The first gathering of GolfWA’s Talent Development Program (TDP) for 2024 was staged at Wembley Golf Course, with more than 60 juniors being put through their paces in a series of tests.
On the putting greens, players were tested on their ability to see straight and aim straight, with drills including short-range putting and long-range lag putts.
Over on the driving range, TrackMan was in use to measure players’ club head speed and direction, while a number of short game challenges tested each player’s ability to hit a small landing zone from distances of between three and 60 metres.
As well as the skills tests, attendees worked with Marty McInnes of Beaufort Physiotherapy on a range of warm-up exercises – including those favoured by PGA Tour sensation Min Woo Lee.
The juniors were assisted on the day by GolfWA High Performance Athletes Amie Phobubpa, Erina Tan and Connor Fewkes.
Despite some inclement weather, there was enthusiastic participation in all the day’s sessions
Marc Pike, GolfWA’s Game Development & High Performance Manager, hailed the success of the training camp, saying: “The TDP has evolved in the past three years from a program offering masterclasses to an integral part of our performance pathway.
“State coach Craig Bishop, working with Matt Wolfe, has provided the expertise of coaching to support players in discovering the areas of their game they need to develop to achieve their goals and aspirations.
“Our thanks to Jason Roach and Wembley Golf Course for providing their facility to support the development of athletes in WA. The practice facilities are of an extremely high standard and we greatly appreciate their hospitality and support.”
The TDP aims to offer training environments where players can compete and test themselves against the best junior prospects in the state, whilst upskilling in off-course areas of the game, such as strength and conditioning, nutrition and psychology.
Future camps will take place in August, October and November, while applications to join the 2025 program open next April after the Australian Junior Interstate Series. Find out more details on the program here.
State coach Craig Bishop guides TDP athletes through a putting alignment exercise
