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The state’s leading coaches and administrators, metropolitan and regional clubs, volunteers and golf club staff members will all be honoured at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday October 19.
Represented by the PGA of Australia, Golf Australia, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland and Golf Management Australia, the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night acknowledges the achievements the finalists have accomplished in a period where golf has continued to see significant growth in the state.
“We had a significant number of nominations for awards this year, each of which would be worthy winners,” said PGA State Manager Broc Greenhalgh.
“To be a finalist this year is a significant achievement and to have finalists from all over the state shows that the game is in wonderful hands both in regional and metropolitan areas, not to mention a great representation of females in the list of finalists.”
Golf Australia State Manager, Luke Bates, explained how the evening recognises and celebrates the hard work and success of individuals and facilities in Queensland, as well as the unsung heroes of our sport.
“The Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night allows us to recognise not only entire golf facilities, but also the individuals behind the scenes,” said Bates.
“Board members, administrative staff, course staff, volunteers and many others who each work tirelessly for the game of golf will all be recognised in what is Queensland golf’s night of nights.”
Given the momentum that the sport has, Golf Management Australia (QLD) President Gavin Lawrence explained, it’s an opportunity to recognise the efforts of those who have been excelling in a thriving environment.
“The past 12 months have been amazing for golf, and this is a way for us to celebrate the people who have made it all possible,” said Lawrence.
“There have been many that have excelled in their respective roles at golf facilities around the state and the list of finalists is a testament to the amazing experiences we are providing the golf public.”
Golf Course Superintendent Association (QLD) President Mark Hauff is proud to have the event showcase the collaboration in our sport.
“We are proud of being a part of an industry that can work together for the betterment of the game,” said Hauff.
“Success requires a team effort across the entire facility and by extension, the ability for all golf organisations to work together further cements our position as a leading sport.”
The finalists for their respective awards (in alphabetical order) are:
Golf Club of the Year Award presented by MiClub
Maleny Golf Club
McLeod Golf Club
Mt Coolum Golf Club
Nudgee Golf Club
Oxley Golf Club
Redcliffe Golf Club
Redland Bay Golf Club
Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
Townsville Golf Club
Golf Club of the Year (Under 400 Members) presented by Inside Golf
Bulimba Golf Club
Gatton Jubilee Golf Club
Kingaroy Golf Club
Isis Golf Club
Pioneer Valley Golf Club
Volunteer of the Year
Jeff Arndt – Bay Islands Golf Club
Rob Bailo – Maleny Golf Club
Gurney Clamp – Golf Central Queensland Inc
Les Dower – Bay Islands Golf Club
Kristine Sanderson – Boyne Tannum Golf Club
Bruce Smith – McLeod Country Golf Club
Brian Smith – Proserpine Golf Club
Douglas Wooffindin – Mount Morgan Golf Club
Junior Golf Program of the Year Award
Atherton Golf Club
Burleigh Golf Club
Cairns Golf Club
City Golf Club
KDV Sport
Keperra Country Golf Club
Meadowbrook Golf Club
Redland Bay Golf Club
The Brisbane Golf Club
Townsville Golf Club
Virginia Golf Club
Windaroo Lakes Golf Club
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – High Performance
Lee Eagleton – The Brisbane Golf Club
Grant Field – Pelican Waters Golf Club
Ji McBryde – Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
Richard Woodhouse – KDV Sport
John Wright – Maroochy River Golf Club
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – Game Development
Janine Barney – Windaroo Lakes Golf Club
Glenn Domigan – Victoria Park Golf Complex
Asha Hargreaves – The Brisbane Golf Club
Jake Newbery – KDV Sport
