GOLF AUSTRALIA SHOWS THE WAY WITH ROOKIE FUNDING PROGRAM

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Australia can teach the UK a thing or two about making it easier for rookie golf professionals to find their feet.
The Golf Australia Rookie Program recently named its squad of 12 players - six men and six women - for 2013. They are:
Rebecca Artis, Julia Boland, Nick Cullen, Breanna Elliott, Jake Higginbottom, Whitney Hillier (pictured), Stacey Keating, Bryden Macpherson, Kieran Pratt, Jason Scrivener, Matt Stieger and Alison Whitaker.The Golf Australia website says: "The scheme offers a way of assisting professional golfers as they enter the most exciting yet challenging time of their careers; finding and establishing themselves on an international tour and understanding the demands of travelling to different parts of the world whilst at the same time trying to compete against the best players in the world.
"Successful applicants each receive a rookie scholarship that is offered for a period of one year with a review after six months. The scholarship holder can be part of the program until their fifth year of professional golf."There are two streams of funding within the scholarship.
The Training and Preparation funding offers support to access to coaching, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, sports psychology, physiotherapy and advice from nutritionists.
"The Competition and Travel Funding helps cover a range of player expenses including airfares, accommodation, entry fees and caddy fees."
Golf Australia High Performance Director Brad James said the 2013 squad represented a good mix of professionals who have played on various tours already and those new professionals who have made the transition from the State High Performance programs to Golf Australia’s National Squad program.
“Last year was a fantastic one for our program with some terrific individual successes from the rookies. It is proving to be a key part of our athlete development program. It's important that athletes continue to track towards top 100 world ranking status in order to be considered for the program in the future,” James said.
“The rookies enjoy their association with the program and realise that this opportunity allows them to focus more closely on their Tour golf without having to spend as much time worrying about the cost of travelling or opportunities to meet with service providers that they may not otherwise be able to consider.”
Perhaps easier for Golf Australia, which is the governing body for amateurs AND professionals, males AND females in their country, than for say the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association and PGA Scotland, all separate bodies in this country, to fund an enterprising scheme like this on its own.

COMMENTS 

FROM JANE TURNER
Jane Turner (Craigielaw), beaten finalist in last year's Scottish women's amateur championship at Tain, commented:
"Whitney Hillier, who is on that Golf Australia list, is a friend of mine.  I spent a couple of months practising with her out in Australia two years ago.
"Opportunities like this (funding for rookie pros) are hard to come by for Scottish golfers (unlike some other countries -- another that comes straight to mind is Sweden), and this makes our transition from amateur to professional more challenging and puts added pressure on your finishes in your rookie year."  

Jane has not announced any plans to turn pro. She graduated from Robert Gordon's University with a degree in graphic design and stepped into a job - though a job where she is given leave in the summer months to compete in the season's key tournaments.  

"I do plan to play on the new Paul Lawrie Scottish Ladies Open Tour - as an amateur - and I will be entering the opening double-header at Dalmahoy and Ratho Park on April 18 and 19," said Jane.