The January issue of Inside Golf is online for your viewing pleasure.

This month:

JASON DAY
Talking family, Augusta and his happy homecoming

MINGMING
A Club Champ at 11

LUCAS, ELVIS, RYGGS AND CORY
The summer’s big winners

EQUIPMENT WE TRIED
Callaway Irons, Odyssey Putters

OPINION
Harsher penalties for slow play

TRAVEL
Fiji’s Coral Coast, Golfing along the Murray River, Norfolk Island

… and much more!

READ ONLINE HERE

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IT’S easy to find and highlight the negatives. 

Cameron Smith wasn’t overly pleased with the set-up of the Australian Open courses, believing Victoria and Kingston Heath to be too soft and unlike how he thought traditional Melbourne sandbelt layouts were designed to play, especially in big championships. 

His mood likely also had a bit to do with the men, women and all abilities playing the same course at the same time. He didn’t say as much, but we’re not sure he is a fan of the current format. 

Our Bunker-to-Bunker panel tackles the topic of penalties for repeat offenders when it comes to slow play. 

Related to that, without naming him Smith doubled down and took a veiled swipe at the pace at which Elvis Smylie plays, after being paired with the young Queenslander in Brisbane at the PGA Championship, then again over the opening two rounds in Melbourne. 

Smith’s LIV teammate Lucas Herbert on Sunday at Kingston Heath struggled with his game, and judging by his verbal reactions, heard clearly through television microphones, he may have been a little tired and emotional after playing three tournaments in a row. 

Similarly, Cam had played four weeks out of five, maybe we can forgive him for perhaps being a little cranky at the end of a draining run of tournaments, where at all of which he was the centre of attention.

Jason Day jetted out of Brisbane without detouring to the Australian Open, where he would have added his star power to the national championship, while for whatever reason, Adam Scott didn’t venture down under at all.  

I can also wallow in some personal pity, with commitments keeping me away from the course and my game suffering as a result. 

So, while you can’t ignore some of the above, maybe 2025 is the time to start focusing on the positive. After all, golf is booming, as evidenced by busy courses, the health of our professional game and the 70-odd pages of ‘good news’ contained in this edition of Inside Golf. 

So why don’t we look at the fantastic condition in which the Heath and Victoria were presented for the national open. The fairways were like carpet, the greens maybe a little on the slow side for the sandbelt, but at the same time smooth and true. 

When it comes to our newest young star (and please Elvis don’t take offence at our page 46 cartoon by the way) why don’t we celebrate his success. Australia has a number of exciting emerging young stars, Elvis might just be the best of them all. And the less shots he takes each week, doesn’t that equate to the quicker he plays?  

Yes, Cam and Lucas were a little testy by the time the Australian Open wound up, however they should be applauded for their presence, at four events for Cam, three for Lucas, in bringing their considerable profile and high quality golf to the tournaments they contested and to the many who had not seen them play before. 

As for Jason, it was great to see him back in Australia after a long absence, and as he expressed in an interview published in this edition of Inside Golf with our US correspondent Garrett Johnston, he has plans to come again real soon. 

And we can certainly cut Adam a break for missing out on our local events this year, considering his workload and the number of international tournaments he played during 2024. He has traditionally supported the events back home and we can hope that will be the case again going forward. 

I’m also trying to believe I can find some form, win a ball or two in the ball comp and maybe even the odd trophy voucher in the weeks and months ahead. 

I’m happy to, so why don’t we all try to focus on the positives whent it comes to golf in 2025.

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GET IN TOUCH
If you have an opinion on this or any other topic in the magazine, send your letter to the editor to rob@insidegolf.com.au and you’ll be in the running to win a gripping prize. 

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A popular addition to the field at the recent Australian PGA Championship, Jason Day performed strongly, finished in the top 10 and was well received by the crowds. 

Following his first tournament appearance on home soil after an absence of seven years, Day spoke to Inside Golf’s US correspondent Garrett Johnston upon his return to the US, expressing a desire to return home in the near future, about his family and his five children and of his chances of challenging for a green jacket at the Masters in April.  

Local crowds warmed to Jason Day in his first tournament appearance on home soil in seven years. 

How was the trip to Queensland for you? How did you enjoy being back?

