Born into a golfing family, Sarka’s father – himself a PGA Professional – owned and ran a driving range facility in the Czech Republic. 

“I spent every day there from the age of five,” she recalls. “I got quite good and spent a couple of years in the national squad as a junior.” 

A prodigious talent, Sarka fell out of love with the game when matters of performance began to take precedence over enjoyment. So, after a phone call to the national squad, she put the clubs down for a decade, and began the hunt for a different challenge. 

“I wanted to move away from home; to go somewhere I would need to learn the language and test myself,” she says. “I came to Australia because it is so far away, and I couldn’t just go home when I got uncomfortable.” 

After completing a Cert III in Fitness and working in restaurants Down Under, Sarka found her way back to golf, this time with a renewed perspective as a 25-year-old. 

“I was working at Barnwell Park Golf Club in Sydney, and they encouraged me to join the Membership Pathway Program (to become a PGA Professional),” she recalls. 

“I always had a dream to be a good player, but often in that early time in Australia, I felt a bit of an outsider – that I didn’t belong. 

“That changed once I started teaching golf. I found that I really enjoyed it and found it very fulfilling.” 

Since graduating as a qualified PGA Professional in 2023, Sarka has been dedicated to sharing the joys of golf with more women than ever before. 

Having worked at the innovative GolfSpace facility in Sydney – where she was responsible for boosting female engagement – Sarka wanted to challenge herself further; accepting a role as Teaching Professional at Education City Golf Club in Qatar. 

Home to three golf courses and a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence that includes a 3D Gears system, Trackman technology and a SAM Balance Puttlab, Sarka feels at home. 

“I fell in love with the facility immediately,” she says. 

“There is so much practice space and even a fully private studio to allow for Muslim women to have lessons in privacy.” 

It is an environment that allows Sarka to pursue what she describes as “a mission to help women feel more empowered through sport”. 

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The busiest of the teaching professionals in just her third month, Sarka ran a campaign targeted at women and girls in February, which reached more than 200,000 people. 

“The main thing for me here is to get more local Qatari women through the door,” she says. 

“We want to build a community of women golfers. 

“Helping people to feel like they can belong, create connections and motivate each other, that is what it is all about.  

“And if they want to go a step further and take the game more seriously, we have the resources here to help them do that, too.” 

A noble mission, Sarka understands how it can feel on the other side and wants to ensure more people get a rewarding experience within golf. 

“I remember how it felt when I was new to the game,” she adds. 

“It can be intimidating, and I want to help people through that experience and instead let them dream on about what is possible in golf. 

“At the moment, this makes my heart full, and it is my absolute priority.”

Applications for the next intake for the Membership Pathway Program open on Monday, July 1. For more information or to apply, click here.

Yet when she began the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program straight out of high school, pitting her game against some of the best in the world was the furthest thing from her mind.

“I had no intentions of playing whatsoever,” said Vogel, who grew up playing junior golf at Cobram Barooga Golf Club and began the MPP under PGA Professional Michael MacGregor at her home club.

“I originally did it just to be able to either coach or be in a pro shop.”

For some who enter the MPP, playing is not the No.1 priority.

They see an avenue to be able to build a career within the Australian golf industry but, as Vogel discovered, taking the path to become a PGA Professional does not signal the end of your playing days.

Through weekly PGA Open matches, Vogel found that her game developed so much with regular competition that it fuelled her passion for playing at a high level again.

“Through the Monday matches I started playing really well and I thought maybe I actually do want to play as well on the side,” she added.

Emma Ash was a star junior growing up in Adelaide but recognised early the difficulty in forging a career in golf purely through playing.

A two-time winner of the SA Junior Amateur Championship, Ash appeared destined for the LPGA or Ladies European Tour until her brother’s interest in PGA education opened her eyes to the career paths that were available.

“It was always that I wanted to play, but as I got older and I got more realistic in life. I realised that there probably wasn’t the likelihood of making a career out of playing,” said Ash.

“I thought there was a big gap in coaching, particularly female coaching. From my experience as a player, I was never exposed to a female coach other than Fiona Pike and Anne-Marie Knight.

“I wanted to follow those footsteps and try to provide opportunities for more young girls in that coaching stream.”

After six years of concentrated work in the coaching realm, Ash made a return to the WPGA Tour of Australasia at the start of 2024.

She began with a victory at a rain-shortened Melbourne International and, like Vogel, made the cut at the Women’s NSW Open at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club.

With her coaching business performing strongly, Ash is able to tee it up without the financial pressures that others may be feeling.

“It just makes it easier. I’m not playing for a cheque each week,” she said.

