes to play.
On the par-4 17th both Kennedy and Paddison found the fairway and the green, putting huge pressure on Papadatos and Smith in the closing stages. When Smyth’s chip in for birdie narrowly missed all Kennedy needed to do was two putt for the win and victory was theirs.
“We’ve really enjoyed getting to play some competitive golf and catch up with our fellow PGA Members. It’s been great,” said Kennedy.
The PGA would like to thank all of the clubs that hosted our PGA Members for this event, in particular the Pennant Hills Golf Club for giving the PGA access to their course for the final.
He received $100 for topping the Section Qualifier three weeks ago and now Australian PGA Professional Craig Hocknull will compete for a share of the $US7 million on offer at the PGA TOUR’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Drawn in the last group of the opening round alongside Michael Gligic and Matt Wilson, it’s a rare chance for the 45-year-old to continue to test his game amongst the very best in world golf.
A two-time participant in the US PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019, Hocknull’s only previous appearance at a regular PGA TOUR event was the 2017 Waste Management Phoenix Open, rounds of 75-72 not enough to qualify for the weekend.
“The confidence that I gained from Phoenix was huge because I got to hit balls next to Phil Mickelson, play practice rounds with Webb Simpson,” Hocknull said prior to the 2018 PGA Championship.
“There wasn’t anything that I saw in their games that was so far above and beyond my own that it would have intimidated me.”
The Director of Instruction at Glenwild Golf Club and Spa in Park City, Utah, Hocknull is a former trick-shot exponent who spent time in Darwin and Adelaide before completing his schooling at the Kooralbyn International School west of the Gold Coast.
An invitation to play golf at Jackson University in Mississippi took Hocknull to the United States where in 2015-2016 he was named by Golf Digest as the Best in State Teacher for Arizona.
Other Aussies who Hocknull will run shoulders this week are Jason Day, Cameron Smith, Matt Jones, Cameron Davis and Greg Chalmers as well as Kiwi Danny Lee.
After a strong showing at last week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open the Aussies in Europe move down to London for one of the European Tour’s most storied titles, the BMW PGA Championship.
It’s been 30 years since Mike Harwood joined Rodger Davis as the only Aussies to win at Wentworth but the likes of Lucas Herbert, Wade Ormsby and Min Woo Lee will enter the week full of confidence on the back of strong recent performances.
Hannah Green will endeavour to defend her KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club and veteran John Senden joins the Korn Ferry Tour contingent at the Orange County National Championship in Florida.
Round 1 tee times (AEDT)
LPGA Tour
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
11.49pm Su Oh, Alison Curdt, Sei Young Kim
2.50am* Sarah Kemp, Kendall Dye, Sarah Schmelzel
4.01am Lydia Ko, Charley Hull, Nelly Korda
4.07am* Hannah Green, Brooke M. Henderson, Danielle Kang
4.18am* Katherine Kirk, Cydney Clanton, Bianca Pagdanganan
4.23am Minjee Lee, Sarah Jane Smith, Eun-Hee Ji
* Starting from 10th tee
Defending champion: Hannah GreenPast Aussie winners: Jan Stephenson (1982), Karrie Webb (2001), Hannah Green (2019)
Top Aussie prediction: Katherine Kirk
TV schedule: Live 4am-8am Friday and Saturday; Live 2.30am-6am Sunday; Live 2.30am-5am Monday on Fox Sports 503
PGA TOUR
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada
1.25am Cameron Smith, Lanto Griffin, DA Points
1.55am* Greg Chalmers, Troy Merritt, Brendan Steele
2.35am Cameron Davis, Vaughn Taylor, Scott Stallings
6.15am Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Hideki Matsuyama
6.55am Danny Lee, Doc Redman, Harry Higgs
7.15am* Matt Jones, Maverick McNealy, Kristoffer Ventura
7.25am* Craig Hocknull, Michael Gligic, Matt Wilson
* Starting from 10th tee
Defending champion: Kevin Na
Past Aussie winners: Greg Norman (1986), Stuart Appleby (2003), Andre Stolz (2004), Rod Pampling (2017)
