IG214 August 2023

MARK OF RESILIENCE Issue 214 // AUGUST 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au Australia’s M o s t - R e a d Golf Magazine DURING A TOUGH UPBRINGING, AUSSIE MARK HENSBY USED GOLF AS AN ESCAPE AND WENT ON TO FORGE A SUCCESSFUL CAREER ON THE WORLD STAGE WOULD YOU SIGN A CHEAT’S SCORECARD? FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE CELEBRITY SWINGER OLYMPIAN NATALIE COOK WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ANTHONY GILLIGAN BUSINESS OF THE MONTH R&J BATTERIES CLUB OF THE MONTH THE SANDS TORQUAY TRAVEL ADVENTURES HAMILTON ISLAND GOLF CLUB HUNTER VALLEY GOLFING GEMS + MORE COLUMNS > THE FIRST TEE > BUNKER-TO-BUNKER > LETTERS > 19TH HOLE Natalie Cook STOP DREAMING & START PLANNING! BOOK YOUR 2023, 2024 & 2025 GOLF TOUR NOW CGE GOLF WILL LOOK AFTER ALL OF YOUR REQUIREMENTS DESTINATIONS INCLUDE: > Vietnam > Thailand > China > Japan > South Africa > Ireland & Scotland > USA ~ Pebble Beach & Scottsdale > And many more... PACKAGES INCLUDE: > Superior Accommodation > Full buffet breakfast > Transfers > Advanced course & tee times arranged > Escorted & independent tours > Group & early bird discounts available *Ts & Cs apply.. contact us for full tour details CONTACT US: 0413 736 245 www.cgegolf.com.au play@cgegolf.com.au CGE Golf! CrEatinG Golf ExpEriEnCEs sinCE 2010

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Feel Trajectory Short game spin Spin on driver Construction 3pcs Cover Urethane Dimple configuration 272 AXIALFLOW dimple V Soft Low Low Low Firm High High High Soft Mid Mid Mid Feel Trajectory Short game spin Spin on driver Construction 3pcs Cover Urethane Dimple configuration 272 AXIALFLOW dimple V Soft Low Low Low Firm High High High Soft Mid Mid Mid

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August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Women, too, want a voice THIRTY years ago, I worked for a large insurance company which had two corporate days a year – women were invited to Oaks Day and the men to play golf at a prestigious Melbourne sandbelt course. As a new employee, I told my manager I wasn’t interested in horseracing but was a keen golfer. It was met with an incredulous look but, to his credit, he arranged for me to play. I was the only woman. Fast forward to the 2020s and I see little evidence of change. Golf is still primarily the business of men and in most clubs more than 80 per cent of members are male. Corporate days include very few women, if any, and even the 2023 Victoria Open pro-am included only a handful of female amateur golfers. It is hard to read front page headlines such as “Should women be allowed to play off the men’s tees?” (Inside Golf, January 2023). Commentary that is often passed off as “just a joke” is not funny to either women or well-informed men. So, what has changed in recent years? Golf Australia’s Vision 2025 recognised the malaise in women’s golf and the need to lift participation levels for women and girls, and there are some wonderful initiatives doing just that. The Australian Women’s Golf Network offers opportunities for women to use golf as the vehicle for business networking, as men have been doing for generations. The Golf Leaders Network actively promotes and supports women into leadership positions in the golf industry. Bonnie Boezeman, founder of the Junior Girls National Golf Scholarship Program, is doing a fantastic job providing pathways for girls into golf. One look at the Golf Australia Visionary of the Year awards shows the effort and determination of many clubs to attract women to the game. These programs have been at the instigation of strong and resolute women who were sick of the status quo and acted to bring about change. One of the most prominent initiatives at a club level is the establishment of women’s pathway programs. A simple online search reveals that many clubs are trying to increase their percentage of women members. The work of Nikki McClure at Kingston Heath is testament to how you can increase women’s membership up to 30 percent by designing tailored programs specifically for women. These programs need the buy-in of all members who see the value of more women at their club. This work is being celebrated and shared by women such as Karen Harding, an award-winning golf journalist. Even Publisher: Sam Arthur | sam@insidegolf.com.au Outdoor Sports Publishing Pty Ltd ACN 113 836 301 ABN 30 043 104 919 PO BOX 437, Miami, QLD 4220 EDITORIAL: Editor: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Journalist: Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS Journalist: Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au QLD Journalist: Peter Owen peter.owen@outlook.com.au Design & Layout: Stacey Broomhead, Rob Kirk Contributors: Larry Canning, Paul Vardy, Rob Willis,Tony Webeck, John Riley, Karen Lunn, Michael Cooney, Paul Reeves, Andrew Crockett, Shawne McKenna SALES: National Sales: Sam Arthur P: 1300 4653 00 M: 0410 575 303 | E: sam@insidegolf.com.au Northen NSW/QLD/NT Sales: David Ross M: 0439 612 458 | E: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Corp Sales: David Andrews M: 0404 871 479 | E: david.andrews@insidegolf.com.au Sydney/NSW Sales: Michael Hamilton M: 0423 455 572 | E: michael.hamilton@insidegolf.com.au NSW Central Coast, Newcastle, Hunter Valley Sales: Wendy Wilkinson M: 0414 905 232 | E: wendy@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS Sales: Marc Wilson M: 0419 107 143 | E: marc@insidegolf.com.au WA Sales: Gary Powell M: 0439 350 363 | E: gary@insidegolf.com.au SA Sales: Brett Crosby M: 0403 323 198 | E: brett@insidegolf.com.au Accounts: Sheridan Murphy M: 1300 465 300 | E: accounts@insidegolf.com.au Distributed to over 400 golf clubs, social golf clubs, driving ranges and retailers Australia wide every month It’s official: 38,230 Inside Golf Magazines