Golf Australia welcomes two new directors and new Chair

At its recently held 2023 annual general meeting in Melbourne, Golf Australia farewelled two retiring directors and welcomed two new members of the board and new Chair.

Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds, current President of Grange Golf Club in Adelaide and Chief Executive of the Public Trustee-Attorney-General’s Department in South Australia, brings legal, commerce and business qualifications to her role as a director of the national organisation.

Reynolds is one of the co-founders of the Golf Leaders Network, which has made great strides in promoting and supporting women in leadership positions in golf clubs and facilities.

Matthew McKenna, a past Captain and Chair of Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne with a long history in the technology industry is a new Victorian board member.

He is a plus-one handicap golfer and during his time in leadership positions at Kingston Heath led constitutional changes that added to diversity, helped secure the 2028 Presidents Cup and played a strong hand in the creation of the new short course at the club in Melbourne.

The governing body also welcomed new Chair Peter Margin, who replaces the retiring Andrew Newbold and who took up his post several weeks ago.

Margin, a Yarra Yarra Golf Club member, brings more than 40 years of business experience to the sport, most recently as Executive Chairman for beverage giant Asahi from 2016-2020 during the acquisition of Carlton United Breweries and currently as the Deputy Chairman of Bega Cheese among other director position of ASX listed companies.

Tribute was paid to Newbold, Chair for the past four years and a director for five, in the annual report.

Golf Australia also paid tribute to the retiring directors, Sarah Chia (SA) and Richard Allen (Vic) after two successful terms on the GA Board having commenced in 2017.

Also at the AGM, the national body announced an operating surplus of $680,000 to 30th June, 2023.

Coupled with the strong financial performance in the previous year, the company’s net asset position is now $7.5 million – up from $1.5 million three years ago.

Chief Executive James Sutherland said the sport was experiencing “unprecedented” growth with a bright outlook and added “The remarkable growth in the game has continued over the last 12-months, and built on the tenet of ‘working together’ the Australian Golf Strategy, unveiled in late-2021, is showing that golf truly is an accessible and inclusive sport for all Australians.”