Top Aussie prediction: Jason Day
TV schedule: Live 8am-11am Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Fox Sports 503
European Tour
BMW PGA Championship
Wentworth Golf Club, Surrey, England
6.15pm Min Woo Lee, Haotong Li, Kristoffer Broberg
6.45pm* Scott Hend, Joachim B. Hansen, David Horsey
7.05pm Lucas Herbert, Joël Stalter, Jorge Campillo
10.05pm* Jason Scrivener, Sami Valimaki, Andrea Pavan
10.25pm* Wade Ormsby, Ryan Fox, Lucas Bjerregaard
* Starting from ninth tee
Defending champion: Danny Willett
Past Aussie winners: Rodger Davis (1986), Mike Harwood (1990)
Top Aussie prediction: Lucas Herbert
TV schedule: Live 9.30pm-3.30am Thursday and Friday; Live 9pm-2.30am Saturday; Live 10.30pm-2.30am Sunday on Fox Sports 503
Korn Ferry Tour
Orange County National Championship
Panther Lake Course, Winter Garden, Florida
10.30pm Brett Coletta, Scott Langley, John Chin
10.30pm* Curtis Luck, Rick Lamb, Grant Hirschman
11.10pm Brett Drewitt, Tyrone Van Aswegen, Taylor Pendrith
12.10am* Harrison Endycott, Zach Wright, Mickey DeMorat
4am* John Senden, Trey Mullinax, Alex Cejka
4.20am* Jamie Arnold, Brian Campbell, Taylor Moore
4.50am Nick Voke, Conrad Shindler, Chip McDaniel
5am* Ryan Ruffels, Callum Tarren, Braden Thornberry
* Starting from 10th tee
Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Brett Coletta
Champions Tour
SAS Championship
Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, North Carolina
Aussies in the field: Stephen Leaney, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling
Defending champion: Jerry Kelly
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Rod Pampling
TV schedule: 11am-12.30pm Saturday; Live 6am-8am Sunday; Live 5.30am-8am on Fox Sports 503
Golf is experiencing a pandemic-inspired boom, a new report has confirmed.
In its Australian Golf Rounds – Trends and Impacts of Covid-19 report, Golf Australia confirms that despite parts of Victorian golf being shuttered for extended periods of 2020, year-to-date rounds played nationally are down only 1 per cent by the end of August.
If Victoria is removed from the data, that figure has actually surged to a four per cent gain.
Importantly for the industry and its future, rounds played by people in the 20-49 age range have skyrocketed in the past four months.
Since the “first wave” of Covid-19 restrictions in April, demand in that cohort has climbed by 44 per cent, meaning a total 22 per cent lift on 2019.
Golf Australia’s general manager of golf development David Gallichio was cautiously optimistic about the findings, compiled by Golf Business Advisory Services.
“Obviously 2020 has been full of extraordinary challenges that we wish nobody had to confront,” he said.
“But given the problems we’ve all faced, it’s very pleasing for so many clubs around Australia to see some positive news.
“More importantly, it gives us data and an opportunity as an industry to reset our focus towards ensuring we capitalise when things `normalise’.
“It’s no secret that clubs around Australia have sought younger members for years now, so if we can convert this surge in interest into meaningful long-term numbers for our clubs and facilities, then that’s a blessing, albeit in a heavy disguise.
“It is important to note that our clubs and facilities in Victoria have been heavily impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, with golf in metropolitan Melbourne still shut down.
“While there are some positives across the country, our clubs/facilities in Victoria will need significant assistance moving forward to ensure that the good results we have seen elsewhere can be replicated and built upon in Victoria.”
Among the report’s findings, the month-to-month figures had been slightly down to start 2020 than in 2019. That figure then compounded when the initial wave of closures was experienced nationally in April, dropping rounds played by an alarming 16 per cent.
But since the first Covid-19 wave, all markets have enjoyed a material bounce with both male and female demand up by 21 per cent since.
Metropolitan markets are 27 per cent up, while regional numbers are up 17 per cent in comparison to 2019.
Click here to read the full report.
