Less than five years ago, you could count the number of junior members at Albany Golf Club on one hand.
Despite boasting one of WA’s finest golf courses, the club had only three juniors on its books and was struggling for visibility alongside the powerhouse pastimes of AFL, cricket, soccer and surfing.
Fast-forward to 2025, however, and the U18s section is booming with 74 juniors amongst Albany GC’s 800 members — a pretty tidy increase of around 2300%.
Not only that, there are a further 32 juniors who undergo lessons at the club’s academy who have not yet transitioned to membership.
Nowadays, afternoon visitors to Albany GC can’t fail to notice keen youngsters galore cycling to the course for a quick round after school, while Sunday’s back-to-back academy sessions are booked out.
It’s a remarkable turnabout in fortunes, so what is Albany GC doing that other clubs might not be?
Shared vision
Much of Albany GC’s junior membership ascendency can be attributed to the endeavours of club GM Dan Northcott and Head Professional, Michael Draper.
Both share a vision that prioritises junior golf pathways and seizes opportunities to raise the profile of the game in the eyes of the younger generation.
While replicating Albany’s success might seem a big challenge to clubs who have struggled to turn young heads, both Northcott and Draper say that there are easy wins to be had.
“We’re a lot smarter with our social media presence now,” Northcott told GolfWA. “We post regularly and try to show off all aspects of club membership — including our junior programs.
“Online promotion of our junior academy beginners’ classes has been very successful, and Michael now has two full sessions on Sunday mornings with 15 children in each, as well as other clinics after school during the week.”
Albany GC’s junior programs place the emphasis on fun and friendship
Relationship-building between the club and local schools has also played a crucial role in boosting the visibility of the sport to an untapped audience.
“I have contacts at primary and secondary schools who I keep updated about our upcoming junior programs and events,” explained Draper.
“The schools then share this information in their newsletters and that’s been a very effective way of raising awareness of what we do with parents and students.”
Providing the pathways
Forging meaningful relationships with schools has been facilitated by Albany GC’s enthusiastic support of GolfWA’s Crunch&Sip Regional Roadshow.
The annual event spends a week in Albany each year introducing hundreds of local school kids to golf, with the roadshows culminating in free Come & Try sessions for both juniors and adults at Albany Golf Club
This places the club in front of a captive audience and provides further opportunities to showcase the calibre of the club’s facilities and the welcoming atmosphere instilled by its members and staff.
Draper believes that other clubs who embrace the opportunity to work closely with GolfWA will reap the benefits in the longer term.
“We have excellent relationships with GolfWA and have been able to benefit from a range of funded programs to grow participation at a local level.
“As well as the Regional Roadshow, we have accessed Regional Servicing Grants to run beginners’ programs and funding for a series of girls-only golf clinics earlier this year, which were hugely popular.
“You see a lot of juniors at the club these days and we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved.”
Northcott added that the club’s approach to taking its members ‘on the journey’ has also paid dividends in creating a welcoming environment for juniors and other new starters.
“We have the right culture here,” he said. “Our committees, club officials and members have all been very supportive of our efforts to bring in more juniors. They recognise it’s essential to the long-term health of the club.”
Albany GC’s top tips for other clubs
Know what’s out there: Proactively pursue funding opportunities that can help you bring non-golfers into the sport. GolfWA can assist clubs with that.
Forge links with local schools: Reach out to local schools to raise awareness of forthcoming junior programs and events.
Market yourself: Be visible within your community. Use social media channels to your advantage to highlight the physical and social benefits of golf to a wide audience.
Upskill your members: As well as Head Pro Michael Draper, Albany GC can call on three accredited National Program Deliverers to support and deliver clinics and programs.
Create clear pathways: Once juniors are comfortable on course and playing to a consistent standard, they are channeled into open club competitions to enhance relationships with other members and test their games at a higher level.
Think big: Albany has partnered with Royal Perth Golf Club to offer top junior talents a scholarship opportunity. Local lad Corley McLernon is a prime example. After coming through the ranks at Albany GC, McLernon represented Royal Perth in junior and open-age Pennants and is now playing on the US college golf circuit.
Albany GC can call on three National Program Deliverers (like Lauren here) to drive and support junior programs