Darren Weatherall – Victoria Park Golf Complex
John Wright – Maroochy River Golf Club
PGA Queensland Club Professional of the Year presented by Coca-Cola
Chris Adnams – Redcliffe Golf Club
Jamie Corkill – Yamba Golf and Country Club
Chris Graham – Ocean Shores Country Club
Brett Maxwell – Virginia Golf Club
Angus Porter – Carbrook Golf Club
Channon Ryan – Oxley Golf Club
PGA Queensland Management Professional of the Year
Ben Fletcher – Pacific Golf Club
James King – Oxley Golf Club
Adrian Lawson – Golf 24
Jonathan O’Sullivan – Marsden Golf Driving Range
Darren Richards – Nudgee Golf Club
Scott Wagstaff – Carbrook Golf Club
Golf Club Staff Member of the Year Award presented by CPR Group
Graeme Andrews – Mt Tamborine Golf Club
Tracey Connors – McLeod Country Golf Club
Kylee Fowler – Sarina Golf Club
Ryan Gailey – Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country
Teegan Negreira – Redcliffe Golf Club
Charles Vos – Southport Golf Club
Sue Walker – Twin Waters Golf Club
Golf Club Board Member of the Year Award
Peter Evans – Burleigh Golf Club
Paul Rigby – Nudgee Golf Club
Max Whitten – Maleny Golf Club
Distinguished Manager Award presented by Asahi Schweppes
Adrian Lawson – Golf 24 Australia
Aaron Muirhead – Oxley Golf Club
Jonathan O’Sullivan – Marsden Golf Driving Range
Darren Richards – Nudgee Golf Club
Chris Richards – Tropics Golf Club
Amber Williams – Pacific Golf Club
Metropolitan PGA Tournament of the Year
The Brisbane Pro-Am
Belle Property Bulimba Pro-Am
Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am
Southport Pro-Am
Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu Virginia Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am
PGA Regional PGA Tournament of the Year
McGrath Estate Agents Ballina Pro-Am
Dougherty Property Grafton Pro-Am
Roy Powell Security Pioneer Valley Pro-Am
PIMS Group Mackay Pro-Am
Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am
Tieri Pro-Am
PGA Legends Tournament of the Year
Living Choice Legends Tour Championship (Headland GC)
PNG Senior Open (Lae Golf Club)
Queensland Senior PGA Championship (Maroochy River GC)
Sunshine Coast Masters (Twin Waters GC)
Town of 1770 Legends Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am (Wynnum GC)
PGA Tournament of the Year presented by Oxygn
The Brisbane Pro-Am
Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am (Wynnum GC)
PNG Senior Open (Lae Golf Club)
Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am
Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am
Tieri Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am
Golf Course Assistant Superintendents Recognition Award
Isabelle Hogarth – North Pine Golf Club
Angus Linnell – Palmer Gold Coast Golf Course
Scott McComas – Nudgee Golf Club
Jesse McGilvray – Palmer Colonial Golf Course
Superintendents Achievement Award presented by Living Turf
Graeme Andrews – Tamborine Mountain Golf Club
Glenn Beauclerc – Oxley Golf Club
Dion Cope – Redland Bay Golf Club
Peter Culross – Nudgee Golf Club
David Mason – Brisbane Golf Club
Todd McNamee – Mt Coolum Golf Club
Paul McLean – Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club
Superintendents Environment and Safety Excellence Award presented by Greenway Turf Solutions
Glenn Beauclerc – Oxley Golf Club
Peter Culross – Nudgee Golf Club
Ben Grylewicz – Indooroopilly Golf Club
Superintendents Industry Recognition Award presented by RDO Equipment
Paul Bevan – Greenway Turf Solutions
Darryl Edwards – Burleigh Golf Club
Dave Morrison – Racing Queensland
Golf Supplier of the Year Award
Acushnet Golf Australia
Asahi Schweppes
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
CPR Group
First Choice Services
MiClub
RDO Equipment (John Deere)
Red Tape Busters
Toro Australia
Trackman
Additional awards presented at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night that don’t attract finalists include:
Early bird tickets are available until September 29 and therefore to secure your place or for further details about the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night, please visit www.qldgolfindustryawards.com.au or alternatively contact the PGA (QLD/NT) Office on 07 5657 6100 or via email on [email protected].
