The club may not have started with zero junior golfers but the growth of younger members at Woodford Golf Club has been so astronomical the past two years that they have now surpassed the magical 100 number.

Situated an hour north-west of Brisbane, around 20 junior members called the Queensland club home in 2023 before a strategic plan was put in place to increase that number.

Current General Manager Dean Dagan joined the club in 2022 and junior golf has been a major focus for he and his team.

“I’m extremely passionate about junior golf and what the game can offer young people,” Dagan said.

“Golf has played a significant role in my own life. It teaches resilience, responsibility and life lessons that stay with you from a young age.”

The most recent figures boast 103 junior members at Woodford, which is a near 350 per cent increase on the figures from 2023.

Dagan says an overhaul of the junior membership pricing had immediate effect, and creating a reliable and regular junior coaching program has also proved instrumental.

“When I started in the role at Woodford, we offered regular junior clinics on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but when Michael Brodie joined the team as our PGA Associate Professional, we took the junior program to the next level,” he said.

“Together, we introduced beginner and advanced streams, as well as the Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) Junior Girls Scholarship Program, creating more structured and inclusive opportunities for all skill levels.

“Our junior membership pricing — $25 per year for non-handicap and $70 for handicap juniors — has certainly made the program more accessible. This year, I pushed our staff to actively promote junior memberships and to encourage as many young players as possible to begin their golf journey with us.

“Another valuable addition this year was the launch of our Saturday junior 6-hole competition, held fortnightly at just $6 per entry, with all competition fees reinvested into prizes.

“We’ve also hosted free school holiday clinics, funded by the club, with lessons delivered by PGA Professionals or qualified equivalents.”

Woodford also received welcome funding from the Sunshine Coast, South Burnett and Glasshouse Mountains District to promote its junior pathway program, which helped to reach youngsters from far and wide.

“The results have been inspiring,” said Dagan.

“We now see a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere among the junior groups, with many of them forming lasting friendships and playing together regularly during the holidays and after school.”

The growth has been such that Woodford has been able to field a junior pennant team for the first time in several years, a milestone Dagan hopes to build on in future.

“The pennant team gave our up-and-coming juniors strong role models within the club,” he said.

“One of these juniors now works in the golf shop on weekends, while others volunteer by washing golf carts, fostering a genuine sense of responsibility and involvement.

“The team made the final against Noosa but narrowly missed out on the title, losing in a sudden-death playoff.

“In 2026, our goal is to field two junior pennant teams and grow our Saturday competition to more than 20 regular participants.”

While Woodford and Dagan have every right to sit back and be proud of their achievements of the past two years, they also know there is an important job to retain and build on the growth.

“Looking ahead, the club is in a strong position. We’ve seen a 50 per cent increase in our 19–35 age category — clear evidence that younger golfers are finding value and community at Woodford Golf Club,” said Dagan.

“The Board has made a conscious and strategic commitment to growing our junior membership.

“Now, with the leadership of a dedicated team of PGA Professionals aligned with our vision, we’re seeing the fruits of our hard work — and the future looks bright.”