john furze BIOGRAPHY

My golfing story began with my golf apprenticeship commencing at the Riversdale Golf Club in Melbourne in 1973 under professional Mr. Bruce Green who is the Professional at the renowned Royal Melbourne Golf Club and acknowledged as one of Australia’s top teaching professionals. 

I was to complete my apprenticeship at Woodlands Golf Club under Mr. Ray Wright, former PGA President (Victorian Section). I then accepted the position of Club Professional at the Ocean Shores Golf Club in NSW.

I return to Melbourne three years later and take up a position working under Mr. Brian Twite at The Metropolitan Golf Club. It was here that my love for teaching golf really took off, as I was fortunate to be under the guidance of Australia’s most highly respected, knowledgeable and sought after teachers in the game.

Three years later I was appointed professional at the Devonport Golf Club, Tasmania and after eight years with the club I accepted the position as Head Professional at the Bankstown Golf Club, Sydney.

After 18 years in the golf club scene gaining experience in areas such as teaching, business acumen, retailing and golf club repair I now desired to specialize solely in the one area of golf that I enjoyed so much. 

I returned to Melbourne and joined a very motivated and highly qualified golf teaching professional team at the Australian International Golf Schools.

In 1995 I was appointed Director of Golf Instruction by Norman Von Nida at the Norman Von Nida Golf Academy and was fully accredited by the “Von” himself. There is no-doubt that this was a highlight of my teaching career.

In 1997 I accepted the position of Director of Golf Instruction at the Golf Park Improvement Centre, Melbourne.

In 2002 I accepted the position as teaching professional at the Sandringham Golf Academy in Melbourne.

In 2003-4-5, I was selected by the panel of the Australian Golf Magazine in the top 50 List of teachers in Australia.

After years of dedication to the teaching of golf I gained my “Doctorate” in The Golfing Machine which is highly ranked within both the playing and teaching profession of professional golf world wide. There are only two golf professionals who hold this rank within Australia.

In 2013 I was appointed Head Professional at the Duntryleague Golf Club in Orange, NSW.  I was Award Nominee by the Professional Golfers Association both in 2016 and 2017 for NSW / ACT PGA as Club Professional of the Year. 

Then in 2021 after serving eight years with Duntryleague Golf Club I finally retired. 

There is no-doubt in my mind that I have fulfilled my golfing ambition as a teaching and club professional and have gained the reputation and respect within the golfing community.  I continue to strive to provide new and interesting ways for my pupils to improve their golfing experience.

My purpose in golf today is to pass on my years of experience in a very simple but effective way. I will never forget the words from the Legendary Norman Von Nida “you are not teaching someone but helping someone”.

In this game one never stops learning and I have appreciated very much my  correspondence and close friendship with the late Mr. Alex Sloan (USPGA, LM, GSED). Alex Sloan was in the First Authorized Instructor Class conducted by Homer Kelley of The Golfing Machine. 

He has generously and graciously passed on to me a great deal of valuable information which in turn I can pass onto my students so they can find the "GATEWAY" to Better Golf.

John Furze (PGA Australia, GSED)

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