Q Golf - Official online magazine for Golf Queensland Spring / Summer 2011 | Page 12

program on
track in Qld
By David Newbery

In Queensland, the role out
of Golf Australia’s MYGolf
program has well and truly
met expectations.
According to the latest data, Golf
Queensland reached its annual target of
50 MYGolf centres and 400 participants
three months ahead of schedule.
And that’s despite getting off to a
slower than expected start following the
devastating Queensland floods.
St Joseph’s Nudgee College Golf Club
currently leads the way with 117
participants followed by Brisbane Boys
College with 63, Royal Queensland Golf
Club 45, Headland Golf Club 43 and
Victoria Park Golf Complex 42.

“I’d like to see every club sign up to the
MYGolf program because it creates a nice
pathway into kids’ participation.”
Brisbane’s Brookwater Golf Club and
Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast
recently joined the program. Teaching
professionals Ian Triggs is based at
Brookwater while PGA chairman and
teaching professional Mark Gibson
operates out of Royal Pines.
Because both men are passionate about
junior development, Hewat expects a
further surge in participation.
“The main focus of the MYGolf model is
to strengthen junior programs within golf
clubs,” Hewat said.

It’s a feather in the cap for Golf
Queensland staff, who relished the
MYGolf challenge set by the national
body.
“The results have certainly surprised us,”
said Adrian Hewat, Golf Queensland’s
manager – participation development.
“We (Golf Queensland) have now over
470 participants involved in the MYGolf
program across 52 centres in the state.”
Golf Queensland is now urging all
Queensland golf clubs to join the
program.

12 Q Golf Online Spring / Summer 2011

www.golfqueensland.org.au

The program is based on six key skill sets:
• Rip It – long shots;
• Roll It – putting;
• Chip It – chipping;
• Fly It – pitching;
• Blast It – bunker shots; and
• Bend It – manoeuvring the ball.
“If kids can start mastering those skills
at a young age, it’s going to set them up
for a better game when they get older,”
Hewat explained.
“It gives kids the experience of a lifetime
and if they do fall away we do know
through research that about 70 per cent
of those exposed to the game at a young
age tend to come back.