The Long Game Newsletter of the Golf Society of Australia S G A No 47, JANUARY 2014 Inside This Issue Page 1 Doug Bachli Trophy & Annual General Meeting Page 2 President’s Report - 2013 Page 3-5 Golf Historians at Woodlands Golf Club Page 6-7 A Brief History of The Sand Iron By John Fawcett Page 7 Rarities in the Library of Golf compiled by H.R.J. Grant and D.M. Wilson III New Members Have you missed a dinner but would like to hear the speech? The President presents David Hill with the Doug Bachli Trophy Society Merchandise Page 8 Bump and Run Doug Bachli Trophy – at the feet of the masters & Annual General Meeting by Andrew Crockett A fine spring morning, albeit with a strong breeze, greeted 32 Members at For The Diary Victoria Golf Club for the annual competition for the Doug Bachli Trophy. It would take four good blows to get to the 17th green in three! The greens 10th February having been recently sanded, made putting a little more difficult than usual, Dinner but our four prize winners appeared not to notice. at Metropolitan Golf Club Our worthy winner with 36 points was David Hill from Kingston Heath closely followed by Phil Francis from Kew with 35 points. The ladies were led home by 3rd March Victoria Club member, Lorraine Clothier with 30 points, in a close tussle with Golf Historians at Virginia Gorrell from Commonwealth with 29. Box Hill Golf Club Members retired to the bar to celebrate/drown their sorrows, before being 6th April presented with their prizes by our President, prior the AGM getting underway. Al Howard Trophy at Peter Gompertz Kingston Heath Golf Club The Long Game | JANUARY 2014 1 President’s Report - 2013 This is an annual event played over Our Treasurer, Dick Kirby, is always several days. Our elite team from keeping an eye on our finances and Melbourne were not successful in will also be standing down shortly as gaining the trophy – we obviously over Treasurer; he will hand the reins to trained for the event, and we had some Peter Swan but Dick will remain on scratchings from among our favourites. Committee. We missed Paul Burgess, Max Findlay, Our archivist Moira Drew, an absolute Ian Rennick and Tony McLean (gout). treasure behind the scenes, looks Next year, we anticipate it will be after our website and the complete played at Kingston Heath in April historical collection…… her work is and it is hoped we might prevail. greatly appreciated. Peter Gompertz, Our annual Hickory Day our editor and producer of The Long championship was held, during Game has had some stressful moments April’ at Kingston Heath and won by this year, and we appreciate his efforts. Geoff Vincent AM Martin Maguire and Jean Gilbert. To Virginia Gorrell, my thanks to her for her work in arranging the detail for President A number of donations to the museum our dinners which has made the events collection, including clubs, memorabilia It is my pleasure to present the a success; to Peter Swan who handles and books, were received including our merchandise and to Norie Mcleod President’s Report for the past year. a special collection from the estate of and Des Tobin my thanks for their Ken Shepherd carefully looked after by wise counsel. At the last Annual General Meeting, Moira, Max Findlay and Cliff George. we voted to change the Rules to Our thanks to the Shepherd family for Paul Burgess looks after our provide for an additional class of their interest and generosity. Historians meetings, and thanks to membership. However we have Max Findlay and Cliff George for increased our membership slightly Our Archivist Moira Drew has had a their interest and passion with the and this should continue into next busy year with the maintenance of the restoration of our Hickory clubs and year. Members will recall that David web site, cataloguing new items and demonstrations of club fitting as it Cheney joined us to provide an preparing exhibits. was done in the past. My thanks to all outline of Burrta Cheney, one of our During July, we held the Presidents members of our committee who are founding members who died last year. Trophy at Royal Melbourne and we invaluable to me, and a pleasure to Also Ian Rennick was unanimously saw David Hewitt prevail in the final. work with. I sincerely appreciate their granted Life Membership and we Other events include the Don help and friendship. were pleased to present Ian with his Lawrence trophy, held at Woodlands We are sorry to be saying farewell to framed certificate at the dinner at in June, and won by Graeme Ryan Des Tobin who is stepping down from Royal Melbourne. and Peter Gompertz. your committee; we wish him well. The Golf Society had a successful Our meetings of golf historians are a Our finances