Brad McLellan counts himself lucky for his experience in the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program.
Completing the program in 2015 has led to representing his country at next week’s Four Nations Cup at Moonah Links on the Mornington Peninsula.
A tournament contested between Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and, this year, an Internationals squad, the Four Nations Cup is for vocational golf professionals without a Tour card. That’s a category the Melbourne-based club fitter fits in perfectly after early aspirations to play the game for a living.
Completing the program at Twin Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, McLellan’s boss was current PGA of Australia Board Director Stephen Hutchinson, which led to a diverse on the job education, while his location meant time with Cam Smith’s career-long coach, Grant Field.
“I was really lucky, Steve was a great boss,” McLellan said. “I got a well-rounded education from him.
“He was the General Manager at the golf club at the time.
“He’d played on the tour when he was younger as well. So I got to learn a big array of everything in the golf industry, from running the golf club, to running the pro shop, and we were pretty lucky we had Grant Field teaching there at the time.”
Twin Waters also offering unique opportunities to spend time with, and learn from, two of Australia’s finest exports and major champions.
“I got to spend a bit of time with Finchy (Ian Baker-Finch), and even Adam Scott from time to time and played a few rounds with him when he was back in Queensland over summer,” McLellan said.
Those experiences led to the now 32-year-old initially chasing a career like Scott and Baker-Finch once he finished his training.
However, when things didn’t progress as planned, McLellan had his vocational training to fall back on.
Utilising hose skills prompting a move to Melbourne that has still allowed him to indulge in his own golf regularly.
“I did pursue playing for a few years. It wasn’t working out particularly well and I got the opportunity to start with Cool Clubs, so I’ve been doing club fitting for the last four or five years, and really enjoy that,” he said.
“I think any job you’re doing whether you’re teaching or your club fitting, it is a similar environment in a lot of ways. I think it helps to be able to still be able play at a decent level and enjoy it.
“I am also pretty lucky to be able to play golf with our clients from time to time, get out with them and learn about their games and helping a little bit.”
Playing regular golf, and with the competitive fire still burning, McLellan is looking forward to representing his country for the first time alongside captain Scott Laycock, Jayden Cripps and TJ King at Moonah Links’ Open Course from September 19-21.
The Australian team decided at last year’s PGA Professionals Championship at Yarra Yarra Golf Club via the top-four place getters, a reward McLellan was blissfully unaware of but is hugely thankful for.
“I actually didn’t know that (Four Nations Cup) was a chance, and I didn’t play particularly well in the first round. I came from a fair way back in the second round, I was just trying to hang onto a good round towards the end of it.
“I actually wasn’t aware that this was the carrot at the end, but obviously a big bonus.”
Hervey Bay Associate Lachlan Wood has survived the marathon of 36-holes a day for four days to be crowned the 2023 Coca-Cola Pampling Plate champion.
Facing off against Indooroopilly first year Associate Dylan Knox in Thursday’s 36-hole final at Caboolture Golf Club, Wood stayed true to the game-plan that had served him well all week to triumph 3&2.
The lead changed hands on no less than six occasions throughout the final, Knox unable to get the putts he needed to drop to keep pace with Wood in the latter holes.
A winner of All Abilities tournaments in Australia and New Zealand and a two-time winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series this year, Wood was doubtful to play as late as last week.
Forced to endure more than 30 operations after his left leg was shattered in 44 places in a car in which he was a passenger at 16 years of age, Wood cannot sustain the physical toll of 36 holes a day without a cart.
Granted an exemption to use a cart this week, Wood revealed that he would not have teed it up at the start of the week without it.
“I can possibly walk 36 holes, but it would ruin me for days,” said Wood, who was top 10 at the inaugural G4D Open in London earlier this year.
“I would be in so much pain, unable to work, unable to just do day-to-day life things after it. It just wouldn’t be worth it.