I’m good, I’m still jet lagged unfortunately, which is kind of crazy to think. Typically, I deal with jetlag pretty well, but this time around it kind of kicked my butt.

It was so nice to be able to get down to Australia again for the event. It had been a long time since I had been back there. It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years since I was last down there, and then on top of that 2011 or 2012 was the last time I was back in Brisbane playing a tournament. So it was nice to feel welcomed back home. The crowds were just great to be around and very supportive. The golf course was a lot of fun to play and a good challenge.

We had probably 350 ml, 14 inches or so of rain in only four to five days during that week which was really crazy. I thought overall the golf course held up nicely and drained well. In the end it was unfortunate that we only played 54 holes, but we ended up getting the tournament in. I played decently, but I just didn’t have my very best stuff. I had about three and a half months off so it was kind of nice to be able to come back and finish that well. I just wish I was a little bit sharper.

Did you get out to any other courses while you were there, and did the family go with you?

No. I found out that I was going to play in Tiger’s event in the Bahamas while I was in Australia, so unfortunately the trip kind of shortened while I was there. I was going to be in the country for a few more days. I didn’t end up taking my family out. I was originally planning on taking them with me, but I only ended up being out there for eight days. I ended up treating it like a normal tournament and I literally flew out the Sunday night of the event. I was at the airport at 8pm that night, flying back to Ohio.

When would you hope to get back to Australia and have the family come for the first time?

(Son) Dash has not been there before and the other kids either. I was trying to get Dash to come down with me, but mom put a complete nix on that. She was like, “you don’t even know when to feed him.” I was “yeah, that’s probably true”, (laughs) so I’m hoping, fingers crossed, that next year would be great and when I get some time off in the fall next year, if I could get the whole family down there. If not, another time we will try to make it happen.

That leads to a question, when have you felt most fulfilled in your life? 

Well, it definitely wasn’t when I was world number one. And I mean yeah, it really wasn’t at all. I seriously thought that getting to world number one would make me feel more fulfilled, but it’s funny, the more and more time I spend away from my family, the more kids that I add to my family, the more that happens. I just feel more fulfilled when I have more time with my kids after time away from them. 

A lot of times I want to get back to my family, so as the years have progressed, I’ve definitely enjoyed having more kids and more time at home.

Greg Chalmers mentioned to me that the feeling of winning can be a lonely feeling, because you’re at the course and everyone’s left.

Yes, and being on the road can be lonely because you’re in hotel rooms by yourself. So, you can definitely win and not have that support system around you, and it’s really difficult. Fortunately enough for me I’m able to bring my family out with me on the road. We homeschool and travel around on a bus, so we’re a tight-knit family. We’re like a little tribe that goes around everywhere.

What do you do really well at Augusta, based on your strong record there, and what do you need to do to get in the mix this year?

Typically, in the past when I’ve played really well there, my iron play and overall approach to the green stats have been really good. So to play well there this year, I need to have those dialed in. It’s so important to know where you can and where you can’t miss the greens at Augusta. You may miss one green, but depending on the hole, it’s not worth stressing out over it because you know it’s a doable up and down. Once you know your misses and you’re striking the ball well coming into the greens, that definitely takes a lot of pressure off not only the short game side of things, but you also know in your mind that you’re going to keep giving yourself opportunities. That’s important at Augusta. You don’t really have to do anything too crazy, you don’t have to take on the corners, you can hit to the centre of the greens. Obviously, you will have a longer iron shot coming into the greens if you don’t take on too much of the corners off the tee, but that’s ok. You can be conservatively aggressive around that place. But if you have a good short game, it definitely helps to alleviate some of the stress when you do miss a green. 

How much would you relish the chance to win the green jacket?

It’s something that I’ve dreamed about my whole life. And I try not to think about it too much because I tend to psych myself out a little bit. But just thinking about it now makes me look forward to the moment of being able to have that opportunity at Augusta again. It’s just amazing.

Are you comfortable on property at Augusta National now?

Yeah. I feel comfortable and familiar with the place. I’ve been going there for so long that I know the course pretty well and I know exactly where to hit it and where not to hit it. Although sometimes I struggle with controlling the ball to get into that ideal position, I just thoroughly enjoy the week, it’s such a unique and cool place to be able to be a part of. Not only being a professional there, but also being part of the history of playing that event. 