distributed each month for the period: October 2022 to March 2023 AUSTRALIA’S MOST-READ GOLF MAGAZINE www.insidegolf.com.au Cover photo: Getty Images Get in touch If you have an opinion on this or any other topic in the magazine, send your letter to the editor to david@insidegolf.com.au and you’ll be in the running to win a gripping prize. *T's & C's apply. Subject to availability. BOOK YOUR NEXT ROUND HERE* VISITORS WELCOME Hope Island Golf Course 2 Springfield Drive, Hope Island 4212 QLD (07) 5530 9000 | membership@linkshopeisland.com.au www.linkshopeisland.com.au GOLD COAST'S NEWEST PAR 4, HOLE 3 IS OPEN - BOOK TODAY! The new Third Hole measures 330 meters from the Championship tee, the risk and reward short par 4 retains its original green complex and is sure to be a hit! Players need to beware of the deceptive bunkers on the right half of the fairway when taking an aggressive line from the tee. Deep and imposing green side bunkers then need to be negotiated with a precise approach to leave yourself the shortest possible putt and any chance of making a birdie. A more conservative line from the tee can also yield results although it will mean a longer approach, making par a very good score. Beware of the false front. IT'S MORE THAN JUST GOLF, ITS A LIFESTYLE FOR A LIFETIME. By Helen Larkin the last bastion of the golf industry - golf course design and maintenance - is changing. More women are working as grounds staff and course superintendents and are coming to prominence as course designers and architects. Canadian golf course architect Christine Fraser provides fascinating insights into how courses are designed for men, with women as an afterthought, and how golf course design can contribute to diversity and inclusion within communities. It continues, however, to be hard work to get equal representation on golf club committees - not because clubs don’t welcome it, but because there is such a small representation of women, the same women are being asked to put up their hand. The answer can only lie in increasing the participation of women at club level. And, by the way, language is important. If we want to talk about gentlemen playing golf, then we can talk about ladies’ golf. But we only ever talk about men’s golf, so why do so many men struggle to use the term “women’s golf”? Golf is a fabulous but challenging game, with so much to offer. It shouldn’t be harder due to gender-based membership imbalances. I feel lucky to be a member of 13th Beach Golf Links which, over its 22-year history, has always provided an equal experience for members, regardless of gender. It has pioneered the unique format of the Vic Open, where men and women play at the same time on the same courses for the same prizemoney, and where the Victorian Inclusive Championship and the Australian Wheelchair Golf Championship are played. Our club is working hard to increase the percentage of women members. I wonder that, if I find these issues hard, as a white middleaged woman with what many would consider a privileged background, how we can make the advances we need to ensure we attract not only more women, but more people of diverse backgrounds. Let’s not devalue, by gimmicky and sensationalist commentary, the great work that is being done by women and men across Australia to attract more women into golf. You cannot be what you cannot see. Helen Larkin a member of 13th Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria and a strong advocate for women’s golf. Inside Golf publishes opinion from a wide range of perspectives in the hope of promoting constructive debate about consequential questions.

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 6 The three golfers who shared an amazing coincidence – holes-in-one on the same day at the same course. Left to right: Daniel Churches, ‘Dog’ Westerman and Graham Sunners. What are the chances of 3 aces on the same day? By Peter Owen WHEN Daniel Churches scored his first hole-in-one during the Monthly Medal event at Half Moon Bay, north of Cairns, in mid-June, he wasn’t surprised when his phone lit up with text messages late in the day. But the texts weren’t to congratulate him on his first ever hole-in-one – rather to tell him he’d been the first leg of an extraordinary treble that had analysts reaching for their calculators to determine the chances of it actually happening. Within just a few hours three golfers had scored elusive holes-in-one during the members’ monthly competition – each of them on a different hole. “I’ve never heard of it happening anywhere,” said Churches. “I couldn’t believe it when I found out. I thought they were pulling my leg.” Churches is a serious golfer – a former Victorian whose game was so good as a teenager that he considered becoming a professional and making a career out of the game. Instead, he’s now working as an attendant in the golf shop at Half Moon Bay while he studies to become a primary school teacher. “I just play for fun these days,” said the twohandicapper. “And you know what? I’ve never enjoyed playing the game as much as I do now.” Churches, 23, was out early on Saturday, June 10, and was playing well when he came to the 127m par3 11th hole. He struck a perfect nine-iron and the ball disappeared into the hole. A little later Graham Sunners aced the 154m par-3 third hole. For Sunners, a single-figure handicapper who is a school teacher at nearby St Andrews College, it was his second hole-in-one at Half Moon Bay. And later in the afternoon, just as the sun was about to set, veteran member Robert ‘Dog’ Westerman holed out at the 132m par-3 16th. Westerman, 86, an 18-handicapper who has been playing at Half Moon Bay for more than 20 years, is an old hand at the hole-in-one business. This was his eighth ace – seven of them scored during competitions. Half Moon Bay, situated at Yorkeys