are in good shape and a year, with increased membership, great way to make contact with various separate report from the Treasurer is two successful dinners and exciting Victorian Golf clubs and the meeting available for your scrutiny. at Woodlands in October, during their competitions. Our social events were As our constitution requires, Dick centenary year, was a special event. a highlight with Ranald McDonald Kirby stands down after 6 years Our thanks to the Convenor, Paul AO, at Kingston Heath, and Stephen service and Peter Swann will take over. Burgess, a member at Woodlands, who Pitt at Royal Melbourne. Ranald Dick will continue to serve on the handled the entire day so well. spoke of his life and times with such committee. Norie McLeod and Peter legendary figures as Tony Charlton, Regrettably, earlier in November, we Gompertz have been re-elected to Peter Thomson, Seve Ballasteros, had to cancel the National Hickory your committee, and we welcome Kim Ted Ball and many others, while Challenge as the Croydon Club felt Hastie as a new committee member. Stephen outlined the activities of Golf there were insufficient numbers, I would like to mention that during Australia, the junior programmes which was disappointing. and the excellent performance of our the coming year we will explore the amateurs on the world stage. The only This is my second year as President possibility of a closer relationship disappointment was the cancellation of and I would like to pay tribute to with both Golf Australia, and the our dinner at Woodlands in February, members of your committee. Australian Golf Heritage Society who due to their centenary celebrations. Firstly our Secretary Tony McLean, are based in Sydney. It is possible that there are benefits to be gained from This year’s events have been reported who took over the role this year from Paul Burgess and has done a a more formal connection, with an in The Long Game, but I would like Australia wide base, and this could be to mention the Al Howard Hickory magnificent job. Paul, who has served on your committee for another year a positive for Golf Society members Challenge event held at the Yowani in all our states. We discussed this Golf Club in Canberra, against the will step aside at the next AGM with our sincere thanks. some two years ago and next year we Australian Golf Heritage Society. feel progress might be made. 2 The Long Game | JANUARY 2014 Chris McLeod addresses historians Golf Historians at Woodlands Golf Club by Paul Burgess Convenor Paul Burgess thanked the 33 historians In 1951 the Club approached Mr Wellard to buy the land attending, reminding them that the meetings are aimed which stretched to Eley Road. The Club issued debentures at encouraging historians from all golf clubs to share to fund the purchase but could only afford the 9 holes, with Station Street frontage. The remaining land was subdivided their knowledge about recording club histories. for housing. In 1964 a new clubhouse was built facing He mentioned that Rushworth, Box Hill and Station Street, and additional land was leased from the Woodlands golf clubs are celebrating their centenaries MMBW to establish an additional nine holes. In 1990 a this year. new clubhouse was opened and in 1997 the land on which the northern nine holes are played was purchased. Chris McLeod, President of Box Hill Golf Club, presented an interesting history of his club. Although Box Hill is An interesting and informative participant in the meeting celebrating their centenary this year it has links back to 1892 was Mr Jim Wellard the son of J C P Wellard, and a when the Surrey Hills Golf Club was started. Surrey Hills member of Box Hill Golf Club. He remembers the early Golf Club was established in 1892 near the Mont Albert course and lives in Wellard Street which overlooks the station but due to sub-division was forced to move in 1907. present course. The membership was split, a group of members went to East Moira Drew, Golf Australia Archivist referred especially to Camberwell, and Riversdale Golf Club was formed. the preservation of golfing documents and memorabilia Another group went to Doncaster and eventually formed which initiated considerable discussion on ways and means Eastern and Huntingdale Golf Clubs. More went to of preserving digital documents now becoming the preferred Fisherman’s Bend which was the start of Victoria Golf Club. means of communication with club members. Earlier guides In 1909 the remaining members formed the Middleborough and other papers prepared by Moira relating to these matters Golf Club playing on land that is now the Box Hill were available for the audience to peruse or retain for their Cemetery.