SENIOR regional manager of Golf NSW Mark Ingrey believes small, volunteer-based clubs in the region will benefit enormously from a new innovation installed at Dungog on Monday.
Vendi Golf is a pay to play mechanism designed for clubs, which do not have the resources to operate fully functioning pro-shops.
"It is a vending machine that operates 24-7. Customers can tap and go with their credit card to pay green fees and even hire a motorised cart," Ingrey said.
"The carts have a locking mechanism. Players put in their credit card details and the cart is released. People can pay their green fees and hire a golf cart in the space of two minutes and be on the first tee.
"It is going to allow the volunteer-based clubs and some resort clubs, who shut their pro-shop early, to have unlimited access for players.
"It cost clubs zero dollars to have it installed. They get a percentage of the green fees and takings."
Dungog, a nine-hole volunteer based course, is the first in the region to install Vendi Golf.
"There are a number of smaller clubs in the region - Dungog, Stroud, Paterson, Merriwa, Karuah, Bulahdelah - where this type of of system is ideal," Ingrey said.
** Outstanding Newcastle teenager Ella Scaysbrook will take confidence into the new year after winning the girl's division of the Jack Newton Junior Golf Champions Trophy at Bonville on Friday.
Rain forced the final round to be washed out, reducing the championships to 54 holes. Scaysbrook, who is a member at Newcastle and The Australian, carded rounds of 76,73,74 to be at seven over and win by two strokes from Grace Lee (Concord) and Hollie Fuller (Grafton).
As well as the title, Scaysbrook recieved life membership at Bonville.
Harry Atkinson finished equal fifth in the boy's division at four over.
** Jake Riley (Toronto) and Brij Ingrey (Cypress Lakes) skipped the JNJG Champions Trophy to play The Dunes Medal in Melbourne, which is a world amateur golf ranking event.
Riley had rounds of 70,72,75,70 to be at one under and a tie for ninth, seven strokes adrift of winner Nathan Page.
Ingrey (77,76) missed the cut by two.
** The Hunter region Golf Australia girls scholarship holders had a graduation day at Horizon on Sunday, which included an ambrose event. Sixteen players from Waratah, Horizon and Muree were involved in the program.
** Golf NSW government relations manager Bernard Brutasa will hold workshops at Pacifics Dunes (2pm) and Branxton (6pm) on Wednesday.
The presentation will inform clubs about the government grants that are available and how best to apply.
** Meanwhile, Norway's Viktor Hovland has brilliantly held his nerve to see off a spirited challenge from Scottie Scheffler and successfully defend his Hero World Challenge title in the Bahamas.
Hovland was in danger of squandering a two-shot lead on the final hole when he pulled his second shot from an awkward lie on the edge of a bunker into the water, but the Ryder Cup star got up and down to salvage an unlikely bogey.
American Scheffler also bogeyed the 18th after his chip from a waste bunker caught the edge of the hole and ran 15 feet past, leaving Hovland to celebrate an unexpectedly dramatic two-shot win on 16 under par.
"It's freaking nerve-racking," Hovland told NBC after a closing 69. "I was leading by five I think after the turn and didn't play all that great on the back nine but it was good enough. It made it a little bit exciting I guess."
