The winds of change are beginning to blow through Cowra Golf Club in the Central West region of New South Wales.

The club has already enjoyed success with its MyGolf program attracting girls to the beautiful Lachlan Valley layout, regarded as one of the best west of the Blue Mountains.

Like many other clubs, the challenge to transition childhood interest into the next phase of ongoing engagement has been tough.

But things, it seems, are about to change.

Cowra has adopted the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls Golf Scholarship program along with women’s beginner clinics.

“Our current female members asked for it,” said Tom Perfect, PGA professional at Cowra GC upon hearing about the scholarship program.

“Whilst we have a sucessful junior MyGolf program running with a good number of girls, we have a gap in our pathway and the scholarship program was a good stepping stone.” Along with girls’ development, Perfect is also focused on getting more women into golf because of low numbers of female membership and participation.

“It has been great to get some new women doing clinics and now progressing to playing on-course with each other and we are aiming to do the same with these girls.

“We have a group of five girls aged 13-16 who have been enjoying the scholarship program since Term 1 this year and who are now getting ready to start playing both nine and 18 holes.”

With one of the scholarship girl’s younger sisters already expressing her aim to get a scholarship next year at the club, the future of female participation at the club is looking good.

Learn more about the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls Golf Scholarship program via the Vision 2025 website.

The Australian Golf Foundation is the national foundation for golf in Australia. The AGF supports Golf Australia’s vision to grow golf by investing in targeted initiatives to inspire all Australians to enjoy and play the game. Visit australiangolffoundation.org.au for further information.

The scholarship program has come to fruition thanks to the foresight and generosity of Bonnie Boezeman AO, director of the Australian Golf Foundation, along with generous donations by the NSW Golf Foundation and Jack Newton Junior Golf.