Breaking down the stigma that golf doesn’t appeal to the younger generation has driven a young Tasmanian into instructing golf.
At 18 years old, Zahara Lemon is the perfect person to help break down these stereotypes.
Lemon first decided she wanted to make a difference when, as a member at Tasmania’s Kingston Beach Golf Club, she came across an advertisement to deliver the club’s junior program, MyGolf.
“I have been a part of the junior golfing scene for seven years and I am passionate about getting more juniors into the sport,” Lemon said.
“So I began talking to juniors about what would get them into the sport and it was evident that having someone around their age helping them would be more enticing for them.”
With no great coaching experience but an inbuilt passion from her days a Tasmanian state representative, Lemon felt this was the perfect opportunity to give back and get more people realising golf is a sport for everyone.
“I have been a part of the golfing scene in Tasmania for quite a while and I was wanting to make a greater impact by introducing new people to the sport I love,” she said.
“I felt the only way I could do this was to meet and coach people that knew very little about the sport.
“I have been able to remove the boring stigma around the game which is ultimately why I began coaching.”
Kingston Beach and Lemon’s efforts were rewarded in February with the club announced as the national MyGolf centre of the month.
That enabled Lemon’s confidence to grow to the point where she expanded her instructing to school children and set up a program for young women through Golf Australia’s female introductory program Swing Fit.
“The MyGolf juniors have been an absolute delight to teach, but even more so the ladies from Swing Fit.
“Through Swing Fit I am able to encourage the group to play golf in a fun and social environment and hopefully remove the negative stigma that golf is for aged individuals.”
Lemon has been elated with the beginner women’s progress through her Swing Fit program.
“(It) has been my greatest success as an instructor to date. I have seen huge improvements from my group each week. Not only does their golf improve, so do their confidence and fitness levels.”
Lemon’s golf instruction motto is simple.
“If you enjoy it, do it.”
Wise words from such a young lady.
For more information on how to become a Community Golf Instructor go to www.communitygolfinstructor.com.au