GOLF AUSTRALIA ROOKIE PROGRAM
Investing in future champions
Expanding the GA rookie program squad for up to 10 more talented athletes
Australia has a proud history in golf, producing major winners and champions across tours all over the world who inspire our next generation of golfers.
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Supporting our young athletes as they turn professional requires significant financial investment. The first five years on tour can be the most challenging, lonely, and expensive part of their journey.
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The GA Rookie Program was established in 2009 through the foresight and generosity of The Kinghorn Foundation to provide crucial funding through granting scholarships to help promising young athletes transition from amateur to professional golf by enabling them to access training facilities, coaching, competition opportunities, and international tournament experience.
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Notable alumni, including Cameron Smith, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Davis who have all recognised the impact of the scholarship on their professional careers and through the Golf Australia give back initiative have to date collectively donated through the AGF over $900,000.
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With your help, AGF’s goal is to expand the program by providing up to 10 more scholarships per year with a focus on talented young female golfers.
Hannah Green’s Story
After refining her skills in Golf Western Australia’s High Performance programs, Hannah Green turned professional in 2017, thanks to a Golf Australia Rookie Program Squad scholarship. This provided her with the financial support she needed to focus on training and competition. Hannah’s hard work quickly paid off, leading to three wins on the Symetra Tour and a promotion to the LPGA Tour. In 2019, she made history by winning the Women’s PGA Championship, becoming the third Australian woman to claim a major title. By 2024, Hannah was among the world’s elite, breaking into the top 10 rankings and representing Australia at the Olympics for the second time. Recognising the support she received, she now gives back to the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program and GA High Performance Program.
“I strongly believe in the value of AGF scholarships and wanted to give back now that I can. I’ve seen firsthand how much these scholarship girls benefit, and I’m excited to support anything that promotes girls’ participation in the sport I love.”
Hannah Green
TESTIMONIALS
Minjee Lee
GA Rookie Program Member 2015, 2016
Karrie Webb Scholarship Recipient 2013, 2014
“As a young amateur golfer, I always dreamed of competing at the highest level and representing my country. Thanks in part to the financial support and resources I received through the Golf Australia rookie program, that dream became a reality. The program allowed me to attend training camps, receive elite level coaching and travel to tournaments both domestically and internationally. I cannot thank Golf Australia and the Kinghorn Foundation enough for the opportunities and support they gave me along the way."
Hannah Green
GA Rookie Program Member 2017, 2018, 2019
Karrie Webb Scholarship Recipient 2015, 2016
"Golf Australia’s rookie program provided me with the financial support and resources I needed to help me succeed as a golfer. The program allowed me to participate in tournaments and training camps, and the coaching and facilities were exactly what I needed to develop my game. I was able to compete with some of the best players in the world and develop my skills as a golfer. I am grateful for the opportunities and support I received from the program and will always cherish the memories and experiences I had as part of it."
Cameron Smith
GA Rookie Program Member 2013, 2014, 2015
"Being part of the Golf Australia rookie program was incredibly beneficial in my journey to becoming a professional golfer. The financial support I received allowed me to focus entirely on my training and development as a golfer. Thanks to the program, I was able to attend the best tournaments and events, the coaching and facilities were second-to-none. I will always be grateful for the opportunity and support that was provided to me through the program and the generosity of the Kinghorn Foundation."
“I am also glad to having been able to establish my own scholarship program to provide two promising Aussie amateurs with the opportunity to stay and train with me for a week at my home base in the USA, and that I can pass on what I have learnt, to help them become the best players they can be.”
Donate to the Golf Australia Rookie Program
Every donation helps ensure that Australian golf will thrive into the future.
Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and can be made via the Australian Sports Foundation who is our official fundraising partner and is the only deductible gift recipient for sport in Australia.