Knob, 20 minutes north of Cairns, is a tight par 70 circuit with five pars3s and three par-5s. It has a membership of just over 500 and about 170 play in each Monthly Medal. In July the club hosted the Far North Queensland Open, a qualifying event for the Queensland Open. IN THIS ISSUE PRO NEWS 16 DEMO DAYS 74 GOLF DIRECTORY 75 70 72 EVENTS 19TH HOLE BUNKER-TOBUNKER 34 IG BUSINESS INDUSTRY 36 NEW GEAR INSTRUCTION THE HUNTER VALLEY 48 47 61 CELEBRITY SWINGER 32 LETTERS 35 TRAVEL 58 Aces land for Noosa’s Coco and Sunday SUNDAY Moore and her younger sister Coco are the friendliest of rivals on the golf course. Members of Noosa Springs’ winning Sunshine Coast junior pennant team in 2021 and 2022, the Moore sisters this season lined up for Cooroy, which finished runner-up in Division 1. Though they’re great pals, they’re fiercely competitive, and 17-year-old Sunday was delighted when she scored her first hole-in-one during a pennant match at Noosa Springs in June. Sunday aced the par-3 fourth hole on her way to a 2&1 victory over her Caloundra opponent. But she didn’t hold bragging rights for long. During the Queensland Junior Championship at Nudgee in late June, Coco, 13, notched her own ace – a perfectly struck hybrid on the 125m par3 third hole. The hole was tucked behind a bunker on the left side of the green and neither Coco, nor her partners, saw the ball drop into the hole. But, when they couldn’t find it at the back of the green, the mystery was solved when they spotted the ball in the hole. The Moore sisters are members of a remarkable golfing family. Their elder sister Naomi was a star junior a decade ago and their dad Alex is a putting guru who markets his own putters and a ‘Boomerang’ rolling technique which he insists will save many strokes on the green. YOUR PRACTICE AREA JUST GOT A SERIOUS UPGRADE 1300 790 890 | davidgolf.com.au | @davidgolfaustralia MULTIPLE HITTING SURFACES WITH INCREDIBLE AESTHETICS Exclusively distributed in Australia by FAST TOOL FREE ASSEMBLY ULTIMATE IN DURABILITY AND INJURY PREVENTION MODULAR DESIGN TO SUIT ANY RANGE CONFIGURATION CLUB NEWS Coco Moore (left) and sister Sunday – both celebrating holes-in-one. FATHERS DAY GEAR 54

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 7 For Neil, breaking his age is old hat Neil Twaits can’t stop breaking his age. By Michael Davis “When it comes to golf, I suppose I have always had pretty good handeye co-ordination.” RETIRED Ballarat builder, Neil Twaits, is 84 and breaks his age on the golf course on a regular basis. “It’s no big deal apart from the first time,” he says self-effacingly, having reluctantly agreed to an interview with Inside Golf. Even so, his club has calculated Neil has done it on at least 70 occasions. Neil has somewhat of a tale to tell when you scratch the surface. As a youngster, he was quite the tennis player and a hitting partner with the great Margaret Court. Australian Davis Cup coach, Harry Hopman, once said he was a good player, adding, “it is a pity you won’t grow”. “I’m not that tall,” Neil said. “I’m only about 5’ 8” (173 cm).” He remembers playing football as a rover for Ballarat when he called the yet to be discovered ruckman for rival Maryborough a ‘a big fat bastard’. The ruckman threatened to kill him when he got hold of him. Fortunately for Neil, he could not catch him. The next year the ruckman, John Nicholls, was recruited by Carlton in the then VFL and became one of the most feared (and talented) big men in the game at elite level. Neil was a legend in the Ballarat, especially in racket sports where he won numerous tennis, squash and badminton titles. “When it comes to golf, I suppose I have always had pretty good hand-eye co-ordination,” he said. He also keeps his head very still, something which was remarked upon by the late Ian Stanley’s wife, Pam, when she followed her husband’s group around the course during the time-honoured Ballarat pro-am. Neil was playing alongside Stanley. “Stanley, Jack Newton, Bob Shearer used to come up here for the pro-am. They were all terrific blokes. Sadly, they have all left us now.” Neil almost apologises for the fact that he has to play in a cart these days. “I’ve had three knee reconstructions so I need it,” he says. He still lifts weights every morning at home to keep in shape and only retired as a builder seven years ago to care for his late wife, Bette, after she was struck by dementia. “She spent her last six years staring at the ceiling of her room. It (dementia) is a shocking thing,” he says. Neil is the longest-serving member (67 years) at Ballarat. His handicap has been as low as two. These days it varies between five and nine depending on which tees are in play on the day. “I never got down to scratch. In those days you had to apply in writing to the game’s governing body to be approved as a scratch player. “The great amateur player, Neil Titheridge, was the only scratch player in the Ballarat district from what I know. He was also a member of our club and won the club championship 26 times in a row. So, it was pretty hard to get past him,” Neil added. “These days I just enjoy getting out there with the boys and having a hit. It is just great to still be able to do it.” Siblings find success at Yamba GCCs A BROTHER and sister team from Yamba Golf and Country Club in northern New South Wales combined superbly to win the club’s prestigious 27-hole Mixed Foursomes Championship. Zane and Tana Lowe returned a winning score of 129 – three-over-par – to finish six shots clear of runners-up Fiona and Andrew Smart. Zane plays off a 2.7 handicap and Tana, who won the nearest the pin on the 12th hole, has a 5.8 handicap. Meanwhile, Lynne Ford and Harry Peacock won the 27-hole nett event with a score of 111¼ from Fay and Rob Gimenez 114¾. CHAMPIONS: Tana and Zane Lowe tops at Yamba Golf and Country Club.

