Neangar Park Golf Club receives Golf Australia award

The club has been nominated for Golf Australia's Visionary of the Year award. Under the program, a club is chosen each month with the final 12 clubs in the running for a $10,000 prize.

Neangar Park club manager Joe Sinnott said the recognition was a "huge" achievement for the Bendigo club.

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"It just shows we're on the right track," Mr Sinnott said. "Golf was well-known for being an old rich man's sport where equality wasn't always there.

"But everyone deserves to be part of the sport. We're one club."

Mr Sinnott said the club had altered its constitution to ensure there were at least three women on the board each year.

Neangar Park also removed its separate men's and women's competitions, and instead replaced it with an open competition so people of any gender could participate.

Mr Sinnott said the club's new Pitch and Put course, which was still in progress, would also increase accessibility.

"It's a mix between a full course and mini golf," he said. "It doesn't matter what your ability is.

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"It doesn't matter if you're a kid or an adult, you won't have the pressure of experienced golfers coming through."

The club's women's captain Jenny Brown said it was important to have more participation from women of all ages.

"It's good recognition for what is a really difficult task," she said.

"It's been a focus of mine to make sure that all of our members have access to as many opportunities as possible.

"We just have to move with the times. We have to recognise we're all equal members of the club. If we want to thrive, we have to be welcoming and inclusive."

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