The driving range at Mackay Golf Club has been around for more than 10 years, however, the club has recently taken over owner and operations duties and has grand plans that are already beginning to come to life.

The driving range features 15-bays and a mini golf course, and the vision of General Manager David Roche is to get as many people playing golf as possible – in all its forms.

With the golf club and driving range previously operating separately, Roche is now eager to create a strong relationship and hopefully nurture new golfers through the mini golf and driving range to eventually playing on course.

"Having the control to be able to do what we want is a major benefit but so too is the cross-pollination," said Roche.

"We are going to give our golf club members some benefits at the driving range, but also provide a social golf club membership to the current members of the driving range that aren't members of the golf club.

"To be able to drive all of it into one to be able to market to the audience down there that aren't members of the golf club will be transformative."

Further down the line, Mackay also plans to offer discount green fees to driving range members, and incentivise golfers who join both the range and the golf club in the same year by discounting the range membership price off their annual fees.

Adding to an existing simulator facility, Mackay’s newly opened X-Golf facility has prompted questions to Roche on the rise in what might have been seen as typically competing offerings.

"What's there to be negative about?” was Roche’s response to such questions.

“Anything that brings more people into golf is a good thing.

"All golf is golf, and it doesn't matter where they get their start, at some point they will transition from playing driving range or simulator golf to the golf course, and that's the benefit to us."

In June Mackay Golf Club will celebrate its 100th year anniversary, with several events planned to mark the special occasion, and with the venue’s investment in the game, the next 100 years are already looking bright.

"The club was established on the 26th of June, 1925," said Roche. "For that week, we will have a different competition on every day for members.

"We're inviting past presidents and captains and obviously dignitaries from around the area.

"Then, the first competition was actually played at Mackay Golf Club, which is so the 13th of September, so we are celebrating that too later in the year.

"It just so happens, it's also our Doing it for Jarrod golf day."

To find out more about Mackay Golf Club, CLICK HERE.