Promising Junior Golfer
Having interviewed many budding “sports stars” over the years, I can honestly declare that most gifted sports teenagers do not have a plan B when considering their post sport future, in fact many suffer from “reality blindness”, such is their personal focus and naivety on sporting success, pleasingly this is not the case with local junior golfing ace Courtney Robinson. Once attending learner’s clinics at Sawtell Golf Club at the tender age of 8, it wasn’t long before Courtney recognized her liking for playing the most difficult game of all, and like most keen sports fanatics, just couldn’t wait to compete against others. During Year 6, this opportunity finally arose through the Primary Schools Sports Association when an excited Courtney took to the fairways of the tight Yamba layout to compete in the PSSA Northern Age Golf Championships, an event she will long remember as her maiden victory over 18 holes. With a desire to progress and commitment to match, Courtney sought the services of PGA Teaching Professional Brendon Barnes who has been instrumental in the development of her game, which has witnessed the once 35 handicapper become a single figure golfer in a short space of just three years.
As a member of the Mid North Coast Academy of Sport, Courtney enjoys the competition and education associated with its program but attributes much of her golfing headway to playing an array of courses with the Cex Coffs Social Golf Club, alongside her Dad, Club Captain Steve. When asked about friendly family rivalry on the course, Steve humbly replied he had become accustom to being the second best golfer in the Robinson household. During the past couple of years Courtney has visited the winners dais on numerous occasions, with success at the Sawtell Spring Tournament, the NSW Under 14 State Age Championship, the Regional Academy Games at Wollongong, the Bonville Qantas Women’s Classic - Junior Section, the Independent Combined Schools Championship and the Jack Newton Junior Golf State Age Championship but revealed her personal goal as admission to University being a major priority in the near future. With just 18 months to complete her HSC, the Bishop Druitt student says she will be studying strenuously to increase her Tertiary Admission Ranking which may assist Golf NSW in finding Courtney a College Scholarship vacancy within the USA. “To gain a Bachelor Degree of Health Science/Physiotherapy and work on my golf game in a controlled environment, would be a dream come true” suggests Courtney. Parents Catherine and Steve, who make up a very handy tennis combo – (don’t challenge them), regularly organize holidays around their children’s sporting activities which have seen Courtney’s sister Claire, compete at National level in Outrigging Carnivals.
In her spare time, Courtney enjoys nothing more than a strength and conditioning session at the “Elixir of Life” or simply baking cakes for the family. The C.ex Group congratulate Courtney on her many sporting successes and extend their best wishes for a bright academic future.
Article courtesy of C.ex Coffs Xcite Magazine, August-September, Page 26
