FRESH from guiding his star pupil Lucas Herbert to his first LIV Golf tournament win, coach Dom Azzopardi is now focusing on establishing a new arm of his golf academy at Noosa Springs, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Azzopardi, who relocated to the Sunshine Coast from country Victoria nearly a decade ago, flew to the United States in mid-April to help Herbert rediscover his best form after a run of disappointing performances.
It clearly worked because, a few days later, Herbert played brilliantly to win the Virginia leg of the LIV Tour schedule, beating Sergio Garcia by four strokes and winning a spot into the US Open.
About the same time, Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort announced a new partnership with Azzopardi, which it said marked an exciting new chapter for coaching and player development at the club.
Azzopardi, who already oversees a teaching academy at Peregian Springs, a few kilometres south of Noosa, is excited about the Noosa Springs opportunity, declaring the resort to be the best golfing facility in the region.
He replaced long-time coach Peter Heiniger, who subsequently moved his business to Twin Waters, another Sunshine Coast resort course.
Azzopardi is in the process of constructing a three-bay indoor/outdoor coaching facility at Noosa Springs, featuring Trackman and Smart2Move force plates, which he says will be operational by September. At the same time, Noosa Springs will revamp its driving range and putting and chipping greens.
Dom Azzopardi at work on the range.
Azzopardi will be joined at Noosa Springs by teaching professionals Greg Lynch and Josh Lane, who has had more than 20 years as a PGA coach and tournament player, and Chris Rutherford, who was Noosa Springs’ first director of golf when the resort opened 25 years ago.
Rutherford had been teaching at Victoria Park and Brisbane’s Golf Central for the past decade and relished the chance to return to the Sunshine Coast.
Azzopardi said he would initially spend a third of his time at Noosa Springs and two-thirds at Peregian Springs, where he has built a state-of-the-art two-bay training facility. His coaching staff at Peregian Springs includes Jake Killeen and Regan McGovern.
Noosa Springs Club Manager Dan Chandler said Azzopardi’s academy would introduce a fresh, modern approach to coaching, while building on the strong golfing community already established at Noosa Springs.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Dom Azzopardi Golf Academy to Noosa Springs and to introduce a new era of coaching,” Chandler said. “This partnership is about enhancing the overall golf experience for our members and guests, while building on the strong community that already exists here.”
Azzopardi said he was looking forward to partnering with Noosa Springs and building on the club’s strong foundations. “Noosa Springs has a fantastic membership base and a great culture, and we’re excited to be part of that,” he said.
Meanwhile Azzopardi is thrilled at Herbert’s return to form, and the recent performances of another of his team, Karis Davidson, who contended strongly in June’s US Open on the LPGA Tour.
He is also impressed with the development of his elite amateurs Ruby Fisher and Ellianna MacRae, and excited about the prospects of his newest student, 13-year-old Noosa junior Archie Lethbridge.
Karis Davidson finished level with Grace Kim as the leading Australian at the US Women’s Open in June.
Davidson leads the Aussie charge at Riviera
Karis Davidson, coached by Dom Azzopardi, enjoyed a successful week at the recent US Women’s Open, finishing in a tie for 22nd place.
Davidson, resident on the Gold Coast, came into the event as first alternate, however after getting the late call up and opening with a two-under par 69, was in and around the top 10 throughout the week.
A 73 on Sunday saw her slip back down the leaderboard, however Davidson still managed to finish level with Grace Kim as the leading Australian.
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