Golf Vic Vol 60 No 2 2019

There are still challenges. Getting more women and girls into the sport remains a goal for clubs around the world, not just in Australia. But Terai and his team are creating initiatives to increase female participation, such as putting on social events and giving away 250 free memberships, giving them a taste of how fun golf can be. At last count, more than 70 joined up. Late last year, they rebranded to Future Golf. People from all age groups are interested in a relaxed way to get back into golf, which was a shift from the initial concept of helping a younger demographic. Future Golf now offers multiple membership levels – from a complete beginner to those who want the ultimate golfing fix. “We can connect golfers from mini-golf, clubs to professionals and the top public and private courses,“ Terai says. “From kids, non-golfers, teenagers to uni students, there are so many other ages and opportunities to explore. And what about our parents and grandparents too? Ninety-two per cent of our members are between 25 and 39. But our oldest member is 86 and our youngest is eight.“ Terai smiles when he reflects on the journey so far. “It's a passion-based community,“ he says. “Now it's about taking it bigger, and how can we keep optimising our platform – and potentially transform the game of golf.“ What started as an idea on a napkin is now a thriving community. The future of golf is exciting. "My pitch to clubs is that we are effectively a lead generator for you, and you can do whatever you want to market to our members." 48 Golf Victoria