A process engineer at PING, a golf club events co-ordinator and a greenkeeper are the inaugural recipients of a bursary backed by Justin and Kate Rose.
Three women under 21 working across golf have been named as the first recipients of the Kate & Justin Rose Foundation Bursary, awarded through the Women in Golf Awards to support young women building careers in the sport.
Sophie Easton, a Process Engineering Intern at PING Golf, Natasha Perry, Events and Marketing Co-ordinator at Bramshaw Golf Club and The Bell Inn, and Esme Southcott, a Greenkeeper at Ferndown Golf Club, were selected from applications across the industry. Between them, they cover manufacturing, club operations and turfcare — three very different routes into golf, united by the same need for financial backing to go further.
The bursary was created to remove barriers to training, learning and career progression for women under 21 in golf.
What the bursary means to them
Sophie Easton said the support allowed her to attend the ISEA 2026 Conference, giving her access to research and innovation from across academia and industry, and exposure to developments from beyond golf.
“Thanks to the bursary scheme from the Kate & Justin Rose Foundation, I was able to attend the ISEA 2026 Conference. The conference provided a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research and innovations from both academia and industry, with experts sharing developments from golf and a wide range of other sports.”
For Natasha Perry, the funding opened doors she had not been able to reach independently.
“I feel very privileged to have received this bursary from the Kate & Justin Rose Foundation. It has made it possible for me to pursue an opportunity that would otherwise have been out of reach. It will allow me to support my knowledge, gain valuable new skills, and bring fresh ideas back to my role in marketing and events at the golf club.”
Esme Southcott, who is building a career on the course itself as a greenkeeper at Ferndown Golf Club, said the bursary would help her contribute to the future of women in the profession.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this support from the Kate & Justin Rose Foundation. As someone beginning a career in greenkeeping, this support will help me continue developing my knowledge and practical skills within the industry. I’m proud to be part of Ferndown Golf Club where I’ve already learned so much, and I’m excited to use this opportunity.”
Applications open in September
The second application window for the Kate & Justin Rose Foundation Bursary opens on 1 September and closes on 30 November. Full details and application information are available at womeningolfawards.co.uk.
