The Long Game Newsletter of the Golf Society of Australia No 30, January 2009 Doug Bachli Trophy, AGM & Cocktail Party: Inside this issue: Victoria GC — November 10, 2008 GSA activities & events 1-3 Vale: Bob Simpson 4 Ryder Cup putters at 4-5 Federal Golf Club Book Review: Choule 5 Life Member: Keith Wood 6-7 Golf Club Historians 7 Australian Open display 8 For the Diary: 11 February - Dinner, Victoria Golf Club 26 April - Hickory Day , Kingston Heath GC 14 May - A L Howard Doug Bachli Trophy winner Frank Greig and Women’s Medal winner Paula Gompertz Trophy (match v AGHS) with the President, Ian Rennick Yarrawonga Golf Club Doug Bachli Trophy The Golf Society of Australia Doug Bachli Trophy and Honour Board Men's Medal: was formed in 1982 to research 1988 Lindsay Gitsham and preserve the history of golf Frank Greig, 40 pts. Runner 1989 Daryl Cox in Australia. Up: Geoff Cupples, 38 pts 1990 Peter Rosenhain As part of this role, the Society Women's Medal : Paula 1991-93 Daryl Cox manages the Museum and Gompertz, 37 pts. Runner Up : 1994 Ruth Summerfield Library for Golf Australia. Joan Drummond, 33 pts c/b 1995 Perry Somers Golf Australia supports the Society by providing office space from Pat Kruse 1996 Andrew Coogan 1997 Norm Davies and administrative assistance. 45 Members attended the 1998 John Wilson President: Ian Rennick AGM at which Keith Wood AM 1999 Glen Carboon Hon Secretary: Janet Hibbins was honoured with Life 2000 John Lindsay Hon Treasurer: Dick Kirby Membership. 2001 Marjorie Nadalin Long Game Editor: Moira Drew 2002 John Lindsay Correspondence: Norie Macleod was elected 2003 Geoff Cupples 22 Surf Avenue, to the Committee, filling the 2004-05 John Scrivener Beaumaris Vic 3193 place vacated due to the 2006-07 Geoff Cupples Ph/Fx: 03 9589 5551 retirement of Noel Terry. 2008 Frank Greig www.golfsocietyaust.com Page 2 The Long Game No 30, January 2009 Dinner: Yarra Yarra GC — 23 June 2008 - Guest Speaker: Darius Oliver The September dinner was attended by 61 members and guests at Yarra Yarra Golf Club. The guest speaker was Darius Oliver who spoke about his experiences in travelling the world, looking at golf courses in readiness for writing his Planet Golf books. In 2003 Darius published his first book Australia's Finest Golf Courses , listing the 50 best courses in Australia. In 2008 his second book Planet Golf , listed the greatest courses outside the USA. He is now finishing his third book Planet Golf USA to be launched in 2009. Darius spoke of his travels through 40 countries, seeking out interesting and famous golf courses, visiting over 800 courses. He has amazing recall of the courses and holes he played, and can describe them in great detail. He has definite opinions of what makes a good hole, and a good course, and is not afraid to state his views on many of the world's famous courses. Darius gave a very interesting talk, and many people were pleased to purchase his latest book. Left: Committee Member Libby Hodgkins with June Newton Below: Guests at the Dinner at Yarra Yarra The Long Game No 30, January 2009 Page 3 Forthcoming Events New Members: Dinner - Wednesday 11 February — Victoria Golf Club Welcome to: Speaker : Anne Lenagan, Chairman of Golf Australia — Golf Phillip Billings Australia: recent developments and future plans John Maddern Anne has 30 years experience in business management and marketing. A member of Royal Sydney Golf Club, she joined the Murray Sargent Board of Women’s Golf New South Wales in 2005, and was elected Geoffrey Schaeffer President in 2006. Anne was elected Chairman of Golf Australia in February 2008 and was acting CEO from June to December 2008. Michael Sheret We are extremely fortunate that Anne has agreed to speak to us on Peter Toogood the eve of the Women’s Australian Open at Metropolitan. Lee Wills Challenge Match vs Australian Golf Heritage Society - Thursday 14 May — Yarrawonga Golf Club The Societies’ Challenge for the A L Howard Trophy will be held this year in Yarrawonga, so both teams will travel & neither will be able to claim ‘home’ advantage. Those interested in making up the GSA team for this hickory match play event please contact the Secretary. Arrangements to be confirmed—but be ready for some fun and games! Hickory Day - Sunday 26 April — Kingston Heath Golf Club Light luncheon followed by 10 holes with hickory clubs. Details will be circulated President’s Report to the Annual where the Society manned a marquee displaying many items connected with women’s golf in General Meeting 2008 Australia. It was very pleasing to see the interest It is my pleasure to present the President’s in what we displayed. Jan Stephenson was one report for the past year. of our visitors and she