'It's really fun': More young girls are picking up golf thanks to a special program

It’s a hole in one* for the future of golf, with more girls taking a swing* at the sport thanks to a free program.

The Australian Golf Foundation’s Junior Girls Scholarship* offers girls free golf lessons and free golf club membership as part of a 12-month training plan to learn the ropes of the sport.

More than 1100 girls from 147 Australian golf clubs have signed up to take a putt on the green this year, according to AGF Director Bonnie Boezeman AO, who helped devise* the program to encourage* more girls to enter the sport.

“We’ve seen growth of women and girls (playing golf) go up by 12 per cent in the last year. And majority of that is coming from the junior girls and their mothers joining them,” Ms Boezeman said.

“What this is going to mean is a rebirth* of golf for women, beginning with the number of junior girls.”

The number of NSW girls who have signed up to give golf a go has more than doubled since the scholarship started in 2021, with 225 signed up to take part in the 2024 program.

Girls aged nine to 16 years old are eligible* to be selected* for the program, and can take up to 24 free lessons over the course of the scholarship.

Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Savell is midway through this year’s scholarship and keen* to keep going.

“I started (golf) just this year but I’ve always liked it,” Elizabeth said.

“I really like (the program) as it’s really fun and I’ve learnt a lot. It’s also good to socialise* and we need more females in the sport.”

Eliza Rolfe, 9, got into the sport at age six thanks to her dad, and was thrilled* to be selected for the program.

“(My dad) always loved golf when he was a child,” she said.

“It’s really fun and I think it’s really good because more girls should be able to do it.”

GLOSSARY

• hole in one: a successful shot in golf where the ball is hit into the hole with a single stroke
  swing: the action of striking the golf ball with the club
• scholarship: a financial award given to students to help pay for their education
• devise: create or plan
• encourage: to give support, confidence, or hope to someone
• rebirth: a new beginning or revival
• eligible: having the right to do or obtain something; qualified
• keen: eager or enthusiastic
• socialise: to interact with others in a friendly manner
• thrilled: extremely pleased or excited
• selected: chosen or picked out from a group

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QUICK QUIZ

1. What does the Australian Golf Foundation’s Junior Girls Scholarship offer to girls?
2. How many girls from Australian golf clubs have signed up for the program this year?
3. What is the age range for girls eligible to be selected for the program?
4. How many free lessons can participants take over the course of the scholarship?
5. How did Eliza Rolfe get into golf?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Junior golf program
Although this scholarship program is aimed at girls, what are the physical and mental health benefits for both young girls and boys to pick up the sport of golf?

Work with a partner and brainstorm your responses:

Physical –

Mental –

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Why do you think the sport of golf is more popular among males than females?

Is it a sport you may be interested in trying? Why or why not?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
BAB it!
Show you have read and understood the article by writing three sentences using the connectives “because’’, “and”, and “but” (BAB). Your sentences can share different facts or opinions, or the same ones but written about in different ways.