FORMER Tour professional and now well known television presenter Grant Dodd has been given the task of taking the game of golf to a wider audience.

It was announced today Dodd has been appointed as PGA of Australia ambassador for 12 months.

“Grant is universally known within the Australian golf community and is respected for both his achievements and his passion for our game,” said Max Garske, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Australia.

“Grant has worked continuously to promote Australian Golf and has much personal insight into how we as an Industry can go forward. For this reason Grant will be a great asset to the PGA as we endeavour to identify new and increased opportunities to promote both PGA members and the game of golf.”

Welcoming his appointment, Dodd said: “The PGA has a great vision for taking the game of golf forward in this country, a vision that it is being pursued in an innovative and proactive way and I look forward to playing a role in helping them to achieve their desired outcomes.”

In his role as an ambassador, Dodd will be available as a spokesperson for the PGA and will also be utilised to promote the PGA brand on key occasions throughout the year.

In a professional golf career between 1993 and 2004, Dodd played on the Australasian, Asian and European Tour’s.

During that time, he won the 1999 BTC Slovenian Open on the European Challenge Tour and also played in the 1997 and 1998 British Open’s, at Royal Troon and Royal Birkdale respectively.

In 2007 he became a member of the Network TEN golf broadcast team after working with FOX Sports in 2006.

He is co-host of the The Pro Shop on ONE HD, and commentates on ESPN Star and its affiliates around the world for ONE Asia broadcasts.

THE PGA of Australia today announced yet another twist for the Surf Coast Knockout that will see golfers from the Surf Coast region, including a 15-year old member of The Sands Torquay, line up for the innovative new event teeing off on January 20, 2011.

The PGA Tour of Australasia event will feature a final round limited format matchplay knockout with the later stages telecast on Sunday prime time television.

The PGA today issued a series of invitations to twelve local golf clubs who will each have the opportunity to qualify one player for the tournament.

As Simon Butterly, General Manager of the PGA’s Tournament Division explains:

“To claim a spot, the most recent Men’s Club Champion must compete against one of their club’s PGA Professionals in an 18 hole match play event at their home course before December 31st 2010. The winner of that match will gain automatic entry into the field for the Surf Coast Knockout to be held at The Sands Torquay from January 20th –23rd, 2011.”

The twelve clubs that have been issued invites are;

The Sands Torquay, Thirteenth Beach Golf Links, Barwon Heads Golf Club, Torquay Golf Club, Anglesea Golf Club, Curlewis Golf Club, Lonsdale Golf Club, Clifton Springs Golf Club, Portarlington Golf Club Queenscliff Golf Club, East Geelong Golf Club and Moonah Links.

“With such a high standard of courses in the Surf Coast region it was difficult for us to select the clubs,” Butterly said, ”however we believe that this is a great start for this, the inaugural year of the Surf Coast Knockout, and we hope with continued community support we can build on this initiative in the years to come.”

In addition to the twelve invitations, the PGA has also issued an invitation to 15-year old amateur Ben Eccles, a member at The Sands Torquay who recently shot a new course record.

“It was only 6 weeks ago that Ben knocked it around The Sands Torquay in a new course record score of 63,” said Dean Newell, General Manager at The Sands Torquay.

“I am sure that it will give Darrell Brown our Teaching Professional at The Sands Torquay great pride to see one of his star pupils out there competing against some of the best Australian professionals.”

In a world first, the first three rounds of the Surf Coast Knockout will be contested under stroke play conditions, while the winner will ultimately be decided on Sunday by a reduced match play format.

The PGA’s broadcast partner Network 10 will broadcast the Surf Coast Classic on Sunday 23rd January live from 12.00pm – 5.00pm on Network 10, and from 12.00pm – 7.00pm on OneHD.  

IN a claimed world first, Australian golf has announced a new shortened “Twenty20” inspired golf tournament to be broadcast on prime time television.

The PGA of Australia launched the new concept today saying it would be an event the likes of which had never before been seen on any major tour in the world.

