By Serrin Bertino

For the grey nomads out of the southern states who start flocking north to the Sunshine Coast in winter with their clubs in-hand, watch out – as numerous groups of girls are also populating local courses!

Maroochy River Golf Club boasts a group of keen girl golfers who have received an Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) Junior Girls Golf scholarship for 2023.

Di Pavich, resident PGA Professional has been coaching the girls who are aged 8-13 throughout the first school term.

“In just several weeks we are already achieving our goals for the program,” she said.

“That being comradeship, with girls organising social games together, having fun and improving their golf.”

This group is not the only group of girls Pavich is coaching on the Sunny Coast.

The Sunshine Coast Burnett District Women’s Golf Association also runs a district development squad which in 2023 has 12 girls involved.

The squad has been running since 2017 and brings girls together four times per year to develop their golf skills, get to know each other and to have fun.

“The district squad and the AGF scholarship program have a similar ethos,” Pavich said.

“Both provide coaching, an opportunity to connect with other girls for one year and forge friendships for the future. “This is a great opportunity for us to retain girls in golf as essentially they can be a part of formal program that brings them together over a two-year-period.”

Honouring the program’s principles Pavich has organized a school holiday session for the AGF scholarship girls based around making friends and improving their skills.

“We will start with a putting session, followed by lunch and then 9 holes together.”

Australian Golf Foundation is the national foundation for golf in Australia.

The AGF supports Golf Australia’s vision to grow golf by investing in targeted initiatives to inspire all Australians to enjoy and play the game. Find a local scholarship program near you. Visit australiangolffoundation.org.au for further information.

Australian Golf Foundation is thrilled to partner with NEXTGEN Group as the principal partner of the AGF Scholarship Programme in 2022, with significant further support provided by Golf Australia, Golf Victoria, Victorian Golf Foundation, Golf Queensland, Golf South Australia, Golf Tasmania, Golf Western Australia, Western Australian Golf Foundation, Golf Northern Territory, Golf Management Australia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and PGA of Australia, as well as a number of additional generous private benefactors.

The scholarship program has come to fruition thanks to the foresight and generosity of Bonnie Boezeman AO, Director of the Australian Golf Foundation, who originally established the program at Killara Golf Club, New South Wales.