Your experts in golf Elevate your game with the experts in golf. Scan the QR code to find your local PGA Professional or visit pga.org.au PGA Professional: Nicole Martino, The Western Australian Golf Club

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 9 Local knowledge wins through at ‘The Hills’ SAVE $500 IF BOOKED BY AuguSt 30 12 Nights Luxury Accommodation • 9 Rounds of Golf with carts Additional Inclusions: • All Transfers will be in a luxury air-conditioned coach • Daily buffet breakfast at all hotels • Welcome and farewell dinners including drinks • Daily and overall golf prizes • Tour gifts • Fully escorted by Teed Up’s co-founder Bede Hendren Non-Golfers Tour includes: • Half Day Sightseeing city tour of Vancouver • Peak to Peak Gondola ride in Whistler • 1 hr Massage Spa Treatments at Predator Ridge Resort • Half day Banff Wildlife and Gondola tour 3rd - 15th September, 2024 www.teedupgolftours.com info@teed-up.com 02 8458 9000 TO BOOK EASILY ONLINE GO TO OUR WEBSITE OR CALL US CANADIAN LUXURY GOLF TOUR Also now selling 2024 uS MAStErS, 2024 ScOtlAnD AnD 2024 SupEr BOwl gOlF tOurS ACE: John Buchanan (left) is congratulated for scoring a hole-in-one. By Michael Court By Michael Davis YOU can’t beat local knowledge when it comes to winning at golf. And the ‘locals’ certainly showed the way at Pennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney’s north-west last month. The occasion was the 45th Past and Present Presidents and Captains Day, an annual event that always attracts a ‘quality’ field for 18 holes and dinner. This event affords the facility for the attendees to not only socialise but compare and discuss their club’s activities. As part of its centenary celebrations, Pennant Hills Golf Club was keen to host this year’s event. Unfortunately, on the scheduled day in March the heavens opened and the golf was eventually cancelled. Although those who turned up to play still saw the sunny side of things as it allowed participants to catch up and enjoy an early lunch. The club was disappointed that the invitees were not able to enjoy playing the course so general manager Barnaby Summer arranged an alternate date for golf in June. The response was excellent, most were able to attend, including a number that were unavailable for the original day. Pennant Hills lived up to its reputation of being beautifullypresented and a good test for players. At the ‘light lunch’, which those present suggested was possibly the best steak in Sydney, president Mick Rowan welcomed guests and gave a short history of the club, which is one of the oldest clubs in Sydney on its original block of ground. One of the highlights of the day was a hole-in-one by John Buchanan, well known at Pennant Hills but now playing at Bowral GC in the Southern Highlands. Yet it was local knowledge that came to the fore in the main event, with Steve Walker winning with 35 points. Close behind in second place on 34 points was a previous winner Kevin Burton (Ryde Parramatta). The team’s event was closely contested, but with 49 points the grouping of David Adams (Elanora), Phil Banister (NSW), Mark Bradbury (Pennant Hills) and Denis Lenagan (Royal Sydney) came out on top. The day was a great success with next year’s event scheduled for Killara Golf Club which celebrates its 125th anniversary. Pennant Hills has done a wonderful job in recording and presenting their history which can be found on https://www.pennanthillsgolfclub. com.au/cms/club/history/ POPULAR former Green Acres administrator, Mark Boulton, is relishing his new role at Riverside, the quaint parklands course just out of Launceston where he is now the general manager. Boulton reports he and his family are loving life in Tasmania. But that was not the reason he has been in touch with Inside Golf. It was to tell us about the quirky end to a team ambrose event which became quite the talking point around the club for several days afterwards. A hole-in-one was scored by twomarker, Matthew Johnson, on the 123-metre par-3 17th. Naturally there was much whooping and hollering with delight among the playing group – Johnson, Mark Selby, Stephen Fox and Clint Bolton. But their joy was short-lived. Selby still needed to take his compulsory two drives on the last two holes. Alas, the group was unable to use Johnson’s ace on their card. The team walked away with a bogey four in spite of one of them holing out. Still, the club has recognised Johnson’s hole-in-one as official and it was drinks all round in the clubhouse afterwards. GM Boulton says the quirky finish is certainly not something that occurs regularly and compares it to a player striking a tee shot out of bounds, reloading and hitting that second tee shot into the hole for par. The additional three shots for the group didn’t make a difference to the result of the competition as the top team of the day scored an impressive 55.5 in tough conditions. For those not familiar with Riverside, it is a great parkland course with natural water and fauna, located just four kilometres north of Launceston in Tasmania. It features a mix of short, sharp doglegs, sloping greens and testing tee placements. Riverside is a favourite for golfers who enjoy its challenging yet ultimately rewarding playability. It is a members’ club with public green fee access. “We have 550 members and the club is known for its wonderful social atmosphere,” Boulton said proudly. “We also offer croquet and foot golf.” When an ace did not count ACE: Matthew Johnson.