“That’s why I put in the exemption to get the cart with my injuries. They’re not getting any better, they’re only getting worse and for me this is the most feared event on the calendar to have to play.
“I was probably not playing this a week ago and now to be standing here with the trophy is a really good feeling.”
A daily routine that began at 4.30am each day put Wood in a position to compete, his strategy on the golf course ideally suited to the vagaries of matchplay.
“Pretty much against everyone I played I was hitting 7-irons when they were hitting wedges,” he said.
“I was hitting 2-irons off tees when they were hitting drivers. Here at Caboolture, that’s just what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to control your ball.
“Didn’t try to play anyone else’s game, just played my own game all day. And if it’s good enough, it’s good enough and if it’s not, it’s not.
“It worked this week.”
Making the trip from his home in Ipswich each day, Knox stayed in the fight for as long as possible before a frustrating day with the flatstick ultimately proved his undoing.
One-down through nine holes, Knox had the match back square after 18 and was 1 up with seven holes to play.
Wood then unleashed a superb finish to take four of the next five holes to secure the title with two holes to play.
“I just couldn’t get the speed today. They felt a little bit slower in some areas so maybe the wind influenced that a little bit,” said Knox.
“Lachy’s a good player so it was a tough one.
“We were going back and forth with a couple of birdies and a couple of par saves but I had a couple of bad lies and the wind started to pick up a bit. A couple of time I thought I’d picked the perfect club but it wasn’t, so that got in my head a little bit.
“I think the mental strain I’ve experienced doing this for the first time was tough.”
Now in its 19th year, Marge Pampling was on hand to present Wood with the Pampling Plate, Wood grateful for everything that Rod and the Pampling family have done to create such a prestigious tournament among PGA Associates.
“Huge thank you to Rod for what he has done for us,” said Wood.
“It’s an experience like no other. You learn more about yourself in this than in any other event because you get more tired, you get more exhausted, it brings the worst out in every single person to a degree.
“Trying to keep your lid on when you’re absolutely, physically exhausted is a whole skill in itself.
“This event has been designed really well and the prizemoney we get to play for is really appreciated.”
In the playoff for third and fourth, defending champion Dylan Gardner (Pelican Waters) edged Haydn Garner (Headland) 3&1.
Lachlan Wood and Dylan Knox both staged impressive fightbacks to secure their spots in the 36-hole Coca-Cola Pampling Plate final at Caboolture Golf Club on Thursday.
An Associate based at Indooroopilly Golf Club in Brisbane, Knox had to hole a 20-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to get past in-form first year Associate Jack Wright in the quarter-finals to set up a clash with Haydn Garner in the afternoon semi-finals.
Know found himself staring at defeat when he trailed 3 down through 14 holes but won the 15th, 16th and 18th holes to take Garner to extra holes.
Perhaps shell-shocked by the switch in momentum, Garner three-putted the 19th hole to allow Knox to advance to the final.
“I played and putted very well this morning against Jack but this afternoon the putts didn’t drop,” said Knox.
“Haydn just kept hitting fairways and greens which made it hard to make any inroads.
“Can’t wait until tomorrow, even though the body is aching after three days of 36 holes.”
A dominant force in the All Abilities events in Australia this year, Wood also boasts two wins on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series this season.
The first year Associate at Hervey Bay Golf and Country Club, Wood has been permitted to use a motorised cart and says that it has made it possible for him to compete.
“Stoked to be playing in the final,” said Wood, who has competed in international All Abilities tournaments this year.
“I must admit, having being permitted to use a motorised cart for this event has allowed me to play. Without it I could not have played.”
A 5&4 winner over Jordan Hampson in the quarter-finals, Wood also had to fight back late to force extra holes against defending champion Dylan Gardner.
Two-down for much of the match after Gardner began with four birdies in his first seven holes, Wood drew level on the 18th hole before prevailing at the second extra hole.
