Darke Peak is a small town in the central Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, with a population of just 90 people – and a new home for MyGolf, Golf Australia’s junior introductory program.

When asked why such a small community decided to register as a MyGolf Centre, the club’s MyGolf coordinator April Pearson revealed that the golf boom sweeping across the country has reached Darke Peak, located about two hours from Port Lincoln.

Darke Peak has a nine-hole sand scrapes course ideal for beginners.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve noticed a growing number of club members’ children - and other local kids - showing interest in golf," she said

"Some regularly wanted to go for a hit with our son and the club ran a junior come-and-try day last year and had 30 kids attend.

"Currently, any junior golf opportunities require travelling a couple of hours. We wanted to run a MyGolf program with the space we had available so local kids could enjoy golf without the need to travel constantly.

"As a very small rural club, we also hope running MyGolf will help us upgrade our facilities for the kids and create more opportunities if they choose to pursue golf further.”

With the club starting from scratch, Golf Australia supported its journey by providing a Facility Kit from the MyGolf store, along with additional ropes and hitting mats.

An outstanding resource available to all MyGolf programs is the free CoachMate app, paired with MyGolf Game Cards. Designed by PGA Professionals and leaders in children’s education, the app features a library of warm-ups, putting, chipping, and full-swing games that align perfectly with the equipment pack.

This makes it easy for volunteers with limited golf experience to deliver fun, game-based sessions that teach the fundamentals in an engaging and inclusive way, even in settings as simple as an open field.

Just last weekend, Darke Peak ran its first official MyGolf Come and Try program, boasting an impressive 37 participants.

With strong interest from the local kids, the club is now preparing to launch a multi-week program later this month.

If you would like to learn more about running a MyGolf Program, the Coachmate App or the Facility Kit, feel free to contact us at [email protected]

To find your nearest MyGolf Centre, visit: https://www.golf.org.au/mygolf/home/