“I’m playing just because I enjoy the game, just want to have fun and I’m still competitive.”

Vogel, who was sixth at Webex Players Series Murray River and top-30 at the Vic Open, attributes all of the playing opportunities she has enjoyed the past 12 months to her PGA grounding.

“I’m very happy that I went through that direction. I certainly don’t think I’d be here without it,” said Vogel, who also played the Australian Women’s Classic at Bonville in April.

“I definitely recommend it. The assignments take a bit of time but you have plenty of time to do it whilst you’re out here playing.

“It’s good to have something away from playing as well to be able to focus on and to go back to when there are no tournaments.”

A new addition to the Membership Pathway Program is a dedicated ‘Playing’ stream, designed to not only provide qualifications but the foundation needed to mix it with the elite of world golf.

“They’re playing full-time on the LET and it’s good to see what they’re doing with their games,” Ash said of her LET experience.

“I encourage anyone to do the MPP just to give you more opportunities within the sport.”

To express your interest in starting the PGA Membership Pathway Program click here

A new pair of shoes on the member walking in to pay their Saturday comp fees.

A new hybrid in the bag of the member at their latest lesson.

Expanding the retail offering at Busselton was one of Williams’ very first priorities… and now he had proof of where members felt they were not receiving the full service.

“Everyone from a regional area who goes to a city, goes to a big golf shop,” says Williams.

“I asked a member where he got his new 5-wood and his answer was, ‘I was up in Perth last week.’

“That was just happening all the time so expanding the range really was a no-brainer.

“We have a premium golf course, so why not premium service and products in the golf shop?

“Regional golf courses seem to concentrate on cheaper-end products and only enough to display the product but no real stock.

“They’re always having to order stock for the members rather than having it readily available.”

Awarded the WA PGA Club Professional of the Year at the WA Golf Industry Awards in March for a range of initiatives he has introduced at Busselton the past two years, Williams went beyond simply stocking the pro shop with more gear.

To encourage members to shop close to home, Williams set about creating a shopping experience that matched what they would find in a major department store in Perth.

“Even with little space I modelled the shop on a high-end golfing experience by simply displaying everything more clearly,” Williams says.

“At some regional clubs the golf shop can begin to look a bit old and tired but it doesn’t take much to transform the look and feel of a real golf shop experience.

“If you order 12 putters from Taylor-Made, you ask if they have a putter stand you can use for the display.

“You’d be amazed at how many people will pick up a putter if it’s displayed well and well-positioned within a golf shop.”

While he hopes these initiatives have played a part in Busselton’s membership growing from 630 to 900 in just two years, Williams acknowledges that timing plays its part.

In the wake of COVID, Busselton itself has grown significantly and golf has been booming across the country.

It was a classic case of preparation meeting opportunity, but Williams has done everything he can to turn that good fortune into an atmosphere where new members feel welcomed and valued.

And reassured that they won’t find a better deal in the big smoke.

“If somebody comes in and says that they can get the same pair of shoes $30 or $50 cheaper somewhere else, I’ll match it,” adds Williams, who spent 20 years working in numerous clubs throughout Europe.

“We never make a loss doing that. We sometimes don’t make much money, but my philosophy there is we don’t just turn over a pair of shoes, but we make a member happy.

“We’ve had 200 brand new lady beginner golfers come through here in the last five months, and they’re all new to golf. We show them all the aspects of golf; the first tee, the clubhouse facilities, we give them a welcome pack which gives them everything they need to feel welcome and at home.

“Having stock makes the shop come alive.

“There’s a new range of shoes; a new line of summer or winter clothes, stock is constantly changing.

“There’s something happening all the time, and that’s important.”

Any idea.

The latest idea.

The craziest idea.

Most importantly, whatever got them to the best idea.

There would be what Arnold references as the “light bulb moment” but it was only possible because they disregarded convention and asked the simple question: ‘What would we want from an indoor golf centre?’

“Everybody that walks in asks, ‘Where did you design this from?’ And Tim and I say, nowhere, because we’ve never seen this before,” says Arnold, a PGA of Australia Tournament Member since 2007.

“We’ve travelled the world playing golf and there’s nothing like this.

“The only way we could make it work was being creative.”

Through his father Colin – a PGA Professional of 50 years who spent more than 30 years at Cronulla Golf Club, Arnold has had a connection to the PGA from the day he was born.

Winner of the Australian Amateur in 2006, Stewart became a Tour Professional in 2008 before completing the Tour Professional Articulation and becoming a full Vocational Member in 2016.

He says that Arnold’s career playing in the US and his own international playing experience was critical in shaping their vision.