To be played at The Sands Torquay in Victoria from January 20-23, 2011, the Surf Coast Knockout has been scheduled as part of the 2011 PGA Tour of Australasia and has already been supported by a host of top players.

In an international first, the first three rounds of the Surf Coast Knockout will be contested under stroke play conditions, while the winner will ultimately be decided on Sunday by a reduced match play format.

The match play will be played over six holes only, with tied matches set to be decided by a ‘knockout hole.’

The event will be televised to an international audience live on both Network Ten and OneHD.

In another first, the PGA has scheduled the tournament to finish in twilight hours, meaning the semi-finals and final will be broadcast live during prime time television.

“The Surf Coast Knockout is a unique format that will challenge the traditional way in which golf tournaments are played and broadcast,” Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia, said today.

“This exciting concept will take a shortened version of the game live on the final day to millions of viewers both in Australia and overseas, engaging a new golf audience, at the same time showcasing the magnificent Victorian Bellarine Peninsula.”

A full PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit event, the event has already gained substantial support from a host of marquee tournament players, the Victorian Government and tourism bodies.

Peter Lonard, Craig Parry, Peter Senior, Peter O’Malley, Paul Sheehan, Scott Laycock, Stephen Leaney, Andrew Tschudin, Anthony Brown and The Sands Torquay course designer, Stuart Appleby, are among those to have already expressing interest in playing in the event.

The format in brief:

• The field size for the Surf Coast Knockout will be 132 (min) which will include a maximum of 20 amateurs.
• The event is a full PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit event.
• Rounds 1-3 will be strokeplay.
• The fourth and final round will be contested under match play conditions.
• Two cuts will be made during the tournament (a first for the PGA Tour of Australasia).
• The first cut will be made after 36 holes (to 50 + ties).
• The second will be made after 54 holes (to 32).
• The fourth round (match play) will be 16 matches played over 6 holes.
• A proportion of prize money will be paid to the top 5 following 54 holes.
• The remainder of the prize money will be paid following Sunday’s final results. 

The Surf Coast Knockout will be played at The Sands Torquay from January 20-23 with the pre-event festivities to kick off from Monday 17th January. The PGA’s broadcast partner Network 10 will broadcast the Surf Coast Classic on Sunday 23rd January live from 12.00pm – 5.00pm on Network 10, and from 12.00pm – 7.00pm on OneHD.

TO celebrate the imminent arrival of Tiger Woods, the PGA of Australia has launched Fantasy Golf, to be played over the remaining weeks of the PGA Tour of Australasia’s summer season.

Take the challenge and play Fantasy Golf over five weeks of the PGA Tour of Australasia season. Try to outscore your friends, colleagues and the rest of the Fantasy community.

In your role as selector and coach, you get to pick 12 players you think will perform best in each of the five remaining PGA Tour of Australasia summer events, earning  points for your team with every hole played.

The comp tees off with the JBWere Masters, continues through the Cellarbrations NSW PGA Championship, the NSW Open hosted by Nathan Green and the Australian Open and will conclude with Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola, the final event of the Aussie summer of golf.

The overall Fantasy winner will win a set of Srixon golf clubs and tour bag. There are also Srixon golf balls to be won each week.

To register visit  http://fantasy.pga.org.au and select your 12 player team. Be quick! First trading black-out is 6am on Thursday 12th November.

A NEW weekly free to air Australian golf show will premiere on Network Ten’s 24 hour sport channel ONE in late October.

AFL commentator and sports guru Andrew Maher will host the locally produced show which the network says will cover a variety of topics that will appeal to golfers of all ages and abilities.

The PGA of Australia will partner with ONE to bring the show, ‘The Pro Shop’ to viewers on Tuesday nights, with the first season extending to the conclusion of 2010’s first Major Championship, the 2010 Masters from Augusta National.

In a media release today, the PGA said it would work closely with sports commentator Maher on the content of the show as they continue to strive to promote and grow all aspects of the game in Australia.

