Australian Golf Foundation shares how clubs can apply for Junior Girls’ Golf Scholarship program

The Australian Golf Foundation, in association with Golf Australia will be presenting the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls Scholarship program in 2024. Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) 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.

For Golf clubs interested in the AGF Junior Girls’ Golf Scholarship program but concerned they don’t have enough girls who want to play, the AGF has shared how the NSW Central Coast District Association devised a way to secure a number of the scholarships.

Mick Lamaro sits on the Central Coast District Committee in New South Wales and two years ago held similar concerns.

However, the District Association championed a concept so brilliantly that now in 2023, over 60 girls across five golf clubs in the region are enjoying the scholarship program.

The district achieved this by calling for expressions of interest through the district’s men, women and junior Facebook pages.

Through this audience, Lamaro collected the names of many girls who were keen to obtain a scholarship.

Mapping out where these girls lived, Lamaro identified hub clubs (Shelley Beach, Toukley, Kooindah Waters, Gosford and Everglades) that all took up the opportunity to be gifted with six to eight girls and sign up for the scholarship program.

After three terms of fun, friendship and tuition, 21 AGF scholarship recipients recently enjoyed a ‘Central Coast Girls AGF Scholarship FUN Day’ at Erina Creek Golf Course. The day involved a fun 9-holes short-course, lunch, games and many prizes kindly donated by the local Central Coast golf community and local Drummond golf shop.

AGF has partnered with NEXTGEN Group as the principal partner of the AGF Scholarship Program in 2023, 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, Golf Management Australia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and PGA of Australia, as well as a number of additional generous private benefactors.

NEXTGEN Group returns as the principal partner of the AGF Scholarship Program once again for their third year in 2024. Important financial support also continues to be provided by a number of generous private benefactors, in addition to golfing bodies.

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.

The program has seen a 42% increase in participation from 2022 to 2023 and has provided girls aged nine to 16 with the opportunity to fall in love with the game.

In 2024, the Australian Golf Foundation are aiming to have over 1,000 scholarship holders spread across the country.

Applications for 2024 club funding are now open and close on 28th October.

For more information on the program click here

To apply for the 2024 program click here

Image. Central Coast District Association Junior Girls’ Golf Scholarship program recipients