How are you feeling with the amount you’re able to practice with your body at this point?

Overall, I feel good. I’m able to put in the time I need. I think every now and again you just get little injuries that pop up, actually more like flare-ups you would say. But honestly, knock on wood, the whole year’s been really great for me in 2024. I haven’t really had any problems to complain about, which has been fantastic and encouraging for me. That means that the stuff that I’m working technically and the stuff that I’m working on with my body is going in the correct direction. I’m excited about that. I’ve just got to stay patient, stay the course and then see how it goes. But my body feels good at the moment.

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Brendan Jones is headed for the PGA TOUR Champions in 2025 after successfully negotiating the qualifying school. 

Brendan Jones will become the 10th fully exempt Australian on the PGA TOUR Champions when he turns 50 in March after winning one of five tour cards at the recent qualifying school. 

After a sluggish front nine on the last day, Jones was left with work to do, however five closing birdies, including on the 17th and 18th holes, for 31 on his homeward nine, and the Canberran finished in the final qualifying position. 

However, on the other end of the scale, while it was joy for Jones there was despair for the Australian duo of Andre Stolz and Scott Barr after they were leapfrogged by their fellow countryman, the pair finished one shot shy of claiming playing rights to the world’s most lucrative professional over 50’s circuit. 

Jones shot 67-69-66-68, 14-under par for the 72-hole event, with Soren Kjeldsen the medalist in streeting the field, his 24-under total eight better than another Swede in Freddie Jacobson. He finished tied with American Mark Walker and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar in taking the last three places. 

Another Australian in Mat Goggin, who mixes tournament appearances with his responsibilities in getting the Seven Mile Beach Golf course project up and running in Hobart, Tasmania, was also well in the mix heading into the final day before ultimately finishing 14th. 

Players who reached the last stage of qualifying and finished sixth to 30th earn the right to play Champions Tour Monday qualifying events in 2025, this group including Stolz, Barr, Goggin and Queenslander Brad Kennedy. 

While he has limited experience in the US, although Jones did win on the then-secondary Nationwide Tour in 2004, he has been a success story in Asia, primarily in Japan where he has won 15 tournaments since joining the tour in 2001. Jones was rookie of the year in Japan in 2002 and the Australian Amateur Champion in 1999, while his most recent win on the Australasian Tour was the 2023 New Zealand Open.

The Australians are now a powerful force on the PGA TOUR Champions, led by Richard Green who finished third in 2024 behind Kiwi Steve Alker in the season-long Schwab Cup. 

Cameron Percey, who also enjoyed a strong rookie season on the senior circuit, was qualifying school medalist in 2023, with Green finishing on top at the 2022 Tour School. 

Rod Pampling, Greg Chalmers, Mark Hensby, Stuart Appleby and Percey all played in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in early December which was restricted to the leading 35 players on the 2024 points list. 

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……while it’s also PGA TOUR qualifying time

The Champions Tour school was run and won during the first week of December, however 171 players were chasing just five PGA TOUR memberships at the final stage of qualifying later in the month. 

To be contested across 72 holes, with event was to see the field playing two rounds at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and two rounds at Sawgrass Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida.  

The top five and ties will earn TOUR cards, and the next 40 finishers and ties guaranteed starts on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour. The following 20 finishers and ties will earn guaranteed starts on 2025 PGA TOUR Americas and the remainder of finishers will hold conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas.

The 2024 qualifying event represents the first time since 2012 that players can win their way onto the PGA TOUR, with the final qualifying stage having only granted secondary Korn Ferry Tour status for more than a decade. 

The final stage of qualifying has drawn a field with a number of big names and former winners, including the likes of South African Garrick Higgo, South Korean S H Kim, Scotsman Martin Laird and Americans Scott Piercy, Chez Reavie and Nick Watney, just to name a few. 

Australian Rhein Gibson, now based in Edmond Oklahoma, won his way through the final stage in the second round of qualifying in Savanah, Georgia. 

The 38-year-old Gibson, who has made 61 starts on PGA TOUR previously and has two Korn Ferry Tour victories to his credit, shot 18-under in Savanah to finish fifth and progress to the finals. 

Others Australian in young gun Quinn Crocker and Asian Tour regular Travis Smyth were eliminated at the second stage of qualifying. 

