Cairns leads big drive
Cairns Golf Club are backing an Australia-wide movement to showcase and drive women as a critical factor to golf’s future vision. Earlier this year, Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt declared the 20 per cent membership figure for women in Australia as “dire” and added that only 5 per cent of accredited golf coaches in Australia are female.
CAIRNS Golf Club is backing an Australia-wide movement to showcase and increase female participation in the sport through a range of new programs aimed at women.
Earlier this year, Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt declared the 20 per cent membership figure for women in Australia as “dire” and added that only 5 per cent of accredited golf coaches in Australia are female.
The local club is tackling the issue head on, this month employing former Brisbanebased golfer and PGA Pro Bri Webb to spearhead their expanding female programs.
Webb, who recently graduated from the PGA Trainee Program, is the first female professional at the Woreebased course with general manager of Cairns Golf Club Matt Bolton believing she is the first at any club in the Far North.
Cairns Golf Club figures on female participation are similar to the national averages and Bolton described that as “a pretty disappointing statistic”.
“I do not see why that stat should not be 50-50 in the future, men and women participation,” Bolton said.
“We have had a bit of success with our local introductory programs for women and with Golf Australia’s Vision 2025, we had an opening and we have engaged Bri.
“Bri will spearhead our women’s programs going forward and carrying on the great work everyone in our golf shop has been doing.
“It is a really big step in the right direction for the region.”
Bolton is keen for Webb to become a female figurehead for the game in the region as well as coaching men and boys in her role.
Webb has lived in Brisbane for the last eight years, three of which she was working through her PGA Trainee Program. She says it is similar to an apprenticeship that a plumber or electrician would undertake, working with a mixture of practical and theory to gain her qualification.
“There are not too many female professionals going around,” Webb said with a laugh.
“It was a great sense of accomplishment to get through all the hard work at the PGA Trainee Program.
As part of the strategy, GA is encouraging its 1500 clubs to provide equal access for both genders on all days – which many already offer – and for clubs to take on more female board members and senior executives.