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 11 Oldest golf club is one of Queensland’s most modern Visit adventures.allianceairlines.com.au Email adventures@allianceairlines.com.au Phone 0400 788 398 DIRECT BRISBANE to KING ISLAND FLIGHTS “BOARD IN BRISBANE, STEP OFF IN TASMANIA’S GOLFING WONDERLAND” • 3 Rounds x Cape Wickham/Ocean Dunes • Alliance Airlines flights + transfers • Top Accommodation • Crayfish welcome dinner • Hosted great 3-day packages NOVeMBer 11-12 aNd deceMBer 10-11 $3,399 per persON twiN share Townsville Golf Club’s modern new clubhouse. INSET: James MacIntosh, who was instrumental in forming the club and became the founding president. By Peter Owen IN June, 16 of the best junior golfers from Darling Downs and South East Queensland districts went head-to-head in a Country/ City Challenge. The event was the brainchild of Darling Downs junior coordinator John Taylor and was supported by South East Queensland District Golf Association (SEQDGA) junior co-ordinator Peter Johnstone. The event was played in a Ryder Cup-style format at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club located south of Brisbane with the Darling Downs juniors travelling from as far away as Dalby and Goondiwindi. “Juniors competed in a range of formats including matchplay, stroke play, ambrose and 4BBB,” Peter Johnstone told Inside Golf. “With most juniors playing to single figure handicaps there was some exceptional golf on display. “At the end of the day SEQDGA prevailed four matches to two. “After the game the two teams joined together for an afternoon tea and trophy presentation before the Darling Downs team made the long trip home. “Both districts hope to repeat the event in 2024 with SEQ District Golf Association travelling west.” IT was back in 1893 – when club founder James McIntosh was leading a push for North Queensland to become a separate state – that golfers first took to the fairways at Townsville Golf Club. Back then it was known as the North Queensland Golf Club and its first home was at Kissing Point, where a two-gun battery served as part of the Army’s coastal defence scheme. Later the club moved briefly to a site at suburban Aitkenvale, and from 1924 the club has been based at its Rosslea site, on the banks of the Ross River, southwest of the Townsville CBD. It is the oldest golf club in Queensland and the fourth oldest in the country. But despite its formidable history, the Townsville Golf Club is as modern as tomorrow – courtesy of an ambitious program to renovate the course, clubhouse and all of its facilities. Earlier this year a brand-new clubhouse, including a members’ lounge and bar with seating for 120, was opened. The building includes a pro shop, merchandise and administration areas and leads onto a new driving range, with 20 bays. Soon it will also have catering and conferencing facilities, and club rooms for members. A mini golf course will be built, a new practice putting green laid down, and a new fleet of golf carts purchased. At the same time international golf star Karrie Webb and course architect Bob Harrison have been redesigning and rebuilding the course, with five holes still to be renovated. Once a 27-hole course, the new $10 million 18-hole facility will be one of the best in North Queensland. In 2007 the club made the bold decision to use some of its excess land to construct a unique residential estate that it hoped would generate enough revenue to fund future improvements, including the course renovation. In partnership with the Ingenta Property Group, the club has developed the Fairways Estate, a community of 226 home sites with golf course outlooks. Last month the ninth and final stage, comprising 15 blocks, was launched. Karrie Webb has already pledged to become a resident. The opening of the clubhouse coincided with this year’s Townsville Pro-Am, won in a playoff by Brett Rankin. Club general manager Mitch Bligh is determined to make the three-day 54-hole pro-am one of the highlights of the national circuit. A week-long festival of golf, which also coincided with the club’s 130th anniversary, was celebrated, with plans to make it, too, an annual event. “It’s an exciting time for the club,” Bligh said. “When it’s complete the golf course and the facilities will be the equal of any regional golf club in Queensland, and it will be a great place to play golf.” Country meets city in junior challenge The South East Queensland DGA junior team. The junior team from the Darling Downs Golf Association.

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 12 It is a dream come true for teen Dean Richards Dean Richards is taking his game to the US. By Michael Court WHEN you’re 19 years old there aren’t too many things more appealing in life than golf, travelling and playing more golf. Well, maybe there’s one or two other things. Yet Dean Richards could barely contain his excitement after being accepted into a US college to continue a quickly-growing golf education. The Northern Beaches [Sydney] sportsman is basically bred to be a golfer. His father Rob is the long-serving pro at one of Sydney’s busiest golf clubs, Warringah. And his grandfather Bob, who passed away a few years ago, served as the pro at Warringah right up until his retirement before Rob took over. “I’m pumped; I can’t wait,” Dean told Inside Golf. “It all began when I was in about Year 10 or 11; that’s when you decide if you want to go to college – most go to a recruiting company and coaches follow you. “I chose last year around February after stringing a few good scores together. I get to study, travel aboard and play golf – so I figured this could be a really good option. “We found a few colleges and sent heaps of e-mails to head coaches – about 30 and eventually narrowed it down to about 15 and in the end got about six offers. “We waited on one, which was Queens University at Charlotte and I signed with them in January this year. Now I can’t wait to get there. “It’s a bit of a golfing belt there and we get to play some great golf courses and, from what I’ve heard, it’s really good. “All of our tournaments are played in North and South Carolina as well as Georgia and Florida, which should be really good fun.” Dean explained that his father Rob had never pushed him into golf and really let him find his own path into the game. “You name the sport, I did it. There was a bit of state swimming, some basketball, rugby, baseball, cricket, and I sort of found golf at 14, which is very late,” he said. “It was New Year’s Day one year and I got a membership at 14 and began playing a bit more at Warringah and a few events and found another mate, Jack Roche, when we were both off 24: He played at Balgowlah. “We played together a bit and that’s how I got keen. “Jack went to Manly and got a scholarship and I began to play more events. You just get addicted. “I went to Manly when I was off a five handicap and got a scholarship there in 2020, met a lot of members and made some great contacts. They have a terrific junior program. “I got to scratch, then plus one, then plus two – and I have been playing tournaments ever since.” “I played some Jack Newton events, which were our main tournaments.” As his golf improved Dean found himself playing No 1 for the Manly pennant team this year. “There was myself and Jack Roche and another junior, Brodie and all three of us played well and I lost one game last season, which was good. “This year, playing one, I won three, tied two and lost one, which was alright. “I then missed a few games while I was away playing in Melbourne. “Golf is such an individual game – it’s playing for something above yourself and I really enjoyed that. That’s why I really wanted to do college golf. It’s like playing pennants every week.” Dean had shot a seven-under-par round at Manly to tie the course record – that was on Christmas Eve last year. “It’s funny but I woke up a little late that day and arrived just 10 minutes before my tee time, I hit three practice putts and went straight to the first tee, did a quick stretch and I was away. “Manly’s easiest holes are 1, 2 and 3 and I only parred them and it was the difficult holes that I played well on. It was a funny round because I missed three six-footers on the day. It was hilarious. “I’ve had about five scores of five-under in tournament play and won my last Jack Newton event, which was good. And I’ve also had a sixunder in a weekly event.” Now Dean’s looking forward to tackling courses like Quail Hollow in the US. “The TP at Sawgrass is also on my bucket list,” he says. “Everyone wants to play the 17th there.” www.duntryleague.com.au 1800 630 343 Email: sales@travelrite.com.au • www.travelrite.com.au Exotic Asia 12 to 27 January 2024 GOLF CRUISE Visiting Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong with Robert Stock (P.G.A. Golf Professional) h h The quality of golf has long been recognized in Singapore and Thailand, while it is Vietnam that is the hot new golf destination. The itinerary is beautifully balanced with eight port visits in fascinating cities in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The golf will be amazing, with eight rounds all expertly hosted by P.G.A. Golf Professional Robert Stock. A golf cruise of a lifetime.