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IT’S the last week of November, and Mark Gibson (aka Gibbo) is celebrating a significant milestone – 30 years as a full-time teaching professional at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

Mind you, the 66-year-old, who runs Exceptional Golf at Royal Pines, was well-credentialled long before arriving there after having spent time working as a club and teaching professional at Royal Queensland, Gladstone, Keperra, Pine Rivers and Caloundra golf clubs.

At Royal Queensland, Gibbo worked with the legendary Charlie Earp as did Greg Norman who did his traineeship under the master coach.

While Norman pursued a playing career, Gibbo chose the teaching pathway that has brought its own success – two PGA Australian Teacher of the Year awards and three PGA Queensland Teacher of the Year awards.

Norman and Gibson seldom crossed paths in the early years, but one day their worlds collided at a PGA trainee tournament and that was the catalyst for Gibbo deciding a teaching career would be his best option.

“I didn’t have a lot to do with Greg, but he played a pivotal role in me wanting to coach,” he explained.

“The first trainee event I played in 1976 was at a course at Coomera, which no longer exists. I had a 7.10 tee time and, being my first ever pro event, I didn’t want to attract a penalty for being late to the tee so I walked to the tee when the 7am group were about to tee off.

“On the tee in that group was a guy called Greg Norman. He’s hit this tee shot and the sound of it and the flight of it was unbelievable and I thought to myself, ‘I hope I can coach’.

“It was a golf shot that I had never seen, heard or dreamt of. The crack of the persimmon driver on the balata ball was amazing.”

Gibson, who did his traineeship under Reg Want at Coolangatta Tweed Heads, went to work for Charlie Earp at RQ before accepting a position as head pro at Gladstone GC in Central Queensland.

After five years, he was lured back to Brisbane when Keperra CGC head pro, Ian Triggs, sought an assistant.

“My time with Triggsy cemented the idea that I wanted to coach,” Gibbo said. “We agreed to spend half a day a week shooting the breeze over coaching techniques, mechanics and the philosophy of coaching.”

Teaching professional Mark Gibson believes he made the right call on his career choice.

For Gibson, the seed was well and truly planted and he took off for Pine Rivers as head pro for a spell and then moved to Caloundra where coaching took up much of his time.

Since arriving at Royal Pines Resort, Gibbo has taught thousands of students eager to hone their skills.

Even celebrities like Jackie Stewart, the Scotsman who won three Formula One world titles, and Australian V8 Supercar series championship winner Marcus Ambrose have turned up for lessons.

“I love coaching and I have been lucky enough to have a lifetime of being out in the fresh-air and sunshine dealing with people,” Gibbo said. 

“It’s an ever-changing environment because you can’t coach two lessons the same. You have people that learn differently, react differently, have different physical capabilities and people with different ambitions.

“Every lesson you give is a new challenge – even when you coach someone long-term the challenges change a bit because their attitude to golf changes.

“So, the students teach me as much as I teach them. People say to me they play golf to enjoy it but end up being the most competitive people on the planet because they get to 15 and then want to get to nine and then to six.”

Gibbo’s tip: don’t set unrealistic goals when it comes to reducing your handicap.

“One of my steepest learning curves was when I went to Pine Rivers,” he explained. “I had a lady come to me on a 25 handicap. She wanted to get down to 18 and I said it would take nine to 12 months. 

“We did that in nine months and she asked ‘can I get down to 12’? We changed focus and that was achieved in 10 months. Then she wanted to get down to single figures she eventually got down to a two handicap.

“If someone off 25 had asked me to get them down to two I would have seen that as a bridge too far, but by breaking it down and setting goals along the way, we were able to achieve it.

“Right there and then I decided I’m never going to say no to a student who is willing to breaking their goal down into pieces. That still works today.”

FOOTNOTE: In 2022, Gibson was awarded life membership of the PGA of Australia joining the likes of Norman von Nida, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Charlie Earp, Paul King, Alex and Dave Mercer, Peter Senior, Graham Marsh, Rodger Davis, Ian Baker-Finch and as featured in a previous edition of Inside Golf, Dennis Brosnan and Kyle Francis.

Between 2010-16, Gibson was the chairman of the PGA of Australia contributing to training young players.