“Initially, our goal was to bring golf to the forefront for parents with kids and try to get golf to be more accessible for people over here, like it is for us in Australia,” Stewart explains.

“We tried to build our facility in a way that we could maximise its impact for people looking to learn golf without any of the typical barriers for entry.

“Our opportunity to travel around the world playing golf at so many amazing facilities really helped us in our concept and with that, avoid mistakes we had seen and build what we thought a golf facility should look like from our perspective.”

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The genius in the space that is now Golf House Academy is its versatility.

Arnold describes it as a football field that can be split into four quadrants.

When completely opened up – with glass walls that encase the High Performance Swing Lab – people who walk in can see the entire space from front to back, including the 18-hole, 111-foot-long putting green.

But the space can be split in half for group lessons, cordoned off for individual lessons or separated in such a way that a group of friends can come in and hit balls beside each other as they would on a range.

It was that flexibility that made Arnold, Stewart and their business partners reframe who they thought it would appeal to.

Observing the success that Aussie Kids Golf Academy was having in the city, Arnold saw opportunity in the family demographic in the east of Atlanta yet has been surprised at the clientele they have attracted in the first three months of opening.

“Families come in with their kids and want to do a lesson while their son takes part in a clinic,” Arnold adds.

“This is accessible for everyone, whether you’re a tour pro or an absolute beginner.

“There are no dress codes, we have golf clubs, we have everything.

“There’s a massive market of people that tell us that there was nowhere for them to practice or play.

“It’s been massive among women who can be intimidated going to a driving range.

“We crank the music. We ask what kind of playlist they want to listen to and off we go.”

Making the space open, light and inviting was also a key focus in the design.

Skylights bathe the facility in natural light and the detail in the furnishings was such that people come in and show no inclination that they want to leave.

Complementing that atmosphere is a staff that treat visitors more as friends than clients.

“Our secret sauce is people come in expecting X and they leave with X and Y,” says Arnold.

“Part of that is our culture in Australia, being personable, nice, giving them a great experience.

“If the lesson’s an hour and they’re not hitting it well or whatever, our coaches will regularly run 10 minutes, 20 minutes or 30 minutes over.

“Our staff are absolutely phenomenal. They’re really good people. They’re not clients, they’re really friends.”

Arnold acknowledges that property prices in Australia can make it prohibitive to establish a centre the size of Golf House Academy.

Yet he urges PGA Professionals looking at new business opportunities to explore every idea and to not be afraid to do it differently to everyone else.

Among their innovations, Golf House Academy boasts retractable vinyl walls that give the space flexibility and a game-changing use of impact screens that completely altered how they could maximise their footprint.

“The width of the back space is almost 20 metres so if you use a net, you need four feet between it and the wall,” Arnold explains.

“Tim had the idea of using an impact screen which means you only need 30 centimetres off the wall. That gave us an extra five or six feet, which was huge.

“Once that happened, everything fell into place.

“That was a light bulb moment for sure.”

After completing his PGA Traineeship (now Membership Pathway Program) in Perth under Graham Johnson and spending a couple of years playing on tour in Asia and Australia, Declan decided to join a number of his countrymen and teach golf in Germany.

There was a growing enclave of Aussie PGA Professionals within Germany and Declan saw it as a way to see a new part of the world, experience a new culture and return home to Australia to resume his playing career.

“I really went with the idea of going for a year to see what it was like, save some money and go play again,” Declan says.

“I ended up staying 12 years in Germany.”

Thirty years on from that initial exploration, Declan was named the 2023 PGA International Member of the Year at the PGA of Australia Awards in Brisbane last November.

His current role as General Manager of the Prestige Golfshire Club in Bangalore in India prevented Declan from attending in person, his career now serving as a blueprint for just how widely PGA qualifications can take you.

Through his association with Troon Golf that is coming up on 24 years, Declan has worked in Portugal, Russia, Italy, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Switzerland as well as a stint back on home soil managing Troon properties such as Brookwater, Golf Club Kennedy Bay, Pelican Waters, Peregian Springs and The Cut.

He is adamant that his experiences in different countries among different cultures have armed him with the skills to be able to work anywhere and urges other PGA Professionals to invest time working internationally.

“I would recommend to all young graduates to go overseas for at least a period of time and experience what it’s like overseas,” Declan says.

“Even if it’s for one year or two years because it’s great to see what’s happening somewhere else and how different it is to the Australian system.

“If you go to a private club in Singapore, for example, seeing first-hand how they operate at such a high level is an invaluable experience.

“Any young Professional that gets that experience and has the opportunity to work in that environment, comes back with such a better understanding of how to work in the service and hospitality industry and deliver to your members.

