Junior Development
Professional Brett Mckee currently runs the Club’s Junior Golf coaching clinics 3 days a week.
Each program runs for six weeks through each school term at a cost of just $70.00.
Clinic details are as follows:
Schedule: Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:00pm
Sunday mornings from 10:00 – 11:00am
Program length: Six weeks per school term
Cost: $70 per six week program
Ashgrove Golf Club presently has over 180 Junior Members out of a total of more than 1200 Members. The average age of an Ashgrove Member is 57 with the majority of members in their 60’s and this continues to increase.
Current Community debate is focusing on Community Organisations providing healthy, productive, sociable and fun extracurricular activities for all children and teenagers irrespective of theirs or their families financial position.
To ensure the long-term viability of Ashgrove Golf Club and the Game of Golf, and to make a positive contribution to the future of children and teenagers in our Community, the Board and Management have decided to make Junior Membership a priority of the Club. This emphasis will begin with the Development of the Junior Development Program:
JUNIOR PROGRAM OF PROGRESSION STAGE 1
Saturday Morning 5 Hole Junior Competition
This will provide a valuable introduction to golf for children of all ages in a friendly relaxed atmosphere. The Competition will go for a duration of approximately one and a half hours with parents encouraged to walk around with their children for motivational support and enjoyment. The key objective here is to ensure that every participant has FUN and enjoys their first taste of golf. Children will not be required to be members but will be encouraged to become members. The fee is only $2 per child which is then put back into prizes and a free sausage sizzle each Saturday for every child to help congratulate them whilst discussing the days experiences!
The Saturday Morning Comp will be played off the Junior Tees and will be used to determine which children are sufficiently proficient to step up to the next stage, particularly for those children in the 12 and under age bracket.
STAGE 2
Sunday Afternoon 10 Hole Competition
Junior Clinics
Rules & Etiquette Sessions
Stage 2 will consist of the three above Tiers. All participants will be required to be Junior Members and of a minimum age of 10, dependant on skill level. This Comp. will be a natural progression on from the Saturday 5 Hole competition and played in the same friendly relaxed atmosphere from the white markers. Entry costs $3 of which the Club makes no profit - all monies are directed straight back into prizes.
Each Junior Member of the Sunday 10 Hole Club is given a 10 Hole Club Handicap which is formulated based on the first 3 weeks of Play. During these three weeks all new golfers playing for handicap will receive one brand new boxed golf ball. This Handicap is important for 3 reasons:
• It will help Junior Members to set goals for themselves and amongst friends.
• It will allow the Juniors to develop an understanding of Handicaps and how they apply to scoring in a range of competitions.
• The 10 Hole Handicap will allow the Junior SubCommittee to measure the progress of individuals to help decide on Promotion to Stage 3.
More emphasis will be placed on Juniors learning the rules and etiquette of Golf. Rules & Etiquette Sessions will be conducted before Presentation of Trophies in the Clubhouse on a Sunday afternoon. These information sessions will be casually conducted and use practical examples of that day’s events coupled with teaching Juniors on how to use their rulebook. Ideally Juniors would have their own "Junior Room" as this would assist the Juniors in taking ownership of the Club and improve their sense of belonging. However, due to Financial constraints this is not possible and it is does not appear that this will change in the foreseeable future.
Thirdly, the Club will include Junior Clinics as a complimentary part of Junior Membership and pay Gareth Small, Head Professional of Ashgrove Golf Club and his two Trainee Professionals to provide appropriate technical instruction. These Clinics are to occur once a month and will be strategically planned over a 12 month period to develop a range of skills and set a number of goals for each Junior. For many Juniors this will be the only way that they are able to receive Professional Tuition and will be instrumental to their development to ensure that they practice the "Right" things.
STAGE 3
Sunday Open Member’s Competition
Junior’s who meet all three Tiers of Criteria will be invited at the end of a Sunday 10 Hole Competition Presentation to play in the Sunday Open Member’s 18 Hole Competition. For a player to do so they must satisfy:
• Handicap requirement’s from the Sunday 10 Hole Comp - a Player must attain a 10 Hole Handicap of 13 and display proficiency to play to that Handicap
• Rules & Etiquette - a player must show a reasonable understanding of the Rules of Golf, Scoring in Competition, and Etiquette and the Manner in which the Game is to be played.
All promotions to Stage 3 will be reviewed every 3 months to ensure that Juniors still have the support mechanisms available that Juniors in Stage 1 & 2 have.
This will allow Juniors another stepping stone to further develop their skills, knowledge, decision making and speed of play. The Sunday Member’s Competition has the reputation of not being overly "competitive" and will provide an excellent introduction to 18 Hole Competition Golf. It will allow each Junior to attain an AGU Handicap whilst also allowing them to learn from far more experienced golfers.
STAGE 4
Saturday (and Thursday) Open Member Competitions
Junior’s who meet both of the following Criteria will be invited to play in the Saturday Open Member’s 18 Hole Competition. For a player to do so they must satisfy:
• Handicap requirement’s from the Sunday 18 Hole Comp - a Player must attain an AGU Handicap of less than 27 and display reasonable proficiency to play to that Handicap
• Rules & Etiquette - a player must show an excellent understanding of the Rules of Golf, Scoring in Competitions, and Etiquette and the Manner in which the Game is to be played.