Bendigo-raised professional golfer Andrew Martin has praised the continual support from his home town ahead of this week's Gippsland Super 6 at the Warragul Country Club.
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Martin, who heads into the tournament after finishing T5 last week at the Victorian PGA Championship, said Bendigo athletes always received great support from home.
"Bendigo has always been very supportive to me. I haven't been back for a little while but the support that Bendigo gives all our sportspeople is very good," he said.
Martin said rising star Lucas Herbert also received plenty of support.
"Early days I might have put a bit more pressure on myself to try and do well and make people back home proud but I'm older now and 'Herbie' has taken over the crown with the stuff he's doing.
"Although we both played at Neangar, the support that Lucas and I get from the region, the Axedale boys, it's quite a close-knit golf community in Bendigo."
Martin's focus is on securing another title before the end of the year after taking out his debut professional victory earlier this year at TPS Sydney.
More sport: Bendigo district club golf results Dec 4-11
Ahead of Thursday's first round, Martin cited slight similarities between the Warragul layout and the courses he grew up playing across the Bendigo district.
"The course should suit me," he said.
"My coach, Darren Cole, has now taken the job at Traralgon but I usually go and see him at Drouin or Warragul so I know the boys quite well down there.
"It's one of those courses that can jump up and bite you but there are a lot of opportunities as well.
"I had six-under in the pro-am - the greens may be a little quicker this time around but there is a little bit of slope to them so I don't know if they'll go too crazy with the speed.
"If you miss on the wrong side of the greens it can sort some of the boys out with those smaller country greens.
"It's probably a little more lush at Warragul than Neangar but it is very similar to the courses I grew up playing in the Bendigo area.
"I know they're super excited to have it so I'm sure the course is going to be in great shape for it and the club will get behind it quite well."
The unique format for the Gippsland Super 6 includes three rounds of stroke play before switching to match play for Sunday's final round where the top 24 players compete in six-hole matches.
"It's something different," Martin said. "It's good to have the three rounds and then the match play on Sunday.
"The six holes do come up pretty quick so you do have to change your approach a little bit.
"I don't try to change too much but this course might bring it out a bit more where you have to take it on a bit more depending on who you're playing.
"If you can give yourself a lot of opportunities to putt for birdie there's not much more you can do. Over the six holes if you can hole a couple of them you're going to be right in the match.
"Warragul is quite tight in spots so if one of the boys who bomb it can hit it straight then they can eat it up.
"But you've got to do it for three rounds to get to the match play and then you never know what's going to happen."
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