“It’s a big feather in their cap and, when they come back, they will be highly desirable to Tier 1 clubs around the country.”

Although Graham Johnson’s acronym for FIFO may not be fit for publication, Declan insists that the principle remains the same for those who wish to work worldwide.

“You have to have the ability to adapt,” Declan says.

“I first went to Dubai not long after September 11 so there was lot of cautiousness about being in that part of the world.

“My thought was that if I make the decision to go there, it’s their country, I have to live by their rules.

“If you’re going to go somewhere, you need to fit in and you need to assimilate and behave in a professional manner.

“I think this is why Australians do so well overseas. We have the ability to adapt to any culture or race of people whereas other people perhaps don’t have that ability.”

Thirty years in, Declan continues to supplement his in-workplace development with continuing education through the PGA ACE Program.

Wherever he is in the world, Declan believes that continued learning is critical to success.

“It’s important to me, and it should be important to all Members because knowledge is everything,” he says.

“You cannot stop learning. If you stop learning, it’s like applying the brake to everything. It then gets to the point where everyone’s passed you by so far that it’s hard to catch up.

“The guys that have been really successful have never stopped learning and knowing how to adapt and grow their business.

“That’s very important. And the PGA has now realised that and are giving us the tools to be very knowledgeable, very well-rounded and understanding of what’s happening outside of the golf industry.

“That can only benefit us within our own industry.”

“We take people to the best golfing locations in the world, and we make sure they have a good time doing it,” says Mosher, PGA Professional and Director of Golf at one of Australia’s premier golf travel companies, Teed Up Golf Tours.

From Augusta to every course on The Open Championship rota – and most places in-between – Mosher and his team of staff are dedicated to ensuring that with them, customers can enjoy the golf experience of a lifetime.

Now a thriving business with more than 20 years’ experience, Mosher recalls that the idea behind Teed Up Golf Tours came about largely by chance when he was the Director of Golf at Mount Broughton Golf and Country Club in Bowral.

“A member bought a travel agency business and asked if I could help to organise a trip to The Masters,” he reflects.

“That was in 1999, but in 2004, a friend, who is now my business partner, encouraged me to start running tours as a business full-time.

“We took a risk, but we thought we had found a niche in the market. We did it as a bit of fun; a way to see the world, play some golf and have a good time.”

It is that approach that has sustained Mosher, as Teed Up Golf Tours has expanded from 8-10 person trips, to regularly hosting hundreds of keen golfers on trips to Augusta alone.

“We started small, but when we grew to getting about 40 people on those early trips to The Masters, it became a reality that we had something to work with,” he adds.

“When you step back from it for a moment, it’s really cool.”

Mosher credits much of the business’s success to his willingness to create and maintain strong relationships throughout the industry.

From his playing days when he recalls having to fax fellow players to stay in touch, to now engaging with a network of other PGA Professionals to get the word out about his tours, Mosher is a people person.

That, alongside his engaging personality, has helped to foster a sense of goodwill that continues to benefit the business.

“I really believe that PGA Professionals are very personable people, who want to help,” Mosher adds.

“When I look back on those early days, I was just keeping in touch and being friendly, but it also helped to build a database of people who wanted to be involved later down the line.”

That attitude enhances the experience for golfers on the tours as well, as Mosher and fellow PGA Professionals connect, cater to and care for each member of the touring party.

“These guys are engaging, friendly and want to help,” he says. “We will play with a different group every day of the tour, and it is in our nature to help – whether that is by offering a swing tip, or just talking golf.

“We are all there for the same reason and just love being around the game. Our passion rolls through the trips, and we know the customer feels that, too.”

The quality of golf courses is something that Mosher is meticulous about, wherever in the world Teed Up Golf Tours might be.

“On all of our tours, golfers will play all the best courses that are available,” he explains. “We don’t play average courses. Our motto is that we will drive a long way to play the best golf.”

Something made increasingly possible by his friendly nature of strong golfing network, the list of courses available to Mosher and his clients continues to grow.

“Over the journey, I’ve met a lot of people overseas who have helped us get on to courses I didn’t think was possible,” he says.

“From Pine Valley to Cypress Point and Whistling Straits, you keep building those relationships and more becomes possible.”

Having played in elite amateur teams, it was a natural choice for Dengate to turn professional.

However, while she was plying her trade on the WPGA Tour of Australasia (then the ALPG Tour), she was also completing the PGA Membership Pathway Program at Yarra Yarra Golf Club, becoming a PGA Professional in 2017.

“I tried to play a little bit, wasn’t quite good enough, but I had some pretty awesome experiences on tour as well,” says Dengate.