was particularly interested in the scrap books that Women’s Golf Victoria had A special welcome to members that have compiled, We anticipate doing the same in joined the Society during the year, I hope you February next year at Metropolitan and also at can join in the Society’s functions next year and the Men’s Australian Open at Royal Sydney in meet other Society members. December. Membership has increased during the year and After several years of work, the National has now reached 200. The Society does not Sports Museum was opened in March with golf canvas for members and the increase is by being one the eight sports featured in the new member’s recommendation. multi-sports area. A lot of work was needed It has been an active year with the usual selecting what to display, but the final decision dinners and golf events. The sub committees was made by the MCG project consultants. We have been busy, these include History Research are now negotiating to alter the description of Group, meetings for Golf Club Historians some items. The whole museum is worth a visit interviews of prominent golf personalities, and and is a great display of Australian sporting location of past golf courses, Museum displays, history. Golf Society website and the production of the Long Game. There have been three issues of The Long Game this year with the next due out in January. This year commenced with the Women’s Members are reminded that they can contribute Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club to its content. There have been (cont p6) Page 4 The Long Game No 30, January 2009 Vale - Robert Francis ‘Bob’ Stevens - 2 Ryder Cup putters at Federal October 1928-3 October 2008 Golf Club Bob Stevens was born Two putters with direct links to the Ryder and raised in Adelaide and Cup have recently been ‘discovered’ in the attended St Peter’s archives of the Federal Golf Club, Canberra, and are now on permanent display in the College. At around 8 Club. years of age, Bob took to playing golf at the Glenelg The putters were donated separately over 20 years ago, but notes outlining their Golf Club. background were packed away when In 1946 he won the Federal moved it’s archives during the Junior Championship of 1990’s. They were found during South Australia and went preparations for the Club’s 75 th anniversary on to compile an in 2008. outstanding golfing One of the putters was used by former resume - British star Abe Mitchell, the golfer 4 South Australian Open titles, represented by the gold figure atop the Ryder Cup. According to the hand-written 3 South Australian Amateur titles, note which accompanied the donation, 2 Foursome South Australian titles, Mitchell used the hickory shaft putter as an 1 Australian Amateur title, amateur before WW1. 1 Foursome New Zealand Open title, Samuel Ryder, widely regarded as the 1 Foursome New Zealand Amateur Title, founder of the Ryder Cup, hired Mitchell as 1 Mixed Foursome South Australian Amateur his personal coach in 1925. Two years later 2 Glenelg Golf Club Championships Mitchell was appointed Captain of Britain’s Bob was a member of the Glenelg Golf Club Simpson first Ryder Cup team, but appendicitis Cup (South Australia’s ’A’ pennant) team for 18 years, a forced his withdrawal, although he member of the South Australian team for 18 years and subsequently played in three Ryder Cup teams. a member of the Australian Team for 10 years. In 1985 an elderly member at Federal Following his win in the 1958 Ampol Tournament Golf Club, Charles Bull, donated the hickory against top Australian and overseas professionals, Bob shaft putter used by Mitchell to the Club. was selected Captain of the Australian team for the Bull had migrated to Australia from England World Amateur Team Championships for the where he was believed to have been a good ‘Eisenhower Trophy’ in October 1958. Australia won amateur golfer in his younger days. the event, played over the St Andrews links’ Old Federal Golf Club sought the advice of Course. Bob was admitted as a Member of the R&A in antique club restorer Ross Baker to verify 1959. the putter’s origins. His view accords with After marrying in 1959 and with two sons and a Charles Bull’s note about when the putter daughter, Bob moved to Sydney in 1966, setting up a was likely to have been used. successful business in the packaging industry. He Ross Baker’s assessment of the putters retired in 1978 but was often sought as a consultant . concluded: Suffering lung problems as early as 1951 Bob had “In any country that has been lost a lung to cancer. Early in 2008 he underwent represented in the Ryder Cup, these putters further surgery, but on 3 October 2008 suffered a fatal would be of enormous interest.