The Golf Australia Rookie Program offers a way of assisting professional golfers as they enter the most exciting and challenging time of their professional careers; finding and establishing themselves on an international Tour and understanding the demands of travelling to different parts of the world whilst at the same time trying to compete against the best players in the world.
The Rookie Program consists of male and female professionals with no stipulation on the number program members; the definition of a Golf Australia Rookie member includes any player in the final six months of their amateur career until the end of their fifth year of professional golf.
The Golf Australia High Performance Program has been expanded to allow a number of young professionals to receive the levels of support that has previously been unachievable.
Successful applicants will each receive a rookie scholarship that is offered for a period of one year with a review after six months. The scholarship holder can be part of the program until their fifth year of professional golf.
There are essentially two streams of funding the scholarship will assist with:
1.Training and preparation funding.
This is to support players with coaching, strength and conditioning, biomechanics, sports psychology, physiotherapy, nutritionist, etc.
Through the Rookie Program Golf Australia will pay the agreed costs which are part of the player’s annual plan with no requirement for them to repay any of those costs. Players may use their own service team or seek Golf Australia’s support in setting up their preferred service providers.
2.Competition and travel funding.
This is to support the player’s competition and travel expenses that can include but not limited to: airfares, accommodation, entry fees, caddy fees, ect. Through the Rookie Program Golf Australia will pay the agreed costs which are part of the player’s annual plan with no requirement for them to repay any of those costs.
Vision and Objective of the Golf Australia Program
The overall objective and vision of the Golf Australia program is to provide our elite athletes with world class resources that will give them the best opportunity to reach their full potential on and off the golf course.
If our athletes can reach their full potential, we believe Australia will produce more Major and International Championship Winners. Australia has some of the best resources in the world, from our coaches, sport science, sport medicine, weather, golf courses, competition, culture of success, and much more.
It is important to understand that the Rookie program was development for our elite up and coming professional golfers. Competing and having success at the international level is an extremely difficult journey. As much as Golf Australia would like to help every up and coming elite athlete the funds are limited to players who are having the success that warrants the financial support.
Golf Australia also understands and supports that success at the international level can be a long process
The Australian National Squad consists of four levels:
Australian Rookie Squad (Professional Golfers)
Australian National Squad - Tier 1
Australian National Squad - Tier 2
Australian National Junior Squad (Age 13-17)
Criteria for Selection (Rookie Program)
• Be an Australian citizen
• Successful amateur record at the national and international level
• Be in the final six months of their amateur golf careers
• Have turned professional within the past 5 years
• Players can be either male or female and can be of any age
• Have in place at team of service providers from Sport Psychologist-Swing Coach
• They must be hard working and highly self-motivated to achieve their objectives.
• Have an understanding of the time commitment and dedication required to reach their full potential on and off the golf course, to have success as a professional tour player, and to win a major championship.
• Playing full time on a recognized professional golf tour-Tour’s include but are not limited to-Australian Tour, Hooters Tour, E-Tour, Gateway Tour, One Asia Tour, Asian Tour, Japan Tour, European Tour, Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour, LPGA, PGA, Canadian Tour, Challenge Tour, Futures Tour.
*There will be no minimum or maximum number of Rookie Squad members. The program is looking for internally motivated individuals who are 100% committed to the process of reaching their full potential on and off the golf course.
Expectations of Scholarship Holders:
• Provide Golf Australia with a list of the members who apart of your overall support team. The team can include but not limited to. (Primary Coach, agent, financial planner, trainer, physiotherapist, psychologist, Golf Australia HP staff, and sport science personnel.)
• Adhere to the plans jointly set for them with their primary coach and support team members. These plans will be in regard to developmental and competition opportunities.
• Maintain regular contact with primary coach and support team by providing results at tournaments, developmental opportunities and life on tour.
• Regularly review goals and objectives with primary coach and support team.
• Abide by the Athletes’ Code of Ethics and by the code of ethics of their professional organisation/tour.
• Maintain records where required – may include training journals, round analyses, etc.
• Be available and proactive to play in state and national PGA and ALPG events and attend camp and training programs to assist our up and coming elite junior and amateur players.
This would be contingent on the events not conflicting with the player’s competition schedules. This commitment to Australian Golf will only help in the growth of the game for our future stars.