There are many excellent junior programs being run at MYGolf Centres and therefore we would like to feature a Centre each month. This will also be a way to share ideas and information on what is working well with MYGolf Programs. Howlong Country Golf Club are the first club to be featured. They currently have 41 participants registered in the program which runs every fortnight. The following questions have been answered by their General Manager, Chris Rebbechi. Why do you run a junior program? With player numbers declining and a continued move in our demographic towards older players the Club recognised the importance of attracting young players to the game of golf. The MYGolf Program provides an opportunity to get juniors interested in learning about golf in a fun environment. Who runs the program? We have a group of 6 junior coaches that are made up of golf committee members and parents who have all been through the training program. We are assisted by Directors, the General Manager and Operations Manager. Commitment from volunteers is always difficult on a fortnightly basis and our approach of having a large pool of helpers has meant that the load has been shared. How you have found the MYGolf program and the benefits? The MyYGolf Program has been excellent, it provided us with a very easy to use information kit that allowed the administrators and trainers to have all the resources they needed to implement a successful program. Any tips and ideas you can give to run the program successfully? 1. Make it Fun for the Kids (Santa, Easter Egg Hunts, Grandparents Day, Pro Displays) 2. Get Volunteers and Parents behind the Program 3. Actively publicise and promote the clinics 4. Use the resources of Local, State and National Golf Bodies 5. Avoid clashes with other sports (Auskick, Netset Go, Milo Cricket etc) 6. Make it an enjoyable environment for parents. 7. Give each junior a cut down club to take home and practice with. 8. Go ahead with the clinic, rain hail or shine. (In bad weather have a putting clinic in the clubhouse) Momentum is important. 9. Communicate regularly with the Juniors and Parents (email is effective) 10. Establish a Junior Golf Committee to oversee the clinic and Junior golf development. Any other relevant info about your program? For every session we have free BBQ and soft drinks. A presentation is held after each session and prizes are awarded. All participants receive a small gift at each session (Eg A chocolate or a donated golf ball.) We applied for various Grants and were successful in obtaining $5,000 to assist in covering the costs of Clubs, presentations etc. Congratulations to Howlong Country Golf Club on being the first MYGolf Centre of the Month as well as receiving the Jack Newton Junior Golf Junior Club of the Year award!!