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August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 14 How Beerwah is making its greens play even better By Peter Owen BEERWAH Golf Club, nestled at the foot of the Glasshouse Mountains, north of Brisbane, has always been renowned for the quality of its greens, many claiming they are the best on the Sunshine Coast. And officials of the popular hinterland club are determined to make them even better. Work has been taking place most of the year on renovating and replanting the 14th green, with the putting surface likely to be ready for play early next month. The club has its own nursery and staff have been able to grow the same Tifdwarf grass that had previously been used on Beerwah greens. The renovation, under the direction of course superintendent Stephen Milgate and course architect Brian Bird, has included new irrigation and returfing the hole from almost 150 metres out from the green. While work has been taking place on the 14th, golfers have played a temporary par-3 hole on the neighbouring driving range. Immediately after work is finished on the 14th, greenkeeping staff will turn their attention to the par-4 fourth hole, where the green will be It’s not hard to work out Queensland’s winter months are perfect for golf and is the reason why more than 100 golfers from all over the country turned up to play in the 72-hole Sunshine Winter Golf Classic at four of the region’s premier golf courses – Maroochy River, Peregian, Noosa Springs and Twin Waters. They played an individual stableford competition – two grades for the men and one for the women. The overall winners were Jane Hayes in the women’s category, Craig Mann in men’s division 1, and Andrew Mills in men’s division 2. Hayes, who plays off a 37 handicap, returned consistent rounds of 34-3436-35 for a 139 total to finish three points clear of Raelene Hocking. In men’s division 1, Mann, off 10, carded rounds of 36-41-33-28 for a 138 total to finish six points clear of seven-marker Craig Clark. replanted and the hole renovated. A temporary green will be used while work continues. Club manager Tracy Odgers said the goal was to progressively renovate each green, with one or two scheduled for each year. “It’s not before time,” she said. “The course is 50 years old and we’re still playing on the original greens.” Like most courses in southeast Queensland, Beerwah suffered from the heavy rainfall of early 2022. Most of the bunkers needed to be rebuilt and washed-out cart paths repaired. The club recently also rebuilt its carpark. The original carpark – made up of dirt, gravel and patches of bitumen, separated into rows by lines of fallen logs – has been replaced by a neat, bitumen-sealed surface, complete with kerbing and garden beds, the project partly funded by the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions program. “We secured a $98,000 grant,” Ms Odgers said. “That didn’t cover the cost of the work, but our committee felt we needed to do the job properly.” In division 2, Mills, a 17-marker, started slowly with two rounds of 27 points but he fired up when it mattered carding 42-35 for a 131 total. He edged out 27-marker Michael Hayes on a countback.The middle day of the tournament provided a welldeserved break for the participants. Many took the opportunity to explore the scenic Sunshine Coast, revelling in the beautiful weather. Beachside shops and cafes proved popular destinations, while others enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere of the Eumundi Markets. The event has become so popular that a Spring Classic has been scheduled for September. Turn to page 70 to find out more. Golfers turn attention to Sunshine Spring Classic after winter success How work has progressed on transforming the 14th green at Beerwah. Women’s champion Jane Hayes. Men’s Div 1 winner Craig Mann. Men’s Div 2 winner Andrew Mills.

