It is often said that rules are a little more relaxed in the country, and at Murray Downs Golf & Country Club in New South Wales no one has any qualms about 11-year-old Charlotte Silvester’s driving.

Charlotte has the need for speed, but not on the roads. Her passion is swinging the golf club fast to send it flying down the fairway.

“My favourite shot is driving, it feels great to hit a ball far,” she said.

Charlotte has been driving as a part of the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls Golf Scholarship program at the club which is just across the Murray River from Swan Hill, and she is a graduate from last year’s program.

“I really enjoyed the skills challenges we did over the year so we could measure how we were improving,” she said.

While her focus was on the big stick, Charlotte’s chipping reportedly improved the most from the program’s weekly lessons. Although, her mother is not yet willing to take the risk on Charlotte practice her short game at home.

“Mum won’t let me chip in the backyard because I might break a window, but Dad says yes!” Charlotte said.

Her father’s love for golf, which extends to him risking the back window, saw him introduce Charlotte to golf at the age of six.

“Dad got me into golf by giving me a plastic set of clubs. It was fun, and it still is fun now,” she said.

“Fun is why other girls should play golf too!”

Now in 2022, golfers at Murray Downs will see Charlotte enjoying practising with other scholarship recipients each Tuesday after school and playing nine holes on a Saturday through the junior mini’s program.

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.

In 2022, Australian Golf Foundation is thrilled to partner with NEXTGEN Group as the principal partner of the AGF Scholarship Programme in 2022, with significant further support provided by Golf Australia, Golf Victoria, Victorian Golf Foundation, Golf Queensland, Golf South Australia, Golf Tasmania, Golf Western Australia, Western Australian Golf Foundation, Golf Northern Territory, Jack Newton Junior Golf, Golf Management Australia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and PGA of Australia, as well as a number of additional generous private benefactors.

The scholarship program has come to fruition thanks to the foresight and generosity of Bonnie Boezeman AO, Director of the Australian Golf Foundation, who originally established the program at Killara Golf Club, NSW.