Recipients of Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls Golf Scholarships at Mt Derrimut Golf Club are having a very rewarding experience. So, too, is the club.

“Parents of the girls have been enjoying their experience at the club so much so that two of the girls’ fathers have now joined,” said Brian Hardie, General Manager of the club, 30 minutes West of Melbourne’s CBD.

“It has been great to see the two new Dads now playing on a Saturday with their daughters.

“The program has also enabled our club to bring daughters of parents who were already members into the fold. This is helping us achieve our goal of being a welcoming and family friendly club.”

Pursuing this ethos, the club recently hosted a PLDA, Professional Long Drivers Association, Long Drive event designed to bring some fun and showcase that ‘all golf is golf’.

“This was the first of its kind in Melbourne, and there were three AGF scholarship girls participating. Kudos to the girls who stood up in front of 200 people hitting drives as far as they possibly could,” said Hardie. “It was a great atmosphere with the crowd and fellow participants cheering them on.”

In addition to tuition scholarship recipients receive as a part of the program, Jenna Hunter, head PGA Teaching Professional and Michelle Scerri, fellow PGA Instructor have also been teaching the girls about fitness for golf.

“The girls have been enjoying yoga/pilates-style sessions so they can learn how to take care of their bodies for golf,” said Hardie. “The girls have really enjoyed these sessions and are making good friends.

“Jenna and Michelle have been fantastic with the girls and have formed a really fun relationship. The girls enjoy a bit of banter – so much so that a ‘grudge match’ was recently played. This came about when Jenna proposed: ‘Let’s see if you can beat me’.”

The girls played a 4BBB versus 1B "Grudge" match. Jenna was feeling generous at the start of play, offering the girls one stoke per hole.

Unfortunately, her generosity backfired, and the girls stormed home to win by five shots, finishing after 16 holes!

For more information and to see a list of funded centres, 2022 visit the Australian Golf Foundation website.

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.

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, who originally established the program at Killara Golf Club, NSW.