The Brisbane Golf Club\u2019s Director of Golf, Joe Janison, has branded a recently completed Inter-club challenge for aspiring junior golfers as a concept that \u2018will certainly continue\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an outstanding success,\u201d the 2022 National Club Professional of the Year, who was one of the instigators of the embryonic event, enthused.<\/p>\n
Juniors representing four clubs \u2013 BGC, Indooroopilly, Nudgee and Royal Queensland \u2013 participated in the Inter-Club Junior Challenge which was played over the four Sundays in February.<\/p>\n
And although BGC won the \u2018final\u2019 against Royal Queensland after remaining undefeated throughout the event, Mr Janison said that in the overall scheme of things, the result was irrelevant.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea of the concept was to give our up-and-coming juniors \u2013 from all four clubs \u2013 the opportunity to compete in match play, oppose a junior from another club and gain some experience at this new level of competition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese kids were aged from 11 to 15, with handicaps varying from 8 to 30, so they could be considered the \u2018fringe\u2019 juniors – those showing some promising potential. But they don\u2019t play Junior Pennant golf, so this competition helped fill a gap in the experience they can gain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is, literally, a springboard to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n
Teams were mixed and, because of numbers, several times boys and girls competed against each other in the handicap matchplay competition.<\/p>\n
And while Mr Janison played down the impressive performance of the BGC juniors, Chief Executive Geoff Kuehner was lavish in his praise of the club, the juniors, and the coaching staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a wonderful achievement for our club and exemplifies, once again, the excellent work being done by our Junior Academy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJoe Janison, Asha Flynn and the team currently work with 115 students in our Junior Academy, and this is the result of the excellent tuition offered. The flow-on effect is undeniable, and the coaching prowess of our team speaks for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Six juniors from each club competed against each other in the inaugural event, with BGC represented by Justin Lee, Sklya Taylor, Marco Limans, Oscar Simpson, Timur Fattakhov, Lilly Dellar, Miheli Dissanayake, Sam Proskefalas and Allanah Factor.<\/p>\n
For the record, BGC won the \u2018final\u2019, against Royal Queensland, five matches to one.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original thought when planning the concept was to start small \u2013 with four clubs \u2013 and see how it goes,\u201d Mr Janison explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I can say the positivity from all involved \u2013 the juniors, their parents, the clubs and members in general \u2013 was terrific. It was actually quite amazing. From our point of view the concept will continue, and certainly has the potential to expand.\u201d<\/p>\n