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au CLUB NEWS 15 Hive of activity at The Island GC https://www.parmaker.com Susan Barnett with her hole-in-one trophy. Duck numbers have increased on the island. The bridge on the 14th hole was severely damaged by flood waters. A new causeway has been built on this hole and the bridge replaced. By Peter Owen IT’S all been happening at Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club on the mid-north coast of NSW – course improvements, clubhouse upgrades, holes-in-one and a significant increase in the number of wood-ducks that call the course home. Gone is the old rickety bridge that used to rattle anyone trying to tee off on the 18th hole. It’s been replaced by a shorter version, but the club has retained the wooden planks securely bolted to the bearers to eliminate the rattle. “Regular visitors will recall the very poor condition of our first fairway, a carryover from last year’s flooding and saltwater inundation,” the club’s general manager Johnathon Zirkler told Inside Golf. “The club’s greenkeeper, Greg Jager, has completely refurbished the fairway, re-seeding with a blend of annual ryegrass, fescue and blue couch, much to the delight of the wood-duck population, which seem to have multiplied many fold. “The first fairway is expected to be back in play this month just in time for the club’s annual Vets Week of Golf. We are currently playing the first as a 130m par-3 from temporary tees.” Meanwhile, the entire clubhouse has been completely re-carpeted, with some additional changes to the entry foyer, gaming area and southern end of the clubhouse. The month of May was lucky for some with two holes-in-one – both on the fifth hole. Playing in the women’s competition on May 3, Susan Barnett, a 27-marker who has only been playing golf for six years, used her driver to ensure she cleared the menacing pond in front of the tee and was elated to see her ball disappear into the hole 120 metres away. Then on Thursday, May 18, John Cox, who was recently appointed general manager at Bellingen Golf Club, managed the same feat from 140m. John, who has only been playing the game for two years, selected his trusty eight-iron to score his first ace playing off a 23 handicap. Full of excitement, John says he was ready to jump naked into the pond on the fifth. Perhaps he should have, as he wiped the next three holes. IT was a deluge of biblical proportions, 1100mm of rain over five days in February 2022 that drenched the Ashgrove golf course, created a landslide that blocked drainage pipes and almost put the popular Brisbane golf club out of business. Water across the course reached record levels after the nearby Enoggera reservoir spilled over for the first time and the Enoggera Creek broke its banks, making a new river out of the fifth fairway. Dams rapidly filled with silt and decomposed matter, paths were washed away, bridges on the 14th and 18th holes destroyed and every bunker on the course wrecked. It was by a stroke of fortunate timing that the club even survived. “We managed to put some money aside during the Covid years when trading was pretty good,” said general manager Michael Ronan. “If it wasn’t for that we’d almost certainly have had to close.” Instead, Ashgrove’s 18-hole course is almost back to normal. A new causeway on the 14th hole has been built, two bridges replaced, the dams desilted, and work begun on replacing tee-blocks and repairing the bunkers. Ronan is confident that by early September, when club championships are scheduled, the course will be better than ever. The repair work has cost $1.2 million – $400,000 supplied by the Federal and State Government, and $100,000 from a Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Better Suburbs grant. The remainder came from public donations and the club’s own reserves. Notably, Ashgrove members dug deep into their own pockets to raise $30,000 towards the recovery and Ronan is still awestruck at the number of hours put in by members and ordinary residents – many of whom had no direct connection with the club. “We ran a number of working bees,” he said. “Hundreds and hundreds responded. It was amazing. I can’t thank people enough for their outstanding support. It blew me away.” Ashgrove is a community golf club with a long record of getting by with limited resources. Situated in Brisbane’s leafy inner western suburbs, it began as a nine-hole course 80 years ago, growing to 12, then 15 holes, and becoming an 18-hole circuit in 1987. It now has 950 golfing members and 1500 social members – almost all of whom played a part in the course’s remarkable recovery. Amazing support gets Ashgrove back on track

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 16 Anthony Gilligan By Rob Willis Anthony Gilligan poses outside the Twin Waters Golf Academy. Anthony Gilligan en route to winning the 1994 Greg Norman Holden Classic. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Get fit today Turn to page 74 for a complete list of fitting days this month ANTHONY Gilligan was the classic golfing quiet achiever – until he wasn’t. With the Japanese Tour receiving little publicity in Australia, Gilligan plied his trade away from the media spotlight while earning a nice living and forging a successful career. However, Gilligan’s profile and status would change abruptly following a career-defining week in December of 1994, in one of the biggest and most prestigious tournaments on the Australian golfing scene at the time, when a Sunday 67 around the Royal Melbourne composite course saw him win the Greg Norman Holden Classic. “I’d been in Japan four years. “You’re playing 22-23 tournaments a year up there and half a dozen at home. I’d had a couple of seconds in Japan that year so I guess I was just ready,” Gilligan said of his memorable triumph. In showing skill and composure down the stretch, Gilligan held off the challenge of the tournament host and American Mark Calcavecchia, to claim his most significant professional victory. However, in downplaying not so much the win, but his achievements during a 30-year pro career, Gilligan joked he probably wasn’t the player the crowds had expected to be lifting the trophy at the end of that week. “I played with Glenn Joyner and we were in the ‘hot dog’ group. Guys turn up to the first tee, they get the pairings sheet – it’s Norman and (Ian) Baker-Finch on the first tee, then Gilligan and someone else, then after that it’s Rodger Davis and Pete Senior,” Gilligan teased. “They say ‘perfect, we’ll watch the Shark and Finchy hit off, go and get a hot dog and then come back and watch Senior and Davis’. We were the hot dog group because Norman and Calcavecchia were behind us, and it might have been (Wayne) Grady and (Brett) Ogle in the group ahead. But hey, it was a great day.” Gilligan’s was a golfing journey that began with a traineeship at the Dunheved Golf Club in Sydney’s west way back in 1982 and included the lengthy stint in Japan. Along the way he would win the Iberaki Open in his first season in Japan in 1990, while also adding a victory at the 1988 Atlantic Classic in Canada to his golfing resumé. “When I went to Japan you had Graham Marsh, Terry Gale, Brian Jones and Roger Mackay but they were all there by invitation,” Gilligan said. “In 1989 I was the first Aussie to ever go to a Tour School in Japan. It was an ordeal. Three trips, two weeks at a time. But if you could get through it was fantastic. I was there 20 years and absolutely loved it.” A growing family and problems with his hands saw him step away from competitive golf. Then, after being in the right place at the right time, coaching found Gilligan – rather than the other way around. “I was Mr Mum and we went to Twin Waters to play tennis. My daughter was five or six. The tennis court was full, so we wandered over to the golf course,” he recalled. “There were two guys coaching there at the time, Daniel Morrison and Mark Harrison, and they asked if I’d like to do some coaching. Then nine months later they left, and I was the golf coach at Twin Waters.” After discussions with long-time Twin Waters general manager Steve Hutchison, Gilligan used his own capital to construct the Academy building with Grant Field, mentor of Cameron Smith, at one-time utilising the facilities for his coaching business. “We moved in in 2010. I’ve got a golfing gym in there, a trainer and a couple of coaches. I’ve got a TPI accredited guy and I’m TPI accredited,” Gilligan explained. “I enjoy the coaching, but I’m not a career coach. I’ll do some individual lessons if they ask for me, otherwise I’ll put them onto the other coaches.” Unfortunately, playing golf isn’t something Gilligan manages to do much of these days … at least not from a competitive standpoint as a result of hand issues following four seasons on the Japanese Senior circuit. “I’d worn out cartilage in three or four of my fingers, plus I had a little bit of arthritis. Practicing too much and the wrong way, which was what we did back then. I couldn’t hit the ball, couldn’t hit the ground,” he said. However, rather than bitter about his playing days coming to an end, Gilligan is grateful for where he is now and what he was able to achieve. “I can still play, but I can’t really hang onto the club. I’ll let go of them at times,” he said. “Wednesday afternoon is the only day I play, but I’ve got no complaints. I had a great run. It was a blessing. I had nearly 30 years playing and loved every minute of it. “I’d be still going if I could, but that’s just not possible.”

