By Kerry McDuling
The Australian Ladies
Professional Golf (ALPG) has
recently appointed a new board,
and all are focused on exciting
new initiatives to grow the game
among women in Australia.
Formed in 1972, ALPG is the
sanctioning body for women’s
professional golf in Australia and
New Zealand and is recognised
globally, as one of the six major
women’s professional tours. Over
the years, membership has
grown to over 160 members and
the organisation runs the annual
Pro-Am series known as Club Car
Series, along with major events
which typically attract leading
players from around the world.
Our major events are The
Women’s Victorian Open; New
South Wales Women’s Open;
Women’s Australian Open;
Australian Ladies Masters and
Women’s New Zealand Open.
These events boast honour rolls
which include the likes of ALPG
members Karrie Webb, Katherine
Hull, Kristie Smith and Lindsey
Wright along with international
players such as current and
former world No-1 players
Yani Tseng, Annika Sorenstam
and Laura Davies. Other stars
appearing regularly on the ALPG
Tour include Lydia Ko, Jiyai
Shin, Stacy Lewis, Melissa Reid,
Gwladys Nocera and Christina
Kim.
President Shani Waugh is
particularly excited about the
Next Generation Club, of which
Cobra Puma Golf is the main
sponsor.
“The idea behind the Next Gen
Club is effectively for female
current and ex pro golfers to act
as mentors for those women that
are up and coming pros in our
national industry,” she explained.
“We identified a real information
gap for female golfers new to the
circuit, on topics such as career
advice, pitfalls and advantages
of the industry, what it’s like
to be on tour and managing
the challenges on tour. These
questions were answered quite
coincidentally when I was sitting
on a plane beside a female pro
when I was just starting out, and
what I learned proved invaluable
to my career.”
Shani said that so far, twelve
pro female golfers the ALPG
had approached had all reacted
enthusiastically, and this was
an encouraging start to the
program.
The Next Generation Club
encourages membership to
female amateur golfers that
aspire to be or are considering a
career as a professional golfer.
The Club provides education,
professional golf pathway advice
and mentoring offered throu