“Dylan hits the ball so far so I was always playing first,” Wood said.
“I just stuck to my game-plan and in the end it paid off.”
Gardner advanced to the semi-finals with a 3&2 win over Riley Taylor in the quarter-finals, Ben School’s giant-killing run coming to an end at the hands of Garner 2&1.
Thursday’s 36-hole final begins at 7.20am with the 18-hole match between Garner and Gardner to determine third and fourth will begin at 11.30am.
Toowoomba Golf Club’s Ben Scholl played his way into the final eight as No.1 seed Jordan Rooke suffered a shock defeat on day one of the matchplay section of the 2023 Coca-Cola Pampling Plate.
With the top eight qualifiers exempt into Round 2, 16 players took to Caboolture Golf Club early on Tuesday where Sanctuary Cove Associate Jordan Hampson delivered a dominant 6&4 win over 2022 runner-up Ben Hollis (Bribie Island).
Runner-up in 2021 and the 2022 Queensland PGA Associate champion, Caloundara’s Bailey Arnott was the first to fall victim to Scholl’s giant-killing run, going down 2&1.
Other winners in Round 1 were Haydn Garner, Aaron Jakimczuk, James Bonner, Ryan Paul, Leon Trenerry and Robert Spence.
Qualifying 23rd out of 24, Scholl earned his place in the final eight with a 1 up win over No.7-seed Chris Park, crediting his putter and his matchplay mindset for advancing to the quarter-finals.
“I like matchplay as I see myself as player that doesn’t really let any situation fluster me and that has helped with two matches today,” said Scholl.
“I am putting well which has been the key to both my wins.”
The other major upset of the afternoon was Hampson’s 1 up defeat of Rooke, who topped qualifying by five strokes on Monday.
It wasn’t easy, though, Hampson making a brilliant up-and-down on the final hole.
“The win this morning gave me confidence to take on Jordan in the afternoon, which I knew was going to be tough as he is playing really well,” said Hampson.
“I’m carrying a back injury which has affected me all year but if I can control that I know I have the game to match it with these guys.”
Riley Taylor took 21 holes to defeat James Bonner, who missed a golden opportunity on the first extra hole by missing a two-foot putt to win the match.
Event favourite Jack Wright came from 4 down through 11 holes to storm home and win 2&1 over Aaron Jakimczuk while defending champion Dylan Gardner needed to two-putt from 20 feet on the final hole to win 1 up over Ryan Paul having been 4 up with five to play.
The other quarter-finalists are Dylan Knox, Haydn Garner, Josh Holbrook and Lachlan Wood.
Quarter-finals tee off from 6.40am on Wednesday morning to be followed by the semi-finals in the afternoon. All matches will feature live scoring.
Quarter-finals
6.40am Dylan Gardner v Riley Taylor
6.47am Jack Wright v Dylan Knox
6.54am Haydn Garner v Ben Scholl
7.01am Jordan Hampson v Lachlan Wood
Keperra Country Golf Club Associate Jordan Rooke will take top seed into the matchplay section of the 2023 Coca-Cola Pampling Plate after taking out the 36-hole qualifier on Monday.
A record field of 66 Associates teed it up at Caboolture Golf Club vying for one of 24 spots in the match play section, the top eight qualifiers receiving a bye in Round 1 to be played Tuesday morning.
With a superb two-round total of 5-under 137, Rooke finished five strokes clear in qualifying to establish himself as the player to beat this week.
In the first year of the Membership Pathway Program at Keperra in Brisbane, Rooke has been a consistent performer in Associate matches to date without notching a win.
That all changed on Monday, however, as he sets his focus on one of the most prestigious titles on the Associates calendar.
“I have been playing well all year but today things just clicked for me.” said Rooke.
“I stayed patient and treated today like a marathon given the 36-hole format.
“Staying calm and in the moment all day was really important and very satisfying to finally get a win.”
