Since Golf Queensland’s Ladies, Let’s Golf Program (LLG) was instigated four years ago, The Brisbane Golf Club has achieved outstanding success with 36 of the 93 learners graduating to club membership.
As well, another 26 ladies are currently progressing through the program.
And Golf Queensland’s Participation Development Manager, Adrian Hewat, has confirmed that The Brisbane Golf Club’s success is the best of any club in the state, an achievement of which TBGCs Director of Golf, Joe Janison, is extremely proud.
“We are enormously proud of our LLG program and consider it one of the best features of the club,” he said.
“Members of our coaching staff, and in particular the ladies that support the LLG program, have every reason to feel gratified by this accomplishment. And, of course, the new ladies deserve recognition too.
“We have such a wonderful ladies membership here at Brisbane and with it growing will only become stronger and more competitive.”
The Ladies, Let’s Golf Program is designed for ladies with little or no golfing experience to learn the game of golf in a friendly and fun environment. Participants sign up for a free ‘Come and Try Clinic’ which are followed by two four-week clinics.
TBGC Ladies president, Helen Placanica, said that following the Golf Queensland-sanctioned clinics, the club offers graduates a three-tier restricted membership which takes them from entry-level Bronze, through Silver and Gold.
“The Bronze membership provides weekly nine-hole escorted golf during which the ladies learn course management, etiquette and rules, as well as having the opportunity to hone their golfing skills,” she said.
“By the time they graduate from the Gold level, they have attained a Golf Australia handicap and are competition ready. And some of those who have graduated since 2014 have subsequently gone on to win Monthly Medals, Honour Board events and even represent the club in the ladies’ Pennant competitions.
“As Ladies President, and having been involved personally in the program since its inception, I am very proud of the success of our LLG program and the volunteers who have contributed to its outstanding achievement.”
One of the graduates, Jenny Whelan, has been lavish in her praise of the program, of which she first leaned while organising a social function at the club.
“On joining the program, I had a few goals,” she said. “One was to create new friendships; the second to find a sport I would be able to play for many years and would not impact on my knees which have already had surgery; the third to have some exercise in a way not connected to the gym; and the final was learning a sport that I could go on to play casually with my husband and 20-year-old son, and would not be seen as incompetent.”
Jenny said the Ladies, Let’s Golf Program has ticked all of her goals and has, in fact, provided more.
“Everyone involved in the program has been so very friendly and helpful from day one, particularly when we finish a round and some lovely members ask how we went and share some advice and banter,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be made feel so welcome, from the staff in the pro shop to the office staff, greenskeepers and all in the clubhouse. The experience has been golden and as a group with various issues, we have been made very welcome.”
And Jenny said the highlight of her experience came recently when she played nine holes with her son for the very first time.
“We had a wonderful time,” she beamed. “My son was impressed with my ability and was also encouraging. And during a drink in the clubhouse afterwards, he suggested we play again next week.
“For a boy who is very serious and focussed on work and university with not much in between, this was music to my ears and made the Ladies, Let’s Golf program worth so much more.”
Ladies, Let’s Golf Clinics are held regularly and ladies wishing to get involved are to contact Joe Janison via email at joe@brisbanegolfclub.com.au. Joe will provide email updates with the exact dates of Come and Try and Level 1 Clinics.
Find out about all the Ladies, Let's Golf programs via the website.