To the golfing community, It hardly seems possible that it is nearly 12 months since we announced the formation of Golf Australia as the new governing body for golf in Australia. Under the direction of the Interim Board, many significant initiatives have been developed and implemented as we progress towards rebuilding a vibrant golfing community. The focus in 2006 has been on developing the appropriate plans and structures to enable our industry to grow over the next three years. Most importantly in 2006, with the participation and input of our Member States and Stakeholder s, we created a Strategic Plan that clearly defines our direction for the next three years. To deliver the Strategic Plan, we have appointed a dedicated team of people with unique and proven skills to our business. We are endeavouring to work more closely with our States and our strategic partners to provide increasing support and resources for our industry, from grassroots to elite levels of golf. The Board and CEO, Tony Hallam, have spent this year constructing the foundations for our future; expanding our focus across all levels of participation and securing the necessary funding to underpin the development of golf in Australia. On a practical level, we have moved to new and more suitable premises; we have a new brand and an interactive and user-friendly website as well as a newsletter to keep everyone up-to-date on activities. These important elements are now in place and working well. As we enter the next phase of our existence, we are focused on ensuring our organisation has the right governance structures. To this end, I as Chairman, will lead a process of reviewing the constitution of Golf Australia over the coming months. Now that the team has been in place for several months, we have further defined their roles under the leadership of Tony Hallam, our CEO. The following team structure has been confirmed: Nick Green-Game Development Manager Nick Green is responsible for developing the game of golf at grassroots, club and all associated facilities. He will be working alongside all stakeholders including Member States, government, the corporate community and clubs with a priority to build a national framework for junior golf development in schools and the golfing community. In addition, Nick will take on responsibility for improving our engagement with our Member States. Paul McNamee-Executive Chairman Australian Opens Paul McNamee will continue to work on shaping the future of these Championships in an international context and in the Asia Pacific region. Trevor Herden-Manager of National Championships & Tournaments Trevor Herden oversees Golf Australia s National Championships Schedule, including his role as Tournament Director at the MFS Australian Opens. Peter Knight-National Elite Development Director Peter Knight leads the National Elite Performance Program for the development of Australian elite golfers. Alex McGillivray-Manager – Support Services Alex McGillivray manages our internal support services and acts as our Public Officer. During the 2006 MFS Australian Open we witnessed a wonderful celebration of Australian golf at its very best, something of which we can all be proud. This seems a fitting climax in a year that has seen many highlights for Australian golf. We also recognise that this is the beginning and that there is much more work to be done, starting with the re-launch of the 2007 MFS Women’s Australian Open at The Royal Sydney Golf Club in February. Regards, Jerry Ellis – Chairman Tony Hallam – CEO Click here to download a copy of this letter.