Almost five years after re-opening to the public to great acclaim, Lonsdale Links has continued to evolve by adding a Junior Golf Scholarship Program.

The Bellarine Peninsula club has not fielded a junior pennant team since its complete course redevelopment, and CEO Josh Hall is eager to breath fire back into this part of the club.

"We had a period of success about 10 years ago now, but we haven't had a junior pennant team at the new club," he said.

"It's not from lack of junior members, it's more so that the majority of our junior members are Melbourne based and we only see them seasonally.

"With this program, we're looking at getting more of the local juniors involved."

The scholarships consist of a fully funded membership, as well as private lessons with the Lonsdale PGA Professionals, group sessions, range balls, a club uniform and up to $1000 to go towards external competition expenses.

It is a dedication to helping local juniors reach their golfing potential, while also future-proofing the club as it continues to grow, which is a key pillar of Lonsdale's new Foundation.

"We've been on a bit of a journey the last 12 months getting our Lonsdale Links Foundation set up via the Australian Sports Foundation," said Hall.

"The dedicated committee has been up and running since the start of the year and this is the first initiative that they were wanting to look at funding.

"We've been able to get the scholarship program completely funded through the Foundation, which is terrific."

Since the OCM Golf redesign, Lonsdale has consistently ranked among the top 25 golf courses in Australia, and the lucky juniors will have access all year round.

"The majority of the feedback is that people love playing here," said Hall.

"They love the uniqueness of it, the way that you can play most holes in multiple different ways. The strategy of playing here is a highlight."

It was only two years ago that Golf Australia reported on Lonsdale's keen effort to increase membership numbers, and the club is now starting to see the fruits of its labour.

"We're into our fourth year now of our Starter membership program, and we have another 85 applicants ready to go on October 1," said Hall.

"We've just approved our Pathway Membership Policy, so rather than having a traditional wait list, we've created a new category of membership where there are a few more benefits.

“They will have access to club facilities and be able to play a few rounds a year.

"We haven't had to think about a waitlist in recent memory, so that's a big milestone for us that we should see in the next six to 12 months."

Applications for Lonsdale Links' Junior Golf Scholarship Program are still open. For the full details and how to apply, CLICK HERE.