Rooke will face the winner of the Round 1 match between Jordan Hampson and Ben Hollis at 11.39am this morning with Josh Holbrook, Jack Wright, Lachlan Wood, Riley Taylor, Chris Park, Dylan Knox and defending champion Dylan Gardner the others to advance directly to Round 2.
There are two rounds of match play each day until the winner is decided in the 36-hole final on Thursday.
First year Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club Associate Jack Wright will need to overcome a record field of entries to add the coveted Coca-Cola Pampling Plate to his growing list of tournament wins in 2023.
Bolstered by a higher than normal intake of first year Associates in the Membership Pathway Program, 66 players will contest Monday’s 36-hole stroke play qualifier at Caboolture Golf Club before the top 24 advance to the match play section starting Tuesday.
Now in its 19th year, the event is named and sponsored by PGA TOUR Champions Professional Rod Pampling and continues to grow thanks largely to the Pampling family’s support, including the significant prizemoney that they have donated for almost two decades.
“We love watching the event from a distance with the live scoring,” said Pampling.
“Knowing we have helped out these PGA Associates playing for some extra prizemoney in a format they don’t play too often is very satisfying.
“It will be great to see if Dylan Gardner can go back-to-back this year however we understand there are some quality Year 1 Associates in the system this year.”
The most prominent of those is Wright, who among his eight wins to date boasts the recent NSW/ACT Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.
In Year 3 of the MPP at Pelican Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, Gardner too has a solid year, recently winning the Woodford PGA Open Match with a 36-hole total of 15-under par.
Given his success at Caboolture last year it is a timely confidence boost as he seeks to go back-to-back.
“This is my favourite event of the year,” said Gardner, pictured with Marge Pampling.
“This is my third year playing the event and no doubt this will be the toughest to win with the quality of players in the field.”
Runner-up in the Pampling Plate 2021 and the Queensland PGA Associate champion in 2022, Bailey Arnott was top-10 at the NSW/ACT Championship two weeks ago and will be another of the fancied chances.
With improvements both on and off the golf course, Caboolture Golf Club General Manager, Trent Scaysbrook, is again excited to welcome PGA Associates to the club.
“We are thrilled to again have this prestigious event at our club,” said Scaysbrook.
“We will have a number of members getting involved and of course Rod’s mother Marge adds that special touch by providing food and coffee for the players.
“We have renovated 12 of our bunkers and the course is looking in great shape.”
All players will contest the 36-hole Coca-Cola Pampling Plate qualifying that doubles as the Pro-Am supported by the Caboolture Golf Club, players vying for a share of $5,000 in prizemoney.
The top 24 players will then compete for $10,000 in a match play format over three days with the final to take place on Thursday.
This year will mark the first time that live scoring will be in operation.
Click here to stay across all the matches as they play out.
Ashley Anh Dinh is an international student studying a Diploma of Golf Management through the PGA Institute, and studies on-site at the PGA Learning Hub at Sandhurst.
Originally from Vietnam, the now 20-year-old also spent time in Canada while she was growing up. Like many others, Ashley’s golfing passion started at a young age.
Her dad was one of the top amateurs in Vietnam, and he helped Ashley make the decision to come to Australia to study.
Ashley was studying a business degree at home but wanted to align her future career more with her true passions. Tossing up between fashion and golf, her father asked her a simple question; ‘which do you prefer?’
“Obviously golf! I would always choose golf,” she said.
“Since I was young, the environment golf has given me has always been good. I get to meet a lot of new people playing golf and learn about their job and their life.”
Her father did some online research, along with talking to others in the Vietnamese golf industry and worked out the PGA Institute, based at Sandhurst, was the perfect place for Ashley to harness and build on her passion for golf.
Ashley is loving being in Melbourne and especially at Sandhurst. The kind hospitality and facilities have been a stand-out.
“We get unlimited range balls, and access to 36-holes, the North Course and the Champions Course,” said Ashley excitedly.
