South Coast golfer making the sport 'open and accessible to everyone' takes home best in state award

A South Coast golfer has taken home a top gong after being nominated as a finalist for three consecutive years.

Catalina Club’s director of golf Rodney Booth was named PGA NSW/ACT Club Professional of the Year in the NSW Golf Industry Awards this month.

It is the latest step in a journey that started by chance when he was young.

“My brother was playing golf, and as a younger brother, I followed him. I probably didn’t choose golf, it chose me,” he said.

“We both played throughout our junior years – it wasn’t our only sport, but golf was the one that I stuck with.”

When he was in his early 20s, he started a traineeship after a chat with his mentor, Michael, at Club Tocumwal in the Riverina region.

“I only saw golf on the television, and I thought, ‘I’m never going to be that good, to play golf professionally,'” he said.

“We had a big chat one afternoon with my mentor about golf and different things. We got on the topic of doing a traineeship to become a professional.

“I hadn’t given it much thought until that conversation, and then on the spot he offered me a job to start in about 11 months – [he said that] I’d just missed the annual application process.”

Following the traineeship, Mr Booth would become a full-time professional golfer for six years.

In early 2021, he returned to NSW and took a job at Catalina Club, located in Batemans Bay on the South Coast.

As the club’s director of golf, he organises key golf tournaments at Catalina Club, and also offers one-on-one lessons, golf clinics and professional support to players.

“Like everyone, you do your job and carry out a role to the best of your ability,” he said.

“I’m pretty passionate about golf and ensuring that the programs and competitions we offer are open and accessible to everyone – whether they’re members of the club or looking to become members.

“I enjoy the customer interaction, meeting people and developing their skills, as well.”

Mr Booth is also a volunteer coach with the South East Sports Academy.

“I’m one of the coaches there and we mentor and help them [the players there] on their way, with regard to tournament golf and developing their skills,” he said.

While he said receiving the award was something “you certainly don’t expect”, Mr Booth said it followed a team effort from staff at the club.

“I couldn’t manage such an operation without the assistance of all the staff at the golf club,” he said.

“With a big program, more than 11,000 members and a huge number of social players as well, I need the support and assistance from the team,” he said.

“It’s a nice accolade to have for myself, but it’s got to be a team effort.”

The state-level accolade means Mr Booth is now in the running to be named the PGA of Australia National Club Professional of the Year.

“We – myself and my wife – will head up to that next Tuesday,” he said.

Mr Booth said that while he was excited to make the trip to Queensland, he was most keen on the “enjoyment” of playing golf and sharing the sport with others.

“It’s a nice commendation on your role and what you do and you think, ‘Maybe people did notice how you treat people,'” he said.

“In regards to everything else, it probably doesn’t lead a great deal of places. It’s a great thing on the wall and that title will always stay with me to this year.”

“For me, the enjoyment is helping with tuition and clinics and lessons and making sure their game is as good as it can be or wants to be – helping them along their own journey.”

The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be held in Brisbane between 21 and 24 November.