“The updating of the education program for PGA members was one of our big steps forward as was aligning our targets with Golf Australia,” he said. “We started the ball rolling, and it has continued in a much bigger vein. The golf industry is now much more united with the Women’s PGA, PGA of Australia and Golf Australia sharing services and offices.”

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IN addition to Hannah Green’s second Greg Norman Medal, as announced in the December issue of Inside Golf, another nine high achievers were singled out and acknowledged at the PGA Awards Gala Dinner, held during the week of the recent Australian PGA Championship.

More than 350 guests, including Cam Smith, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and others competing at Royal Queensland later that week, attended the awards ceremony at Brisbane City Hall, with Green’s Greg Norman Medal the highlight of the 10 awards presented throughout the evening.

Accepting the Greg Norman Medal on Green’s behalf was her coach, Ritchie Smith, himself named PGA National Coach of the Year – High Performance.

It was a fourth national win for Smith, with the West Australian coaching a number of leading players, including Green, Min Woo and Minjee Lee, as well as Elvis Smylie, winner of the Australian PGA and a recent addition to the Smith stable of players. 

Brisbane Golf Club’s Asha Flynn won the PGA National Coach of the Year – Game Development for the second year in succession, while Catalina Club’s Rodney Booth was named 2024 PGA National Club Professional of the Year.

General Manager at Eastlake Golf Club, Robert Blain was awarded PGA National Management Professional of the Year, three-time winner and Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori was named PGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year, LPGA Tour-bound Cassie Porter received her first Margie Masters WPGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year award and Andre Stolz was named PGA Legends Tour Player of the Year for the fourth straight year.

2024 PGA Awards

Greg Norman Medal: Hannah Green

PGA National Coach of the Year – High Performance: Ritchie Smith (Royal Fremantle GC)

PGA National Coach of the Year – Game Development: Asha Flynn (Brisbane GC)

PGA National Club Professional of the Year: Rodney Booth (Catalina Club G&CC)

PGA National Management Professional of the Year: Robert Blain (Eastlake GC)

MyGolf Deliverer of the Year: Jake Newbery (KDV Sport)

International Member of the Year: Ashley Marsay (San Francisco Golf Club)

PGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year: Kazuma Kobori

Margie Masters WPGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year: Cassie Porter

Legends Tour Player of the Year: Andre Stolz

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A major champion, three-time winner in 2024 and the world’s sixth ranked female golfer, Hannah Green has been announced as an Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) Ambassador, the appointment showcasing Green’s commitment to give back to golf in Australia.

Established by Golf Australia in 2018, the AGF is dedicated to making golf accessible to all children, especially girls, disadvantaged youth and those from minority groups.

“I wanted to have my name somewhere in Aussie golf, and to have it at grass roots with the girls, I am super proud to be a part of that,” Green said.

“Hopefully that will give some more avenues and we can continue to grow the program and get more players, girls and boys, into the sport.”

Through investment in national programs the AGF nurtures young talent and fosters a love for the game, and thanks to the generosity of its supporters, has already made a lasting impact on the game and
the children it hopes to deliver a game for life to.

Launching in 2021, the Junior Girls Scholarship Program has awarded 3,071 scholarships, with an ambitious goal of granting 10,000 scholarships by 2030 with the AGF driving meaningful change and inspiring the next generation of golfers.

Green has generously donated funds to the Australian Golf Foundation to support the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program.

Hannah Green, giving back to Australian golf.

“I am a big advocate for the work the Foundation is doing to give more kids the opportunity to experience golf,” Green said of becoming an Ambassador for the AGF.

“I have seen first-hand the amazing impact that the Foundation is making with the Junior Girls Scholarship Program.

“When I first started playing, I was fortunate to join a golf club, but there wasn’t any other girls beside one other. Just to have a pathway for girls, whether they want to become a professional, or just have fun with their friends, just to get to grass roots is really important to me and I am very honoured to be an ambassador.”

The Australian Golf Foundation also utilises programs like MyGolf, TeeMates and the Golf Australia Rookie Program to transform young lives through the power of Golf. Green’s ambassadorship another step in the right direction according to Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland.

“Hannah is not only an outstanding golfer but also an inspiring role model,” Sutherland said.