As well as full previews and reviews of all the major domestic Tournaments, the show will analyse and test the latest equipment, visit and review a host of golf courses and golf travel destinations, talk to leading professionals, meet celebrities who share a passion for golf as well as provide useful tips, hints and drills to improve your game.

Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia said the introduction of The Pro Shop would boost the PGA’s thriving relationship with Network Ten with golf fans ultimately the big winners.

“We are very excited about the launch of ‘The Pro Shop’ which in conjunction with the increased tournament coverage Network Ten will deliver this summer will ensure that golf lovers at all levels will be catered for. We look forward to working together in our desire to serve the golf fans what they have asked for –the highest level of golf coverage ever.”

David White, Network Ten General Manager of Sport, said the show was part of the Network’s strategy to provide more sporting lifestyle content to Australian sports lovers.

“Along with our extensive live sport offerings we believe that sports fans want to learn about different sports and how to incorporate them into their lives. This show will have something for the casual golfer right through to the dedicated serious golfer.”

Opportunities exist for ‘The Pro Shop’ to include your course, venue, personnel or equipment on the show. If you would like more information or have any story ideas please email theproshop@networkten.com.au

TWO of Australia’s best club pros will get a shot at the big time with a start in the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum.

The chance to play alongside the likes of Vijay Singh, Geoff Ogilvy and the cream of Australasian golf will be an added bonus for the top two finishers at next week’s PGA Professionals Championship, which will tee off on Wednesday at the Sandhurst Club in Victoria.

The PGA Professionals Championship, an evolution of the previous Club Pro Championship, is the PGA of Australia’s premier vocational members event.

Next Friday afternoon will not only herald the crowning of the 2009 Champion but will see who gets to line up for the Australian PGA Championship at the Hyatt Regency.

“This is a great opportunity for our vocational members to get a chance to line up and mix it with the best, particularly this year as we are now a part of the OneAsia Series,” said Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia.

“Our members at all levels are getting more and varied opportunities to play in big events and we are delighted to be able to provide this added incentive and opportunity for our members.”

The national title for PGA vocational (club based & industry) members will be held at Sandhurst for the first time from September 14-18 and pits 50 of Australia’s best club professionals against each other to battle for a prize purse of $AUS60,000 over three rounds (54 holes).

After qualifying events were held in July in Queensland followed by other state qualifying events in August, the field is now determined and will be led by last year’s Club Pro Champion Bryan Roach.

Roach returns to defend the crown he won for the first time at Twin Waters last year. The 38 year old shot a sizzling 11-under par over two rounds to claim the title by two shots from New South Welshman Graeme Stockley with Queenslander Lee Hunt coming in third.

Featuring this year are 2009 State Qualifying Champions David Gammon from Kogarah Golf Club in NSW, Jason Russell from Launceston Golf Club in Tasmania, Michael Sprengel from Kooyonga Golf Club in South Australia, Russell Smith from Jindalee Golf Club in Queensland,  local talent Alex Tahin from Eastern Golf Club in Victoria and Tony Mills from Wembley Golf Complex in WA.  

For 38 year old Mills, who spends the majority of his week teaching whilst working on his own game, the chance to line up at Coolum in December is enough to get him fired up for next week’s event. A former touring professional from 1993-2001 Mills never played the Australian PGA Championship and is using that unfulfilled ambition as an added incentive.

“I’ve just started to play well recently and am feeling a lot more confident in my game so I am really looking forward to next week. It will be my first PGA Pros Final and it’s always been a goal of mine to win the national title,” said Mills. “Now that I know the Australian PGA Championship spots are up for grabs its even greater reason for me to fulfill another goal I always had.”

The 2009 PGA Professionals Championship is proudly supported by three presenting sponsors in Coca-Cola, Club Car and Acushnet (with brands Titleist, Footjoy and Cobra).

AUSTRALIA’S richest event for senior golfers, the $300,000 Handa Australian Senior Open will move to Perth for the first time this October.

