A new School Experience Clinic program has been launched by Golf Australia to introduce golf to students across Victoria in a fun, engaging and inclusive way.

The program marks a strategic pivot in Golf Australia's approach to growing the sport amongst young people and aligns with the goal of getting more Australians playing more golf.

Instead of the previous focus on strokeplay golf in traditional School Sport Victoria events, the emphasis now lies on offering enjoyable clinic experiences at local courses.

This shift aims to attract a wider range of participants and provide a more accessible entry point to the game, particularly for newcomers.

Recent pilot clinics held at Bundoora Park Public Golf Course and Golf Studio Mordialloc have demonstrated the effectiveness and appeal of the new format.

"The highlight for me was seeing all of my students actively participating, with very little downtime and watching their confidence grow throughout the day," said Simon Insolia, a teacher from St Damian's Primary School who had 53 students attend the Bundoora clinic.

Similarly, at Golf Studio Mordialloc, 47 students from Mordialloc Beach Primary School were treated to a fun-filled event by PGA Professional James Hartley and his team.

"Seeing students that aren't big into sports really enjoying playing golf was the highlight of the day," said Lucas Kelly, a teacher from Mordialloc.

The use of engaging technologies like TrackMan, along with fun competitions, helped to engage the students, especially those who may have been more hesitant to begin with.

Golf Australia plans to extend this program across the state, connecting more educational institutions with local golf facilities.

With the support of ongoing Golf Australia programs TeeMates and MyGolf, this new school program is helping youngsters start a lifelong engagement with golf.