“She has been actively engaged with the AGF’s Junior Girls Scholarship Program and, along with Cameron Smith, Minjee Lee, Lucas Herbert, and Cameron Davis, has made significant contributions to the Australian Golf Foundation via the Golf Australia Give Back Program.”

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Karrie Webb AO, in the conversation as one Australia’s greatest ever golfers, male or female, has accepted an invitation to become an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

A member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Webb received the invitation in recognition of her successful playing career and the substantial contribution in helping to develop the next generation of professional golfers.

Among her 57 professional wins worldwide, Webb has recorded seven major championship victories, was the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year in 1995, then in 1996 went on to be the LPGA Rookie of the Year, finishing top of the money list and becoming the first LPGA player to win $1million in a season.

Webb has completed the Super Career Grand Slam – winning each of the five major championships in women’s golf – and jointly holds the record for the most AIG Women’s Open victories, with Sherri Steinhauer. 

“It is a privilege to be made an Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and I am humbled to be joining such an esteemed group of golfers on the honorary membership roll,” said Webb.

“Simply put, I love golf and to be connected with a Club which holds so much history and also shares my passion for the development of the sport is something I am very proud of. This year I had the chance to see firsthand the investment of The R&A into women’s golf when I played St Andrews at the AIG Women’s Open.

“It has always been an incredibly special Championship to me but to see how it has evolved under the auspices of The R&A for the benefit of the players was something that I was truly impressed by,” Webb added. 

Karrie Webb teeing off at the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Ian Pattinson, the Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said, “I would like to congratulate Karrie on becoming an Honorary Member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Karrie’s numerous victories and accolades are a testament to her talent, but more than being a great champion herself, Karrie is a role model to many young golfers and takes an active interest in the development of the next generation of Australian champions.

“She embodies many of the sporting qualities that make golf special and thoroughly deserves this recognition. We welcome Karrie into membership and look forward to seeing her in St Andrews again in the future.”

Webb represented Australia, at the 1994 Espirito Santo Trophy and the 2005 Women’s World Cup, was a torch bearer at the Olympic Games in Sydney and this year was the captain of Australia’s Olympic golf team in Paris.

Dedicated to charitable work, alongside Golf Australia Webb founded the Karrie Webb Series and scholarship, each year mentoring the top two Australian women amateur players. Past recipients of the Karrie Webb Series and scholarship include Minjee Lee and Hannah Green, with both going on to become major champions. 

Other Honorary Members of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews include: Dame Laura Davies, Ernie Els, Pádraig Harrington, Paul Lawrie, Catriona Matthew, Rory McIlroy, Nick Price, Belle Robertson, Annika Sörenstam and Tiger Woods.

– From the R&A 

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AS bushfire season looms, golf clubs across Australia must be proactive in preparing for the unique challenges posed by these devastating events. With large open spaces, expansive vegetation, and key infrastructure, golf clubs are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of bushfires. By taking the right steps in advance, clubs can reduce risk to both their property and the safety of members and staff.

First and foremost, golf clubs must assess and manage their landscapes. Regular maintenance of the course is essential, including clearing dry grass, trimming trees, and ensuring that there is defensible space around clubhouses and other critical structures. Ensuring that fire breaks are in place can slow the spread of a fire, buying valuable time in the event of an emergency. Additionally, clubs should inspect and clear gutters, roofs, and fencing to prevent embers from starting fires in dry conditions.

Equally important is ensuring that fire-fighting equipment, such as hoses, fire extinguishers, and water storage, is readily available and in good working order. Staff should be trained in emergency response procedures, with clear protocols for evacuations and communications with local authorities. Ensuring that all employees are aware of fire danger ratings and emergency plans can significantly reduce confusion during a crisis.

Golf clubs should also review their insurance policies to ensure that they are adequately covered for potential bushfire damage. Underinsurance is a growing concern, and clubs must ensure their policies reflect the full value of their property and facilities to avoid financial strain in the event of a disaster including business interruption impact that is often overlooked.

Lastly, golf clubs should encourage members to be mindful of fire safety during the season. By taking these steps, golf clubs can protect their staff, members, and assets, ensuring a safer environment as the bushfire season intensifies. Preparing for bushfires is a shared responsibility, and early action can make all the difference.

For more on golf industry insurance please contact Daniel Bateup of Golf Business Australia info@golfbusinessaustralia.com.au / 1300 852 025.

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