After two years at Concord Golf Club in Sydney, the prestigious event is expected to attract a field of 100 “Legends” of international golf – including senior newbie Peter Senior - to Royal Perth Golf Club in South Perth from 23-25 October.

Senior qualified when he turned 50 recently and he will be joined in the 54 hole event by an impressive line-up including Wayne Grady, Peter Fowler, Rodger Davis, Terry Gale, Michael Clayton, Michael Harwood, Brian Jones and Ossie Moore.

Sponsor and founder, Japanese businessman and philanthropist Haruhisa Handa, said he was thrilled to have the event played in Perth, in addition to the Handa Open and Handa Junior Masters tournament held at The Vines earlier this May.

“It was a perfect fit to bring the Senior Open event to Perth, giving golf fans access to the two highest profile senior events on the Australian golfing calendar,” Dr Handa said.

“I am passionate about nurturing senior golf both in Australia and internationally where it has not always enjoyed the opportunity it deserves.”

“I am committed to ensuring that both of these senior events have a long and prosperous future showcasing the talents of some of the greatest male and female golfers ever to play the game.”

Dr Handa is also a generous supporter and avid campaigner for Blind Golf globally and locally in Australia. Along with the two senior events, Dr Handa will also once again sponsor the Australian Blind Golf Championship in Perth to be played before the Handa Australia Cup on 28-29 October.

A first for Peter Senior

This year’s Handa Australian Senior Open will mark Peter Senior’s first official outing in the Legends Tour.

“Peter’s form is particularly good and I know he’s looking forward to taking on two-time Australian Senior Open Champion Wayne Grady on Australian soil,” said Tournament Chairman Wayne Smith.

“It will also mark Peter Fowler’s Australian ‘Senior’ debut after joining the Legend ranks in June this year.”

The Handa Australian Senior Open will be followed by a Pro-Am on Monday, 26 October.

Peter’s Debut Australian Senior Open Championship 

Harwood takes the candy in classic finish

THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA has joined forces with the PGA’s of the US, Great Britain and Ireland to establish a new international alliance aimed at growing golf globally.

The organisation announced today it had entered into a new World PGA Alliance it said was a significant step for world golf

The World PGA Alliance will work to further promote the interests of the 56,000 PGA Professionals and more than 22,000 PGA member golf facilities worldwide.

Born from the third annual World PGA Conference conducted in Sydney in April 2008, the alliance has been formed to establish and guide teaching, playing and educational standards for the golf profession in developing golf territories and shared best practices in player development for adults and youth.

The alliance is led by the chief executives of The PGA’s of Australia, America and Great Britain & Ireland, while the PGA’s of Canada, Europe, Germany, Japan, South Africa, and Sweden are also alliance members.

“The PGA of Australia is proud to be part of the World PGA Alliance and join forces with its international colleagues in the interest of PGA members globally,” said Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia. 

“This alliance will open up significant opportunities for PGA members both in Australia and internationally, and will act as a catalyst for the establishment of many more significant global golf industry initiatives into the future.”

Speaking at the launch of the announcement from the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Golf Club in Michigan, Jim Remy, President of the PGA of America said the Alliance is a significant step for world golf.

“The PGA of America is proud to join its global colleagues in golf in forming the World PGA Alliance, which is an outgrowth of the universal respect that the game of golf holds across cultural and language barriers,” said Remy.

“The Alliance is vital to the continued growth of the game and business of golf in emerging golf territories and will reinforce the numerous roles fulfilled by the PGA Professionals in instruction, player development and the business of golf.”

Also in attendance at the launch of the alliance, Geoff Scott, Chairman of the PGA of Australia added, “the PGA of Australia is the most recognisable and respected golf brand in the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific region, and is recognised as an industry leader that delivers the highest standards across all its programs.”

“The establishment of the World PGA Alliance aligns the PGA of Australia with two other immensely powerful entities, further enhancing the value of PGA brand while simultaneously increasing opportunities for PGA Members globally.”