“I came back in 2017 to settle into, I guess, normal life if you will, in club-land.

“I wanted to use my PGA qualifications, work in pro shops and coach for a little while.

“I gradually found my way into the admin team where I am now at Latrobe.”

Working as the Operations Manager at Latrobe Golf Club in Melbourne’s north-east, Dengate is making use of her vast experience in the world of golf, as well as her learnings from studying at the PGA Institute.

Then known as the PGA International Golf Institute when she was a student, Dengate undertook the Diploma of Golf Management. That created several opportunities for a Tour player such as herself looking at the next step in their career.

“Leaving the Tour, I knew I had to find a bridge between the practical sense of the game and getting some business education,” she adds.

“I wasn’t quite ready for the step into full-time university yet, so the Institute was a great stepping stone.

“That first year, getting those credits for a university degree provided a great pathway into the golf industry.”

The PGA Institute has a proud list of partners with higher education providers. Students today can go on to study selected bachelor degrees with Griffith University, Deakin University, Torrens University, Victoria University and Holmesglen TAFE with the credits they earn.

On top of the pathways the Institute opened for Dengate, the flexible nature and self-driven study options suited her well.

“The flexibility was great too, working as well as studying, being able to do both and figure out my path,” she says.

“The opportunity to do it remotely, rather than on-site, for me made the biggest difference.”

As well as her role at Latrobe, Dengate has been a proud WPGA Tour of Australasia board member since 2016.

Now Vice President, her passion for women in golf stretches from the professionals all the way down to grassroots at club-land.

“When I started on the board, we only had three tournaments for the 2017 season,” Dengate says.

“To see where the Tour is now is pretty special in terms of growth for women’s golf.

“Golf Australia, the PGA, and the WPGA all working together in a much closer sense than they used to has definitely helped equality in the women’s game at club level.”

Dengate is an invaluable asset to both Latrobe Golf Club and the WPGA Tour of Australasia.

With her wealth of knowledge within the golf industry, coupled with her PGA Institute studies, she understands the needs of the members she works for, and represents them in a meaningful way.

For more information on additional education and training available through the PGA, visit pga.org.au/education/.

Leon Trenerry was good. Good enough to turn professional and spend six years playing on the Sunshine Tour in his homeland after quitting his job with a telecommunications company.

But, deep down, he knew he wasn’t good enough to make a career purely out of playing golf.

“Eventually you’ve got to buy bread and milk,” he explains matter-of-factly.

In March, three months shy of his 49th birthday, Trenerry graduated the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program, opening the door to the career in golf he never thought possible.

Trenerry’s journey is unlike many who seek to become a PGA Professional, yet is living proof that it is never too late to pursue your passion.

After more than 10 years in the restaurant business in South Africa, Trenerry followed his sister and parents and immigrated to Australia in December 2020.

Seeking an entry point into the golf industry in Australia, he enrolled in the PGA Institute’s Diploma of Golf Management while working at Brookwater Golf and Country Club west of Brisbane.

During his studies he was encouraged to apply for the Membership Pathway Program, a program he was able to complete in two years rather than the standard three due to his prior education with the PGA.

Not only did that put a golf club back in his hands – Trenerry won the Queensland Associates Order of Merit in 2022 – but has now given him the scope to plot a career path intertwined with golf.

Currently the Assistant Professional at Oxley Golf Club in Brisbane, Trenerry hopes that his experience in and out of golf will make him a desirable candidate for management positions in future.

“I always thought maybe I’d be able to get into management or part ownership of a golf course in the future, where I can be the jack of all trades with my food and beverage background,” said Trenerry.

“I’ve managed quite substantial amounts of staff in the restaurant businesses I was involved in and obviously with having the qualification through the PGA that may be able to open up a pathway into management.”

Being an accredited PGA Professional will also provide Trenerry the opportunity to scratch the itch of playing tournament golf again.

He understands that occasionally competing against active Tour professionals on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is unlikely to yield many victories. But he is savouring the idea of being able to enjoy the best of both worlds in what he describes as his “second chance”.

“When I gave up playing full-time golf as a 28, 29-year-old, I never thought I’d put the scorecard in the back of my pocket again, per se,” said Trenerry.

“Making a cut or top 30 amongst these youngsters would be a great result for me but the Program has given me the opportunity to be able to go do that and have a stronger financial backing than travelling around trying to make money just to get to the next tournament.

“The next step for me would be an Operations Manager role and then maybe in three or four years from now I’ll be looking for a General Manager role somewhere.

“Given the amount of people I’ve worked through my life in the restaurant business and so forth, that would be a good fit and a nice challenge for me.”