Boyne Island Tannum Sands Golf Club Leverages TeeMates to Drive Grassroots Participation

The Boyne Island Tannum Sands Golf Club in regional Queensland has emerged as a leading facility for junior participation by embracing the TeeMates and Youth on Course programmes.

Located in the Gladstone region, the volunteer-run facility has combined affordable access with free club memberships for every junior signing up for TeeMates, ensuring young players receive free weekly instructor clinics and clear pathways into competitive play.

Committee member and National Program Deliverer, Leesa Delaney, highlighted the strategic importance of this retention strategy.

“Traditionally, this can be an age where young people drift away from organised sport.”

“We thought TeeMates offered a great opportunity for these young people to come out to the course, bring a couple of mates and enjoy a social game of golf without it costing them or their families a fortune.

“If a 16 or 17-year-old who might otherwise have stopped playing golf altogether is still regularly coming out with their mates and playing because TeeMates makes it affordable and flexible, we see that as a great outcome.

“Our hope is that as they get older and their circumstances change, they are much more likely to transition back into competition golf or become full adult members because they never completely lost that connection with the game or the club,” Delaney said.

The facility has also successfully integrated its senior membership base to foster a welcoming, intergenerational club culture, ensuring incoming juniors feel valued regardless of initial ability or commitment levels.

Noting that the community relies heavily on early engagement, Delaney, concluded: “They understand that if we don’t encourage young people to become involved in golf today, eventually our existing membership will age and retire out of the sport without another generation coming through behind them.”

Retention of older teenagers remains a core commercial and operational focus for the organisation. As young people navigate part-time work, school commitments, and changing social calendars, conventional weekly competitions can become difficult to maintain. By offering flexibility and affordability, the club keeps teenagers engaged in social golf alongside their peers.

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