South Australian Professional golfer Tamie Durdin is taking the steps from life on Tour to coaching the next crop of stars as part of the PGA of Australia’s Bridging Program.

Following a career spanning the best part of two decades on the ALPG Tour and abroad, Durdin said the decision was a relatively simple one to make.

She now shifts her attention to growing the game through juniors and female participation.

“When I retired I was really unsure as to what I was going to do and I think it was just a natural progression for me to stay in something that I was very familiar with,” said Durdin, who made her mark on the golfing world with standout performances on the Japan LPGA Tour in the early 2000’s.

“So essentially that’s the reason why I’m actually doing it (PGA Bridging Program) obviously to try and get more women and juniors and girls playing has been the motivation.”

It’s a path many former Tour Pros have decided to take, the opportunity to stay in the game often too much to pass up.

She said the PGA Bridging Program provides a unique opportunity for former Touring Professionals to find full time work in a setting not too far removed from the life they grew accustomed to.

“I think it’s a great, to be accredited and to essentially have a qualification behind you knowing that for the rest of my life that I am employable is very refreshing and certainly takes the heat off.

“I know the amateur body is looking to try and get more women and junior girls involved and I think having someone that they can look up to working in club-land is important.”

Durbin will join a growing number of female Vocational PGA Professionals in Australia; she says in a male dominated sport, there’s a fantastic opportunity to work closely with women golfers.

“With the female members there are a lot of women that want to interact and take lessons with a female. I actually played with a member the other day and she said of all of the professionals that she’s seen in her life, so doctors, dentists and those types of people are females so she’s probably a future client,” explained Durbin.

“I think in this current climate with sort of gender equality and those types of things, I think women are really going to be strong players at the coaching level and I think it’s about time that there’s high profile female coaches coming through.

“The gap is definitely closing. I think that’s through a lot of people really taking it on board and really trying to progress it down that particular avenue.”

With initiative’s such as Golf Australia’s Vision 2025 and the continual rise of Australian female golfers on the international scene like Minjee Lee and Hannah Green following the same path carved out by trailblazer Karrie Webb, there’s an opportunity to see Professional ranks swelled by women golfers.

Last month the R&A identified ‘a significant growth opportunity’ if golf can attract more women, girls and families to the game, something Durdin wholeheartedly agrees with.

“I’d obviously like to see it (female participation) increase, I’d like to see another few Karrie Webb’s out there on tour and you know really forging a path and being trailblazers.

“It’s just probably more participation than anything and getting young girls really enjoying the game. It’s a great game it’s a lifetime game so let’s hope they do increase the numbers.”

She did, however, outline some barriers that may be restricting new participants, not just females, to the game.

“I think sometimes it could be attitudes that sort of still around the game, it’s probably time to relax those a little bit.

“Dress codes, the access the juniors can get to the golf course those types of things but that’s just a stepping stone I think it’s certainly on the way now, it’s moving forward. So we just have to be diligent and keep at it.”