“All of the staff are so nice and have been helpful in planning my next journey.”
And plans for her next journey are well under way. Once she completes her Diploma in Golf Management, Ashley hopes to undertake the Membership Pathway Program to become a PGA Professional.
Being around Sandhurst has been incredible for Ashley’s golf, and the inviting community of members have also welcomed her as one of their own.
She was approached on the range by a Sandhurst member to join their regular playing group, and after learning Ashley was on the search for a new place to live, this same member invited her to move into their spare room.
Her new home overlooks the 17th green of the Champions Course, and being only walking distance from classes, it’s the perfect place for Ashley to make her golf career aspirations come true.
Ashley’s passion for the PGA Institute is evident, and as for her advice for those thinking about studying:
“Just do it! Everything happens for a reason, so just do it,” she said.
The PGA Institute provides a wide range of career outcomes from school leavers to those currently working in the industry and looking to upskill. It is the perfect place to combine your passion for golf with your career.
If you want to find out more about studying at the PGA Institute, there is an upcoming Careers in Golf Open Day at the PGA Learning Hub in Sandhurst on Saturday, September 23. RSVP Here.
Jayden Cripps’ first preference was to have a PGA Tour of Australasia card, however, when Qualifying School failed to go to plan, he circled the upcoming Four Nations Cup on the calendar.
A teams event contested between Australia, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand, the Four Nations Cup is for vocational PGA members without a Tour card and will be played at Victoria’s Moonah Links from September 19-21.
Cripps something of a contestant with a difference, and an important one at that.
Hailing from Sydney’s south, Cripps is a rare Indigenous golf professional, one who is relishing the chance to provide a visible example of an Indigenous golfer representing his country to young aspiring players.
Growing up in a sporting family that has included relatives playing NRL, and even a golf pro in great uncle Graham Lester, Cripps is aware of both his uniqueness, and welcomes added responsibility both as an example and potential agent of change.
The graduate of the PGA Membership Pathway Program via The Ridge Golf Club reminded of both while thoroughly enjoying recent involvement in an Indigenous clinic at the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA for a second time.
“Anytime you can be a role model for anyone let alone being Indigenous or anyone is pretty cool,” Cripps said.
“I guess doing the indigenous clinic at the NT PGA and giving back to the Indigenous community, that was pretty rewarding … To have a golf influence in the Indigenous community would be huge.”
That influence will come in part when he suits up for Australia at the Four Nations Cup this month, but is also achieved through his training as a vocational member of the PGA of Australia and through simply being present.
“Watching the Indigenous kids at Palmerston, it was amazing how much talent was there in that little group.
“I think it was Lorenzo, he absolutely killed it. He was smashing the ball, his putting was unbelievable. I gave him a signed glove, some balls and he was in awe. He didn’t take the glove off.
“To see something like that, to give back to someone like that is probably the most rewarding. And for him to go back to his family and say, ‘Look what I got’, that could promote golf in his family or community somewhere down the line.”
Promoting the game is a core element to every PGA member’s role, achieved in a wide variety of ways, including for Cripps and the rest of the Australian Four Nations Cup team through physically playing the game.
The event’s importance despite only recently coming into existence clear for Cripps when describing his aspirations to represent his country.
“Once I knew I wasn’t going to get my Tour card because I played so well at Q School (laughing), that was on my radar big time,” Cripps said. “Once I knew I was illegible to qualify for it, I wanted to make it straight away.”
That qualifying occurred via last year’s PGA Professionals Championship National Final at Yarra Yarra Golf Club where Cripps earned his first chance to represent Australia in anything alongside veteran Tour pro turned Royal Hobart Golf Club Teaching Professional Scott Laycock.
The remainder of the four-man team comprising of Cripps’ good friend TJ King, who returns to the Aussie side after playing the 2022 event won by Canada, with Melbourne-based professional Bradley McLellan, another new face.
