Clubs and facilities within the Cardinia Shire Council recently came together for a Golf Forum jointly hosted by Golf Australia alongside the Shire.

Present at the forum was Beaconhills Golf Club, Berwick Montuna Golf Club, Garfield Golf Club and Pakenham Golf Course, all coming together to better understand how they can help each other and work more closely with the council and Golf Australia.

Golf Australia representatives presented on current trends in the sport, the research being conducted, and what services and support is on offer for clubs and facilities.

The clubs were also able to hear from their council and better understand the support they can provide, as well as the benefits of working more closely with both the council and the other clubs around them.

Cardinia Shire Council's Sport and Active Recreation Development Officer, Mel Pratt was the brains behind the forum, and says that it provided the perfect first step towards better connection.

"The clubs had never got together as all the clubs in one council and talked about what they could do better," she said.

"The crux of the forum was education, relationship building and networking, and it actually changed the perspective of the clubs not seeing themselves as competitors to each other, but how they could do better.

"For that to come out of the first initial networking I think is pretty gold."

The Golf Australia presentation provided clubs the story of what golf looks like now and where it is looking to grow into the future, and the council added to this picture by giving a better understanding of the local community and highlighting its participation strategy.

This first forum has received positive feedback from the clubs involved, and Pratt says the plan is to get together on a regular basis to continue the relationship building between the clubs themselves, as well as with the council and Golf Australia.

"We are working on an opportunity to get together potentially two times a year, delving into a specific topic," she said.

"It could be on the R&A Charter, so it could link into some of the women and girls stuff, or it could be on governance, or it could be on how do we increase participation or products we're offering.

"The next phase is sort of a 'what are your key needs? What are you looking at?', and we got some of that feedback already, like Garfield said they want more women and girls.

"There's other clubs that said they really need to sit down and do a bit of a strategic plan. So I think it was a thought provoking evening and it was great to be able to assure them that we're here, we're connected and there's opportunity."

Golf Australia are looking to roll this out across more local government areas, to find out more, email Clubs & Facilities Manager – Victoria, Chris Crabbe at chris.crabbe@golf.com.au