Having played only a handful or tournaments and picking up work at a local pro shop, the Novocastrian hits the road on Tuesday ahead of a more full-time golf schedule over the next 12 months.

Higginbottom travels to the Sunshine Coast to meet up with new coach Grant Field, participating in a training camp with fellow professionals before next week's Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

The Singapore Open, potentially a trip to Saudi Arabia and yet-to-be-revealed Asian Tour events also await the 28-year-old.

"It's been a bleak couple of years but it will probably be a busy year this year between Asia and Australia, touch wood nothing else goes on [with COVID]. It's probably going to be a lot in a short amount of time, but it's just going to be good back playing," Higginbottom told the Newcastle Herald.

Higginbottom switched mentors earlier this year, finishing up with Gary Barter at The Australian and joining Pelican Waters-based Field.

"I changed coaches about six or seven months ago and I head up there tomorrow to spend some time with him before the Aussie PGA," he said on Monday.

"I haven't been able to get up there and see him because there's been so many [travel] restrictions [with coronavirus]. I went up there for a day two weeks ago and that was the first time I'd seen him since April.

"There's been a lot of phone stuff, but it's not quite the same. So it will be nice to get a little bit of work done before a big season."

In terms of keeping occupied and focused during a disrupted 2020 and 2021, Higginbottom strived to reach a healthy balance with professional golf virtually on pause.

"I got a job working in the pro shop at Waratah Golf Club just to keep things ticking over," he said.

"The first year I did a fair bit of practise but it got to a point where there was nothing on the horizon and it was hard to find motivation because there was nothing to work towards. Last year I did enough to tick over and not be rusty, but not as much as I normally would. Now we're hopefully back playing full time."

Blake Windred, Andrew Dodt and Aaron Townsend are also entered in the Australian PGA, which gets underway on January 13.

* JUNIOR competition returns with the ACT Week Of Golf being held at Gold Creek Country Club from Tuesday through to Friday. The field is capped at 92 players, doubling as an Australian and international ranking event. Brij Ingrey, Jake Riley, Harry Atkinson, Ella Scaysbrook and Amy Squires shape as the local contingent.

*THE Newcastle District Golf Association's district championships will take place at Newcastle Golf Club on Sunday, January 16.

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