Relishing the chance to return to a team environment like his days as young man playing Australian rules football, Cripps is also looking forward to playing under team captain Laycock, who selflessly gave up his exemption into the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship for King and Cripps to allow both to tee it up.
“When you have someone who was a great player like him and the calibre of his class, you’re going to learn a lot,” Cripps said of the one-time world No.69.
“Watching him shoot bogey-free 66 in the second round at Yarra Yarra last year was some of the most impressive golf I have ever seen.”
Competing across the difficult Open Course at Moonah Links will require more of the same from Laycock, as well as his teammates who will contest daily singles matches in the morning and two fourball matches in the afternoon.
The goal for the Aussie charge quite simple according to Cripps.
“I just want to win.”
It’s an often-repeated phrase from friends to those thinking about starting a family: If you wait until you’re ready to have kids, you’ll never have them.
Part of that truth belongs to the simple fact that nothing can prepare you fully for what comes with being a parent; part of it is the reality of how much you have to learn along the way.
Mark Lazenby, a PGA Professional for the past 21 years, questioned whether his skill set was enough to make a move into management.
Did he have the knowledge to read a balance sheet? Could he cast a critical eye over the food and beverage operation and suggest improvements? Did he have the capacity to bring a staff together and have them all working towards a common goal?
The role of a General Manager is diverse and fluid and it wasn’t until Lazenby heard Oatlands Golf Club General Manager, Sam Howe, speak at a PGA leadership seminar that he understood that no one is completely ready to take that step.
“What really stood out for me was understanding that sometimes we can be too self-critical in feeling like we need to know everything,” Lazenby says.
“One of the things Sam said was that it is absolutely OK at times to not be the smartest person in the room.
“It’s OK to sit back and listen, take on board rather than having to be the messiah who knows absolutely everything.
“During a PGA webinar with fellow PGA Professionals David Tapping and David Wren (General Manager of Melbourne Golf Park and Executive General Manager at Rosanna Golf Club respectively), the question was asked as to when they knew they were ready to take on that role.
“Dave Tapping said it was two years into the job.
“To hear people talk like that, who I respect greatly, gave me that bit of confidence to throw my hat in the ring and take that next step, which is what I did.”
The position that Lazenby applied for was as General Manager of Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Club in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, a position he was appointed to in July.
Lazenby undertook his PGA training at Royal Fremantle Golf Club south of Perth before seeking opportunities within the golf industry overseas.
After four years in Europe, Lazenby broadened his professional perspective by spending 11 years in Asia.
That included stints at the prestigious Singapore Island Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club, experiences that emphasised the importance of the customer experience.
“Incredibly high-end facilities that came with expectations of how you dealt with people with various needs, be they high net-worth individuals or not,” Lazenby explained.
He put that knowledge to good use when he joined Anthony Sinclair at Federal Golf Club in Canberra.
The General Manager at Federal and the 2021 NSW/ACT Management Professional of the Year, Sinclair was embarking on enhancing the member-value proposition when Lazenby joined as Golf Operations Manager in October 2018.
“It was a change of culture that we tried to instil to create a facility that was financially strong but also had that real feeling of a facility where people wanted to spend time,” Lazenby adds.
“We increased the membership, we increased the number of rounds and turned it into a facility where people really wanted to be.”
In the early stages of the next phase of his career, Lazenby is already advancing his education.
The Board at Cardinia Beaconhills recently supported his attendance at a business management conference, confident it will lead to a stronger club in future.
That week of education advancement also highlighted to Lazenby the willingness of other General Managers to share their accumulated wealth of knowledge anytime he cares to ask.
And when he is confronted by a situation he is not particularly sure how to handle, Lazenby will call upon two decades of trying to help people solve the problems with their golf swing.
“No one comes and has a lesson when they’re playing their best; they tend to only come to you when they’re at their worst,” Lazenby reasons.
“It’s having that idea of how to deal with people and make sure that everyone’s needs are respected and being looked after.”
