Led by the state high performance manager, the national program is accountable for identification, selection and the long-term development of athletes within the High Performance Program.

Our mission statement is to create and implement elite athlete preparation platforms and structures which provide the best possible coaching, support service, daily training environment, sports science services and competition opportunities for Australian athletes.

The state high performance programs collectively form the Golf Australia High Performance Program. The state high performance program is responsible for case managing each athlete’s daily training environment and long-term development processes. 

Golf Australia must have a clear and integrated understanding of how the athlete is developing and how limited funding is being spent. It is also important we have a close relationship with each athlete’s primary coach and key personal as they are part of the athlete’s journey and an integral part of the overall team.

The funding for service provision and development opportunities increase as the athlete moves up the tiers.

Strategic Priorities

Producing athletes who are capable of winning major championships, Olympic medals and top-100 world ranking positions are the most effective means to boost participation in the game and attract funding to golf in Australia.

KPIs

Golf Australia's High Performance Programs work to assist Australia in producing golfers who are capable of:

• Winning Major Championships

• Winning Olympic Medals

• Top 100 World Ranking Positions

Golf Australia sees these key performance indicators as the most effective means to boost participation in the game and attract funding to the sport of golf in Australia, due to the publicity and profile such success attracts.

Golf Australia will have a selection process for athletes in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. These states (and territory) fall under the newly aligned selection process for the GA High Performance Program. 

All athletes selected will be named in early March with the national program beginning by 1 April and finishing 31 December.

The following criteria will be utilised for program selection:

• Australian citizen

• All Golf Australia high performance program athletes must have completed - or be in the process of completing - secondary school

• Results (state, national, international)

• Rankings

• Dedication to the process of reaching their full potential on and off the golf course

• Potential to reach Golf Australia’s long-term high performance strategic objectives

The high performance programs of New South Wales and Western Australia are not currently administered by Golf Australia; please check with the appropriate state body for specific details of each program.

Targeted funding

Targeted funding is additional money provided to athletes tracking towards Golf Australia’s long-term high performance strategic objectives. It can be in addition to what athletes receive from their state high performance programs, but can apply equally to those training outside such programs. In order to receive targeted funding:

• Athletes in existing state HP programs are encouraged to consult with their respective state HP managers to request or be identified for targeted funding.

• Athletes whose daily training environment is outside their home state’s high performance program – including those in the NCAA/US college system – are eligible for targeted funding provided their development is monitored by their respective state HP program manager. Two-way contact between the athlete and state HP manager is vital and encouraged.

• Targeted funding can be applied to development and tournament opportunities, both domestically and abroad.

Golf Australia's event classification, as at May 2019, can be downloaded here.

College Golf

University of Southern California student Gabi Ruffels wins the 2019 US Women's Amateur.

College golf is a viable pathway for aspiring young athletes.

Download the Golf Australia College Recruiting Guide

The above booklet has been designed to answer some questions you may have about the process of attending college in America and to help provide a bridge between the athlete and perspective schools.

After reading this, student athlete prospects will have a more knowledgeable understanding of intercollegiate athletics and the processes involved in attaining a scholarship as a student athlete.

Each of the components listed in the booklet have been broken down into subcategories to assist with explaining the fundamental topics of each component thoroughly. If you still have any pondering questions or require additional information after reading this booklet, the websites provided will offer great assistance.

It is important to understand Golf Australia does not endorse athletes in pursuing their athletic or academic career in the U.S Collegiate system. We see the college system as a potential pathway option.

This booklet offers the potential athlete and parents a guide into the system so an educated decision can be made on the direction the athlete can pursue both athletically and academically.

Golf Australia believes the Australian system is the best in the world with State High Performance programs offering world class resources and structures around the athlete.

Download the College Golf Recruiting Guide.

Elite amateurs will have direct access to membership of the PGA Tour of Australasia under a new pathway system developed by the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia.

To be known as the PGA Affiliate Future Tour, this new pathway will provide the opportunity for amateurs who play in PGA Tour of Australasia events to accrue points and earn a PGA Tour of Australasia Tour card for the following season.

The leading amateur who accrues the equivalent points to the player finishing 50th or better on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit will earn a tournament exemption category for the following season which they can utilise either as an amateur or by joining the PGA as a professional.

In addition, the second and third placed amateurs on the Future Tour Order of Merit who also earn points equal to or better than prize money earned by the 50th-placed player on the PGA Tour of Australasia Final Order of Merit will be eligible for a tournament exemption category that will be positioned after the 51-60 category in the tournament exemption categories.

Any amateur in the field can join the PGA Affiliate Future Tour program by paying a fee before the first round. Points allocated to eligible amateurs will be aligned with the professional prize money payout table.

For more information on the Affiliate Future Tour Membership, please visit the PGA of Australia website.