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