Page 38 - Summer2020GTP
P. 38
STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AUSTRALIA
GOLF COACHING IN THE LAND DOWN UNDER
By Grant Garrison, average annual spending on golf of only $1,300.
WGTF Member and Another difference is that Australia has lots of
Course Director, golf courses. Only two other countries have more
Queensland, courses per capita than Australia – Scotland and
Australia nearby New Zealand.
imigrated from the U.S. to Australia in 2010 with 25 Australia has an impressive high-performance
I years of golf coaching experience and knowing program, producing golfers
little about the country. My only education was who are capable of winning
from watching the movie Crocodile Dundee, major championships, Olympic
which was very poor training unless I was to be medals and top world-ranked
giving golf lessons in the outback. I had spent my positions. The best junior golfers
years coaching golf under other coaches’ brands, are targeted and given support
golf schools and corporations, so I was unknown in services, coaching, daily training,
this foreign land with no contacts and no Australian sports science services and
golf coaching credentials. opportunities to compete. Players
One of my first contacts was Gary Cooney, such as Adam Scott, Jason Day, Marc Leishman,
who welcomed me to Australia. Gary is the Cameron Smith, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green
representative of the Australian Golf Teachers are some of the most recent players who have
Federation (AGTF). I had been a supporter of the made it to the world stage.
WGTF for many years and I was thankful to be part The new national junior golf program, MyGolf,
of this world-based golf federation. was recently established by the amateur body
To get my golf coaching business up and (Golf Australia). The new program has reached
running, I first needed to understand the golf a record high of 24,000 registrations in 2019, an
landscape. The country has a rich professional increase of 7,000 compared to the previous year.
tournament history with the Australian Open The program is taught by community golf coaches
established in 1904, drawing the greatest players who undergo a basic online certification process.
in the world with past champions like Gary Player Community golf coaches are encouraged to
(7 wins), Jack Nicklaus (6 wins), Greg Norman (5 establish school programs and junior programs at
wins), and most recently Jordan Spieth winning for the local courses. Instructors receive $80 per hour,
the second time in 2016. The courses range from which can be paid for by an Australia sporting
country-style to some of the best in the world like grant, so the school pays nothing. The fact is, it’s
the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which is rated never been easier to become a golf coach and
5th in the world and was the stage of the 2019 start promoting the game by targeting youth.
Presidents Cup. TopGolf opened their first range in Australia
The average age of a golfer in Australia is in 2019 and the first TopGolf suite outside the
estimated to be well over 60 years old with an U.S. This popular tourist destination has proven to
®
Sharing Our Passion Around The World!”
35
3 5
Golf Teaching Pro SUMMER 2020
