The Long Game The Official Newsletter of the Golf Society of Australia Correspondence: 22 Surf Avenue, Beaumaris Vic 3193 Ph/Fx: 03 9589 5551 The Long Game Editor: Moira Drew No 23 - August 2006 Feature article: Inside this issue: This issue features a research paper on David Conacher by Noel Terry. It outlines the family background and David’s life in St Society Events and Results 2-3 Andrews in the 1830-1840’s and provides some insight into his club and cabinet-making skills. New Members 3 It was Noel’s research into Conacher’s role in laying out the (Royal) Feature article - Melbourne Golf Club course at Caulfield in 1891 that lead him to the The David Conacher Story 4-7 connection with David Strath reported last issue. Book Review - Barry Leithhead’s article on Peter Corsar Anderson , mentioned Golf Course Design 7 in the last issue, has been held over for the next issue, so that both can be given sufficient space. Museum on the Move! 8 Each makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the From the President (cont’d) 8 development of golf in Australia. Below : Playclub made by David From the President: Conacher—see pp 4-7 There is never a dull moment in golf with changes always Photograph : Noel Terry to be expected across all segments, whether it be the playing of the game, club management or national administration of the sport. Golf is the biggest participation sport in Australia. Change is inevitable and to be encouraged, whilst history and tradition must be preserved. Golf Australia is on the move, preparing to relocate its national office. The present office is also the home of our Museum and Library which also will be moving to a new home. This new home for the Museum is yet to be determined with a number of options currently being considered. The present display at Moonah Links is to remain. The moving has been a huge and delicate task which has kept the Committee extremely busy over the last few months, sorting and packing for storage. This task, under the guidance of Moira Drew, our archivist, presented an opportunity to inspect and review all the Museum items together with the Library books. The major items have been photographed, which will be an invaluable reference resource in the future. (continued p8) Page 2 The Long Game No 23, August 2006 Dinner: Victoria GC — 19 June 2006 Speaker: Bill Richardson , General Manager/ Members and guests who channels showed the golf all attended this dinner were day every day! treated to a fascinating Bill told of his own overview of 50 years in experience in the Army before Australian golf through Bill’s also taking up golf club account of both his and his administration, firstly at father’s roles in golf club Huntingdale. After recounting administration. Significantly, an unfortunate scenario where his father, also Bill, while he had arranged the removal of Secretary at Royal Melbourne He concluded with some an item donated by a past observations on the state of Golf Club, was Secretary of the Captain, he shared with us his Australian Golf Union. golf in Australia, highlighting first ‘lesson in golf club the number of high quality In providing a summary of management’ - you are there to courses, first rate staff, the his father’s career, he outlined look after the needs and wishes ability to run top rate some of the issues confronting of the majority, not just a few. tournaments, a high golf clubs and the various ways This seemed to strike a chord representation of top they were dealt with: the with many present. professional golfers and a high encroachment of housing, the After taking up the per capita level of involvement. need to obtain freehold land appointment at Royal and the advantages of doing Melbourne in 1996, one of Bill’s your homework. ‘big events’ was the President’s During the Dinner, Michael His recollections of Bill Sr’s Cup. As Bill described it, “I had Clayton entertained (or involvement with the Canada been involved in running 8 taunted) us with a Quiz. Cup at Royal Melbourne in Australian Masters at Stephen Spargo won the 1959 told of an era when Huntingdale and the Greg prize (a Bobby Jones book), television did not begin until Norman Classic at RM. The but special mention must go to 4pm but during the Canada Presidents Cup was on another Ross Bradfield who seemed to Cup all three television level again.” know everything else! Results: Don Lawrence Trophy Monday May 29 at Kew 18 holes: Ian Rennick & Bob Stannard 9 holes out (tie): Jean Gilbert & Ranald Macdonald and Dick Curtis & Havel Rowe 9 holes in: Norm & Bernice Davies 9 mystery holes: Norie Macleod & Geoff Vincent Left : Bob Stannard (L) and Ian Rennick (R) were presented with the Don Lawrence Trophy by President, Keith Wood The Long Game No 23, August 2006 Page 3 New Members: FOR THE DIARY: FOR THE DIARY: Welcome to new members: Next function: Next golf day: Des Tobin Monday September 4 Monday August 21 10 am Mark Wade Dinner President’s Trophy Keith Stone Commonwealth GC Royal Melbourne GC Virginia Gorrell Trevor Herden Speaker: Tony Hallam CEO, Golf Australia Coming up: Pam Millikin Joan Drummond ‘Memories in Sport - Monday November 13 pm how we trace memories Paula Gompertz Doug Bachli Trophy, in our lives through Bill Young Annual General Meeting sporting achievements’ Greg Ramsay and Cocktail Party John Johnston Victoria GC Dinner: Kingston Heath GC — 10 April 2006 Speaker: Trevor Herden, Tournament Director, Golf Australia The guest speaker at the and the game is littered with way to a seven stroke lead Kingston Heath dinner was well-chronicled incidents of with only a few ceremonial Trevor Herden, one of the famous players falling foul of holes to play before his the rule book. anointment as champion. Craig most experienced and Parry in a different group then respected tournament Trevor recalled two of the hit his ball into a bunker and directors in world golf. better known incidents of recent times when he was went to remove a piece of He has recently returned to called upon to disqualify the coral from a bunker, something Australia after two seasons highest paid player in the field. he had seen Faldo (playing working on the American At The Palm Meadows Cup in under the assumption that Senior Tour to take up the role 1990 Greg Norman had European Tour and not with Golf Australia that inadvertently taken an incorrect Australian Tour rules were in includes the organization of all drop from a water hazard force) do the previous day. their major events including during his second round of 63, Herden was called to the 2008 Eisenhower Cup in a score that had him at the top officiate and to dispatch Adelaide. of the leader board. himself to the adjoining hole to He had previously spent The local golf fans had inform the biggest star in the fifteen years as the flocked to the course on game of his fate. Tournament Director for the Saturday to watch their hero Australian golf is fortunate Australian Tour, a job that only to see Greg admitting his to have Trevor back in the involved officiating at The error to the assembled media country and he will be an Masters, The US Open and The and departing without any important part of our biggest British Open. further participation in the events for years to come. Every week on the tour tournament. Michael Clayton there are amusing stories of A few years later Nick Faldo rule confusion and controversy came to Bali and had played his Page 4 The Long Game No 23, August 2006 David Conacher (1827-1891) - The David Conacher Story Cabinetmaker, Builder, Golf course David’s branch of the Conacher family came designer & Clubmaker from Perthshire to St Andrews, and records of By Noel L Terry, Historian — Clubs & Balls, Conachers in St Andrews date back to the C15 th . Royal Melbourne Golf Club, 2005 The earliest marriage records of a Conacher [or Connacher] occur with the marriage in 1811 Preface of Robert Conacher of St Andrews and Jess Galloway from the nearby village of Carnbee. In the first book on the history of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Volume 1, 1891- In St Andrews Robert had three sisters, 1941 by A D Ellis, David Conacher is Katherine, Jane and Agnes, all of whom married described as one of the two men (with Mr T locally. His three brothers also married locally. J Finlay), who laid out the Caulfield course. Charles became a mariner leaving a young family It also states that in his youth he had been a in St Andrews. Peter married and moved to carpenter and club maker at St Andrews. Cellerdyke, where he became a fisherman, and John remained in the town as a land labourer. In the Royal Melbourne collection of historical golf clubs, the Brentnall part of that Robert and Jess lived in Golf Place, St Andrews, as it became known after 1821. Among collection includes a D Conacher club. their nearest neighbours was Robert Kirk, This sparked my interest, so I decided to sometimes weaver and caddie, David Robertson, who lived with his celebrated ball maker and study whether or not this man may have golfing son, Allan, at Sandyhill at the top of the been Australia’s first clubmaker or even Links, and Hugh Philp, wright, joiner, cabinet and perhaps our first professional golfer. clubmaker. James Wilson, a journeyman, wright and clubmaker, who was employed by Philp, Introduction lived next door.