August 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 17 For any stockists interested please contact State Manager Dean Woods: dean_woods@debortoli.com.au 0438 089 775 | 07 3287 2500 on the De Bortoli Online Shop (Excludes Gift Vouchers) Enter discount code “insidegolf” at checkout. 10% DISCOUNT Scan here to receive a De Bortoli is a proud partner of GMA Pro Ryan Peake making the most of new opportunities By Michael Davis SURELY there cannot be a better comeback story in golf and life than that of 30-yearold Ryan Peake, the WA professional who recently strung together three consecutive victories on his home state’s pro-am circuit. His life has certainly been a rollercoaster. He has gone from being one of the state’s best amateurs as a teenager before becoming completely disillusioned with golf soon after turning professional and losing his way in life altogether. “I spiralled into depression I was dealing with in my personal life and got into some very anti-social behaviour.” Putting it bluntly, he lost his way completely. So much so that he joined an Outlaw Motorcycle (OMG) gang in Perth and ended up being sentenced to seven years in jail for two counts of grievous bodily harm – one on a drug dealer. But while he was in jail, a saviour emerged in the form of respected high profile coach Ritchie Smith. “He reached out to me half way through my jail time and said, ‘what about giving golf another try?’ I hadn’t touched a club for seven or eight years and was thinking of an electrical apprenticeship while I was in jail. But Ritchie knew me as a youngster and convinced me to give golf another go.” In 2014, out of jail but still on parole for two years, the WA Parole Board gave Ryan permission to travel to what he calls ‘my first major’. It was the Australian Amateur Championship held at Royal Queensland and Brisbane golf clubs. He qualified top 10 but was eventually pipped 1-down in the matchplay section of the event by emerging youngster, Elvis Smylie. “I turned pro again just after Covid hit and there were no tournaments. “I let golf slip again and went to work as a trade assistant in the mines up north, playing golf only occasionally.” Then late last year, he turned his attention to full-time golf again. Occasionally, it will put hurdles in your way forward. This is an example of that. I hope they (DP tour officials) rule in my favour.” The big-hitting left-hander is in good form on the golf course. He won the last three events on the north west swing of the 12-event proam circuit recently completed in WA. They were the Bennco Group Karatha Pro-Am, the Roy Hill Golf Classic and the Broome Furnishings - Carpet, Paint and Tiles Pro–Am. At Karratha Country Club, he achieved a career first victory and set a new course record in taking out the event by three strokes. Major sponsor Bennco bolstered the prize money from $11,000 in 2022 to $20,000 and Ryan took full advantage. He plundered seven birdies in his first nine holes in a round of five-under 68 and a breakthrough win. Bogeys at eight and nine brought Peake back to the field somewhat but he steadied with birdies at each of his final two holes, 12 and 13, to finish comfortably clear of Jarred McCosh (71) and Simon Houston (71). Ryan won a second straight adidas PGA Pro-Am Series title in a dramatic finale at Port Hedland Golf Club. Confident after his breakthrough win at Karratha last start, Ryan started the second round one stroke back of Hayden Hopewell but wasted no time in taking over top spot. He shot 66, picking up birdies at four of his first six holes to move two clear of Hopewell (68). At Broome, Ryan completed a clean sweep of WA’s north-west swing of the addias PGA Pro-Am Series with a twostroke win at the Broome Furnishings – Carpet, Paint and Tile Pro-Am. About this time another benefactor came along willing to sponsor him. The details of the contract he has signed with the local businessman are confidential. “But it is not about him making money,” Ryan said. “It is about me having a second chance and being given the opportunity again. I am very fortunate. He just wanted to be involved in something different.” Ryan is now a member of the PGA Tour of Australasia and thanks that body for letting him join in spite of his background. While trying to finish as high as possible on the Australasian Tour this season, Ryan also has his eye on the first stage of the DP (European) World Tour’s qualifying school at Rosebud Country Club on the Mornington Peninsula later this year. “The DP Tour’s Criminal Commission is looking at my application in light of my past. You cannot back away from your past and it is always with you. Ryan Peake has been in fine form on the pro-am circuit in his home state of Western Australia. Ryan Peake lines up a putt. “It is about me having a second chance and being given the opportunity again.”

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