Former Creswick golfer launches junior academy

PUTTING golf back as a serious player in Ballarat's junior sporting area is Andrew Cartledge's key objective.The former Creswick junior golfer turned pro has returned home after seven years on the road, promoting the sport interstate and overseas.Cartledge and fellow Ballarat golf professional Ben Roberts have been working to launch the Ballarat Junior Golf Academy.The pair saw a gap in the market to offer on-going junior golf lessons and will get started with a series of trial lessons this school holidays."Ballarat is a big sporting community and golf has become a little lost with all other junior sport options like Auskick, basketball or soccer,'' Cartledge said."I'm really keen to pave a way for kids to really enjoy golf and make it a sport of choice.''Cartledge is no stranger to developing the sport in a tough junior market.In 2006, he was a founder of the Australian Golf Academy in Hong Kong.The academy now has more than 250 junior golfers in its long-term program and employs five full-time teaching professionals.However, the Creswick Golf Club was where Cartledge started his own golf journey as a nine-year-old alongside his dad Rod.His game quickly progressed and by age 14 he was playing off a handicap of four.Cartledge soon produced a decorated amateur career, including five Ballarat junior titles, 1982 Victorian junior title and two Ballarat district titles.He later turned his focus to teaching the game and last year had a chance to scrutinise the basics of the sport with chiropractor Ron Burke.Under Burke, Cartledge assisted in creating a program to teach golf professionals about biomechanics to ensure golfers swing properly."It shows how much physical faults can affect your game."When Cartledge returned home from China last month, one of the first rounds he played was with his dad at Forest Resort.Cartledge said Ballarat was spoilt for choice when it came to affordable and accessible golf clubs.Ballarat Junior Golf Academy is enrolling students, aged five to 17, at Golf City.