Adam Scott may be one of the world’s best golfers, but there is another side to the flamboyant professional with film star looks.
The 28-year-old likes helping people – especially young people in need.

And that’s when golf takes a back seat.

Scott, who grew up on the Gold Coast, has been giving back to the game for many years, but he wanted to do more for society.

So he set up the Adam Scott Foundation (ASF).

The foundation’s aim is to support disadvantaged youth by providing opportunities to fulfil their potential and overcome difficulties through life’s journey.

“I believe one of the greatest gifts someone can receive is the gift of opportunity – be that an opportunity for a single experience to a sick child, to a chance to follow a dream that may otherwise be unattainable,” Scott said.

Two young people who are benefiting from Scott’s philanthropic work are Andrew Savins and Mark Hawley.

Last year Savins became the inaugural recipient of the Adam Scott Foundation scholarship program while Hawley received his scholarship this year.

ASF general manager Geoff Hall said the scholarships provided the students with an opportunity to complete a bachelor business degree and diploma – applied golf management program through the PGA International Golf Institute at Griffith University.

“Both guys have had a pretty tough growing up period during their high school years with family illnesses and things like that,” Hall said.

“The scholarships do really provide an opportunity to give a young person their desired career path.

“Andrew always wanted to be working in the golf industry, which is a lot of what the scholarship is about.

“It’s about learning sport management or general management, but focussing more on the business aspects of the industry.

“Andrew has a passion to want to achieve that and you can see that in the way he’s managing his time, his course and his golf,” he said.

“Andrew and Mark really have a nice personalities and a nice attitude towards the game and that certainly shone through in the interview process.”

Hall says Scott takes a personal interest in the students and is in regular contact with them.

“They come to a lot of our functions and get to spend some time with Adam, play a few holes of golf and do those sorts of fun things, which is really good.”

A popular myth about the Gold Coast is that it is primarily a haven for senior citizens.Sure, it’s a great destination for the winter-weary retirees, but it continues to be one of Australia’s fast growing and most populous areas.

It is also home to an abundance of families with youngsters – many who have special needs.

The Adam Scott Foundation, in partnership with Youngcare, will soon develop a purpose-built apartment complex for young people that require 24-hour care on the Gold Coast.

“It’s an important area because there’s not a lot of that type of accommodation around the place,” Hall said.

“People under the age of 40 that have received severe injuries from car accidents, or have multiple sclerosis or things like that unfortunately have to go off to an aged care facility to be maintained in care.

“The apartments will house young people so that they are able to be given the proper care needed, which will be in a much more modern and young environment.”

Scott’s generosity doesn’t end there.

Recently he was, like all Australians, deeply affected by the deadly Victorian bushfires.

“The bushfires in Victoria touched Adam deeply,” Hall told Inside Golf.

“Adam went to the Westpac office in Sydney and did some fundraising with them for a morning and tried to raise some awareness.

“He does a lot of stuff people don’t see. It’s his way of giving something back.

“He got a lot of the understanding of philanthropy from the PGA Tour. The tour has donated over $1 billion to charities in the last 10 years.

“The players over there (US) get exposed to so much more like going to hospitals and going to places where young kids are or doing golf clinics.

“Adam really felt that while he was in the US not much was happening in Australia in the same sector so he wanted to be a leader in that and take a forward step.

“Adam’s foundation is a little different because it does focus on underprivileged and disadvantaged young people versus just being a golf foundation.

“We do some golf things but our focus is on making sure young people are provided with an opportunity for the future no matter what their career path.”

During a recent trip Down Under, Scott attended a function at Royal Queensland Golf Club, a foundation partner, and spoke at length to a large group of youngsters.

His message was to help them understand the game rather than just play it well.

“Adam’s grown up to be a great ambassador for the game in Australia,” Hall said.

“His acts on and off the course are first-class. He’s done a nice job of being a professional sportsperson.

“He seems to get the right balance of getting some time and rest and being in the spotlight.

“There are so many things the foundation brings to Adam.

“It brings him a lot of good feelings about some of the stuff he’s trying to do with scholarships and Youngcare and all the other different charities we support.

“But it also brings a lot of significance to people wanting to grow philanthropy and their philanthropic spirit.”

To find out more about Adam Scott’s important work go to www.adamscottfoundation.com.au