IT WAS a plastic set of clubs that sparked Jake Harrison's interest in golf.

They weren't expensive or fancy, but they were enough to make him relish the simple joy of swinging and hitting.

"My dad bought them for me when I was little," Harrison said.

"I don't know what it was about them, but I just liked hitting the ball with them.

"My aunty got me a proper set (of clubs) and it sort of went on from there."

Harrison, 14, is a regular sight on the fairways at Griffith Golf Club and has received a Southern Sports Academy and Jack Newton Junior Golf scholarship for 2015.

As well as providing access to high-level coaching, the scholarship will give assistance to Harrison so he can compete in major junior events throughout NSW.

Harrison said the program would turn him into a better golfer.

"We don't get as much opportunity in the country as the city kids do," he said.

"But with this (scholarship), we're pretty much getting what they are."

Griffith Golf Club assistant professional Wayne Rostron has coached Harrison and believes the youngster has the talent and discipline to go a long way in the sport.

"Jake has halved his handicap over the past 12 months from 13 down to about six and a half, which is really impressive," he said.

"And all that is due to hard work and commitment to achieving his goals. As opposed to just rocking up and playing golf, he's actually training properly and working hard on his game."

Southern Sports Academy executive director Greg McLay said clubs like Griffith and Leeton were doing an excellent job attracting juniors to the sport.

"They're doing a lot with their junior programs and we can only hope that other clubs throughout the region do the same," he said.

"We need golf clubs to be a welcoming environment for kids, which isn't always the case for a lot of clubs in the region."