Catalina Club’s inclusive approach is proving transformative
There are few nicer spots to find a game of golf than on the New South Wales South Coast. Whether it’s your home or a favourite holiday escape, the stretch of coastline south of Sydney towards the Victorian border has an abundance of courses to choose from.
Catalina Club director of golf Rodney Booth has helped drive a range of initiatives to make Catalina a golfer’s choice not just the first time, but every time. The result has been an explosion not only in membership numbers and visitor rounds but introductory programs that have proven popular for all ages.
“We have cadets from the age of 8 beginning their lifelong journey all the way up to 70-year-olds that have decided to take the game up for one of many reasons,” says Booth, who was named the PGA National Club Professional of the Year at the 2024 PGA Awards.
“Within this age gap, we cater for an array of individuals and groups ranging from schools, work organisations, community groups, people with physical or mental limitations as well as those that just want to give golf a try who haven’t up until now.”
At either end of the age spectrum, newcomers to Catalina are relishing the start of their journey in golf. In an area popular among retirees, the junior base has more than tripled while the beginner ladies’ programs have proved so popular there are now as many as four sessions per week.
“Our junior program’s gone from about 30 juniors up to more than 100 now,” Booth adds. “Our beginner ladies engagement programs are really kicking some goals now. We’ve got three or four clinics a week and even membership’s grown exponentially in the past three or four years.
“We’re putting through more than 200 people a day at the moment, so it’s busy, but having that personal contact as much as you can goes a long way.”
Key to Catalina’s success has been a focus on making sure that each experience, no matter how frequent, is an enjoyable one.
“We’ve got a great product at Catalina – the clubhouse, the facilities, the service, the golf course – so it is then about making that day-to-day experience one that they remember,” Booth says.
“Whether it’s a member that’s frequenting two or three days a week, a visitor that comes out once a year or those participating in our various programs, [it’s about] making sure that their time and their experience is worthwhile, and they want to come back in again.
“If they walk out of the pro shop with a smile on their face and appreciating the journey, then my job’s partly done.”
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