The first formal meeting of the new Alliance will be held during the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida and will include a global symposium on junior golf.

THE PGA of Australia is trumpeting new official figures it says show a significant increase in the latest golf participation rates.

The figures, released as part of the Australian Sports Commission’s annual Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS), rank golf as the most popular club-based activity for 2008.

The PGA says total golf participation increased in 2008 by more than 260,000 - an incredible 29% increase from 2007.

“With every year that passes more and more Australians are realising both the health and social benefits derived from visiting their local golf course,” said Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia.

“Through our vast network of PGA members across Australia and around the word the PGA’s mission is to promote the game of golf to the masses- and we are extremely pleased to see that over 1.1 million Australian’s enjoyed a round of golf during 2008.”

With a total participation rate of 1,181,100 throughout 2008, golf topped tennis, football and netball on the list of the most popular club-based physical activities for Australians.

Golf also ranked second on the ERASS Top Ten Organised Physical Activities list behind only aerobics/ fitness.

The PGA said for the first time golf has eclipsed the total participation of tennis since the 2002 ERASS survey period.

“Golf is an accessible sport that can be played by all Australians regardless of age, sex, socio-economic background or skill level and the latest ERASS results demonstrate this,” added Garske.  

While the 2008 figures are indeed satisfying for the PGA and the entire Australian Golf Industry, Garske says he wouldn’t be surprised if participation numbers were to jump even higher at the conclusion of the 2009 survey period.

“Many of our PGA Members servicing local golf clubs and growing the game have indicated that rounds of golf have been on the increase in the last few months,” he said.

“Typically the biggest concern for golfers is not finding enough time to play a few holes on a regular basis. But the current economic situation has created more leisure time for many Australians.”

“Traditionally as the unemployment rate rises, so to does demand for tee times.”

Garske said the PGA in cooperation with the entire Australian Golf Industry are working on several initiatives to facilitate further increases in golf participation, including the launch of a new national junior golf program, Pumpgolf, made possible by the PGA’s partnership with Coca-Cola Amatil.

Whilst the full ERASS report does point to some significant gains for golf in recent years, looking at the overall statistics since 2001 is not as positive. While golf had an overall decline in participation of 5 percent since 2001, tennis was down a massive 19 percent overall. (The reason we haven’t highlighted golf “overtaking” tennis here.)

Another issue to consider with the report we believe is how well golf compares to some overall “more popular” activities such as “non organised” “walking” and “swimming”.

There’s a big difference in personal commitment and input when you consider popping out for a walk or taking a dip compared to organising yourself (and maybe others) for 18 holes of golf.

The full ERASS 2008 report is here.

AUSTRALIAN senior pro golfers Mike Harwood and David Merriman have received late invitations to the 70th US Senior PGA Championship being played at the Canterbury Golf Club in Cleveland Ohio this week.

They will join fellow Australians Greg Norman and 1990 US PGA champion Wayne Grady in a field including defending champion, American Jay Haas.

The championship, for golfers aged 50 and over, features 25 major champions, 13 Ryder Cup captains and 10 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

According to Peter Stone in the Sun Herald, Harwood and Merriman were on there way home for a three week break from the European Seniors Tour when they checked their mobile phones during a brief stopover in Hong Kong.

They discovered text messages informing them of the invitations.

According to Stone the PGA of America has no set criteria for its invitations, and neither Harwood nor Merriman knows why they were invited.

Stone says in Harwood’s case, it is possible he made the list because he is in his first year as a senior and did win the British PGA title in 1990.

Merriman, a former Sydney cub pro who did not become a touring professional until he joined the seniors in 2007, flew out yesterday for the US.

“I’m just so excited,” Merriman is reported as saying about playing his first tournament in the US. “It’s awesome, I’m absolutely over the moon. It’s dream come true.

“I’m told each player gets a Mercedes for the week and that we’re treated like kings. I would never have believed it.”

Harwood currently leads the Australian PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit.