Welcome to the October edition of the News from the Red Tees. We are on the home stretch as we approach the finish line of our golfing season.
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Ladies President’s Note
Dear All,
The end of our golfing year is rapidly approaching but we do still have many more fun times ahead to help conclude our year, including Melbourne Cup lunch, Christmas functions and our final midweek honour board event.
Our annual Ladies’ AGM and Presentation Day is scheduled for Tuesday, 16 November. If you are interested in joining the Committee and would like information about the roles, please feel welcome to have a chat with me, or any of the current committee. Further details regarding the AGM and nominations are covered in “Notices and News”.
I am sure many of you will still have questions regarding the proposed committee restructuring, and Project Unity. Please feel free to discuss this with myself or any of the committee if you need any further information at this time.
Wishing you good golfing.
Sue Lewandowski,
Ladies President
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Notices and News
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New Irrigation System
Report by Geoff Kuehner, CEO
We are in the closing phases of our irrigation project, and I again take this opportunity to thank Members for their patience during the install of this essential and course improving infrastructure. This week we will re-open Holes 11, 12 and 13 and we will start work on Hole 10 from Thursday, 7 October. After Hole 10 we will move to Hole 18, Hole 1 and Hole 9. The project will then be completed once irrigation is installed/upgraded on the chipping green and driving range. We expect the contractors to be finished towards the end of November 2021, but these dates are subject to change if further weather delays are experienced. As always if you do have any feedback or questions, please direct them to myself via geoff@brisbanegolfclub.com.au.
Member’s Bar
A reminder the Member’s Bar is open every Tuesday for your enjoyment and lunch.
Ladies’ Committee AGM and Presentation Day
Nominations may be made from Tuesday, 5 October 2021 for Office Bearers and Members of the Ladies’ Committee for the year 2021-22 as prescribed by the Rules of the Club.
Nominees, proposers and seconders must be a Life, Full, Senior or 6-day member of two or more years’ continuous membership as at the date of nomination, and not in arrears of annual subscriptions.
Nomination forms will be available in the locker room from Tuesday, 4 October. Please return these to either the office or Trish Quinn (Ladies’ Committee Secretary) before 5pm on Monday, 25 October 2021.
You’re also advised that the Minutes of the 2020 AGM are available for perusal. Please email Trish Quinn to request a copy.
Library
Thank you to everyone who has donated items to the library. We now have an abundance of books and it would be appreciated if future donations could be limited to recent releases please.
Access News from the Red Tees from the Website
You can access the latest News from the Red Tees from the website. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page to Latest News & Events and click on Red Tees “Read More”.
Feedback
We welcome your contributions of news, and items of interest. Email a.lyons@bigpond.net.au or angela.cottrell58@gmail.com and don’t forget to “like” The Brisbane Gold Club on Facebook and Instagram.
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Upcoming Events
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OCTOBER
Saturday 2 – Boomers vs Rest
Tuesday 5 – Course renovations / course closed
Wednesday 6 – Course renovations / course closed
Thursday 7 – Pennant and Caddie Night Away
Friday 8 – Senior Ladies’ Golf Day
Saturday 9 – 2-ball Ambrose
Tuesday 12 – Macartney Cup Foursomes Qualifying Round
Thursday 14 – Macartney Cup Foursomes Quarter Final
Saturday 16 – Weekend Away Twin Waters
Tuesday 19 – Macartney Cup Foursomes – Semi Final
Thursday 21 – Macartney Cup Foursomes – Final
Sunday 24 – Brisbane Shield Semi Finals
Monday 25 – Nominations for Ladies’ Committee 2022 close
Friday 29 – Nine and Dine
Sunday 31 – Brisbane Shield Finals
November
Tuesday 2 – Melbourne Cup Day
Tuesday 16 – Ladies’ Committee AGM 1pm
Thursday 18 – Armistice Cup
Tuesday 23 – Fun Day
December
Saturday 4 – 4 Person Ambrose and Christmas Lunch
Tuesday 7 – Christmas Lunch
Saturday 11 – Club Annual General Meeting
Tuesday 14 – Summer Competition Commences
Saturday 18 – Hambrose
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Captain’s Corner
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Since our last Red Tees we have had the finals of the Nellie Hatton 4BBB, the Brisbane Cup, Brisbane Salver and hosted our Guest Day.
The Macartney Cup Foursomes qualifying round will be held on the 12th October. Please remember to use score cards and tick the “To Qualify” box if you wish to qualify. The quarter finals, semi-finals and finals will be played on the 14th, 19th and 21st September.
We are coming towards the final couple of months of our golf calendar, enjoy the course and keep up the great golf.
Helen Caris,
Captain
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RESULTS
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Midweek Results
August Monthly Medal (played on September 14)
- A Grade – Jen Berkman (nett 72)
- B Grade – Kathy Roel (nett 68)
- C Grade – Catherine Reidy (nett 73 C/B)
September Monthly Medal
- A Grade – Angela Cottell (net 71)
- B Grade – Lyn Brandon (nett 68)
- C Grade – Kiara Jayasuriya (nett 68)
Medal of Medallists
- A Grade – Kerry O’Callaghan
- B Grade – Lyn Brandon
- C Grade – Pip Holmes
Weekend Results
August Monthly Medal (played on September 11)
- Division 1 – Morgan Lewis (nett 69)
- Division 2 – Joyce Cheney (nett 72)
September Monthly Medal
- Division 1 – Janet Nathanson (nett 72)
- Division 2 – Maureen Keers (nett 70)
Medal of Medallists
- Division 1 – Margot McNee
- Division 2 – Trisha Quinn
Nellie Hatton 4BBB Trophy
Congratulations to our winners, Andree Millard & Leng Ho.
Andree & Leng’s Road to Victory
Brisbane Cup and Brisbane Salver
The Brisbane Cup and Brisbane Salver was held on 5th September. The winner for both the Brisbane Cup and Brisbane Salver was Seoin Kim from Oxley with a gross score of 79 and a net score of 71. Brisbane Golf Club member, Morgan Lewis lost the gross on a countback and had a net score of 72 for runner up in the net.
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BOOK REVIEW
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We love to read…
Book Review by member, Jan Dixon
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid
This absorbing novel follows the life story of fictional Hollywood film legend Evelyn Hugo and her seven husbands; as told to her unlikely biographer Monique Grant. Evelyn was born into a life of poverty and after her mother dies, she must escape an abusive father. This escape takes the form of husband number 1. Underage and desperate, she latches on to an unsuspecting bloke but is soon discovered by a Hollywood scout. So begins her life of sham marriages arranged by Hollywood Studios and a ruthless burning ambition. Does she ever find love? No spoiler alerts from me! The novel also follows Monique’s life. When we first meet this young woman she has just separated from her husband. She is really struggling: writing for a fashion magazine where lay offs and deadlines are taking their toll. We are immediately suspicious about why the reclusive star has chosen the struggling young journalist to write her biography, and of course, as the story unfolds we realise Evelyn’s and Monique’s lives are profoundly intertwined. This is a really great read that offers some deep insights about friendship, love and ambition.
I’ve also just finished Richard Osman’s second book The Man Who Died Twice. This light crime novel is set in a retirement village. The sleuths are all retirees with a vast body of experience on which to draw. One is a retired M15 agent! The first book, The Thursday Murder Club was a hoot and I thought very clever. There are to be 4 in the series, and while I liked the first one better, I’d recommend both as great reads for those who like crime and quirky characters.
Happy Reading 📚
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MEMBERS INTERVIEW MEMBERS
Susie Eagleton and Robyn Elphinstone in conversation…
Let’s talk golf…
Susie: What thought goes through your mind when you drive through the gates of BGC?
Robyn: Depending on the golfing event I’m due to play, I’m probably hoping that today will be the day everything goes well, especially if it’s an event with a partner. You usually don’t mind letting yourself down with average golf but when you’re trying to keep a partner happy, you really just want to play great golf. Doesn’t always work that way of course, as we all know so well!
Susie: We’ve heard you’re a part time artist, tell us about that.
Robyn: In 2003 I did a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Drawing & Printmaking & have been lucky enough to have folios of my work installed in the Qld State Library, the Qld Art Gallery, the National Gallery in Canberra, James Cook University, Townsville & at Griffith University. I’m also a founding member of the Impress Printmaking Group with a studio in a refurbished power sub-station in Kedron. Through this group I’ve had work exhibited as far afield as the UK, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong & Canada.
It has also been my pleasure to curate all the BGC Art Shows since 1998. These art show exhibitors are drawn solely from our BGC members and immediate family. It’s just so satisfying to discover the hidden talents of so many gifted artists at our Club.
Susie: We’ve also heard your artistic flair flows into your passion for food?
Robyn: Completing an Associate Diploma in Small Business Catering in the 1990’s and a short stint at the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris, really cemented my love of fine food and cooking. These days though, this passion is directed more to entertaining at home and enjoying the company of friends over a great bottle of red.
Susie: Take us through your greatest golfing moment.
Robyn: Although there have certainly been some fun moments during my time at BGC with Honour Board wins, I think my proudest times were when I was Captain in the year 2000 when three of our pennant teams each won their respective divisions. Ten years later in 2010 I was also honoured to be part of our Division 1 winning Pennant team – the first time BGC had won in this top division for 43 years. We were lucky enough to win Division 1 again in 2011, 2018 and again this year. Being part of these amazing team results & sharing the camaraderie with others, certainly tops any single achievements I may have enjoyed.
Susie: How many years have you been a member at BGC and what keeps your passion for golf alive?
Robyn: This is my 31st year at BGC and one of the best things about our Club is the camaraderie amongst the ladies. There is always time after a game for a chat and a drink, even if the golf that day hasn’t been particularly great. Taking the glass half-full option has always been uppermost in my mind, and this helps in keeping my passion for the game alive. Lasting friendships, formed over all these years are also especially important to me.
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RULES & TIPS
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Tip by BGC Professional, Asha Hargreaves
Putting: Control Your Distance
It’s a common problem but an important topic when discussing the two biggest elements to putting; Distance and Direction. But which is more important?
What is commonly mistaken is that deciding your direction first will then help to determine your distance control, but if you don’t know how hard to hit it you don’t know how much a putt will break. So how do you understand your distances?
Green reading: Is the putt uphill or downhill and how will this affect my putt?
- Uphill putts require more energy, downhill putts do not
Drill to Find your Distance & Tempo
- Set up 5 tees about a handspan apart where you can putt to a blank space.
- Setting up to the middle tee, make consecutive swings like a pendulum with your desired tempo to the tees closest to the middle. Make reference to where your putter head goes in relation to your body.
Is your putter head in line with your big toe, inside your foot etc?
- Place a ball in line with the middle tee and hit a putt with the same tempo and swing length as rehearsed. Repeat this 3-5 times and you should find all balls go in a similar distance. Step this out. This is your distance for the swing length.
- Repeat this with the outside tees and you will have 2 different distances that you can take to the golf course.
- Step out your distances away from a hole and drop a ball at each, you should be able to hit it very close.
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AROUND THE TRAPS
Guest Day
After a rescheduled Guest Day due to another COVID lockdown, 108 ladies survived a fabulous day, which turned out to be the coldest day in September for 20 years!
Barista coffee and morning tea was a great welcome to all our guests who had travelled from 15 Clubs in all and it was wonderful to welcome back so many past members as guests of present members.
The Tennyson Room had been set up beautifully to impress our guests and our chef certainly didn’t let us down. There was an alternate drop of chicken and fish followed by a delicious chocolate dessert.
Our own Cath Reidy was absolutely thrilled to win a beautiful quilt, which was donated by BGC member, Pat Sloan.
All in all, a great day and thanks to all who contributed.
Click on images to enlarge…
Boomer -v- Rest
(Under and Over 65’s)
Congratulations to the Rest Team who won 297 to 277 points (4BBB Stableford – 7 pairs on each side). Aggregate score for all 7 pairs. This event was first played in 1999 and won by the Unders (Under 50’s). It was last played in 1998 and won by Unders (Under 62). Before this year’s event, it has been won 8 times by Unders and 7 times by the Overs.
Heard in the Locker Room
Who Done It?
Yes, this secret women’s business really happened at BGC last month.
- After searching for her ball on the 6th fairway and then realising she had forgotten tee off, who had to make the long and embarrassing walk back to the tee? This one never gets old and always provides a good giggle for playing partners!
- During the PGA Legends Pro Am played at BGC in September, who didn’t watch her Pro partner’s drive (which turned out to be a duff), walked to the shortest drive on the 9th fairway while naturally presuming it would be her ball and hit her second shot? Turns out she hit her Pro partner’s ball. After taking a 2 shot penalty and hitting the correct ball, she parred the hole. Oh, what could have been, and a great lesson learned to always check you’re hitting the correct ball!
- Unlike this dynamo, your writer is lost for words!
- There has been another self-confessed air swing from another A Grader in September. There seems to be a theme developing here.
- While having a last game with a friend who is about to become a limited member who forgot to play their shot and was seen walking back up the 15th to her ball?
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MEMOIRS FROM THE RED TEES
By BGC Member, Robyn Cuming
Ladies,
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed putting it together.
Robyn
The early Brisbane Golf Club lady members were trail blazers in the world of golf. They fought hard for many of the privileges we enjoy today – and for that, we salute them. It has been a most fascinating and rewarding experience writing these stories after reading through the associates minutes from 1898 when ladies first joined the club and listening to the many stories as told by some of the ladies who have been at the Brisbane Golf Club for many years. Stories which have been handed down through the ages. What a wonderfully rich history we have of the Brisbane Golf Club.
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MEMOIRS FROM THE RED TEES by Robyn Cuming
A history of the Brisbane Golf Club Associates / Ladies
PREAMBLE
Golf is a predominately male oriented sport but in the age-old saying, “Behind every good man…..”
At the Brisbane Golf Club, women showed the determination and strength to overcome many obstacles that were set before them to enable them to become associates and to see them become an integral part of the Brisbane Golf Club, socially as well as on the golf course.
Today, thanks to many of these ladies, we as associates/lady members can enjoy golf at our leisure on one of the finest golf courses in Australia.
In tribute to these ladies, we have researched archives, interviewed, chatted and gained insight to some of the great occasions in the history of our club, albeit momentous, funny and sometimes sad. They have showed a willingness to contribute their time, stories, and treasured memories to ensure the legacy, that is the Brisbane Associates, lives on.
It shows how membership at the Brisbane Golf Club has been fundamental in bringing together and cementing friendships that have lasted a lifetime. Sadly, many of these lovely ladies have now passed but their memories will never be forgotten.
In honour of these ladies and the many wonderful lady members who still enjoy the benefits of the club, we bring to you these memoirs of the Brisbane Golf Club – From The Red Tees.
FROM THE RED TEES
The Brisbane Golf Club was founded on November 4, 1896. The first nine hole course and clubhouse were established at Chelmer. In 1904, the Club moved to the present site at Yeerongpilly.
It was soon after the establishment of The Brisbane Golf Club in 1896 that ladies showed an interest in the game of golf and held a desire in becoming part of the Club. A three man committee was formed in March 1897 to interview ladies desirous of joining the Club and to ascertain their views and requirements. It did not take long for the members to realise the value of having lady members. In July of that year, a resolution was moved allowing ladies to be admitted as members at five shillings per annum. The ladies would be able to use the links on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. However, lady membership did not include the privilege of using the Clubhouse and facilities.
Twelve months later, in June 1898, the ladies held their first meeting, with eleven ladies present. Six ladies were elected to the committee – Mesdames Gair, Marks, Dutton and Misses Stanley and Larard, with Mrs Irvine being elected secretary. Lady Lamington, wife of the Governor of Queensland was invited to join the Club and was unanimously elected. By the end of 1898, the Brisbane Golf Club boasted 25 lady members.
Early in 1899 the ladies appointed. their first captain. It was decided to hold a series of matches to arrive at the captain of the Club – the oldest members playing with the newest and so on down the list. In June 1900 it was decided to hold ladies championship competitions. These competitions were to be held during Exhibition week. On conclusion of the tournament the ladies were treated to afternoon tea with Lady Lamington presenting the prizes.
The first mention in the minutes of the Club as ladies being referred to as Associate Members came in May 1899. The Associate members were to hold their first annual meeting in November of that year, but the meeting lapsed for want of a quorum.
Over the next few years, several complaints were made by members regarding associate members being part of the Club. This did not endear some members to the associates and the associates began to flex their muscles. The associate’s secretary was asked to post the following notice in mid 1902. “The committee would take this opportunity of telling the members that unless objections and complaints are made personally or in writing to the associates committee, no notice will be taken of same.”
ASSOCIATES COMFORTS
One of the first requests put by the ladies committee to the members committee in 1899 was for better accommodation and the use of the clubhouse on Mondays. This request was promptly refused. Two months later, the members committee approved the amount of six pounds for the purchase of a bell tent or bush house to be erected for the ladies to use as a dressing room. This construction was to be sited between the clubhouse and the railway station for use by the ladies. The ladies felt that six pounds was inadequate to build a suitable construction for their use and the money was returned. Then the members committee partitioned off a room in the clubhouse to provide a dressing room for the ladies, with the ladies to make the room comfortable for their own use. The ladies were asked to supply any furniture needed, and in mid 1899 it was decided to levy a tax of two shillings per member for the purchase of furniture. The call was quickly reduced to one shilling. The ladies who had not paid their subscription towards the furniture fund after six months had their names posted by the secretary.
As early as 1923 a member of the associates committee was appointed to the general committee’s house committee to act in a consultative capacity.
In 1913 it was resolved that a bathroom be erected for the associates use. It was1926 before the general committee agreed to install a shower in the associates’ dressing room at a cost not exceeding thirty pounds. Then in 1937 an extra pedestal and extra shower was provided for the associates. “At last!” was the cry heard from the ladies.
At their AGM in 1921, the associates requested a sitting room. It was 1928 before the associates were granted the use of the front verandah and the front portion of the dining room. Even then, a curtain was run across the room to segregate members from associates. The associate’s verandah was partly enclosed in 1933 and completely enclosed and painted in 1938.
By 1960, the associate’s showers and toilets were still in an unsatisfactory state. They were told that the general committee intended a new shower block would be completed by 1965. However, in 1966 the associates were told that no money was available to spend, “so do not ask for any work to be done.”
During the 1960’s members were still divided on the issue of associates using the lounge area of the clubhouse. The committee’s policy was when mixed events were held the whole of the lounge area would be open to both members and associates. This area would be available to associates on Tuesdays and when the QLGU has the course for open events and open meetings.
Most of the improvements for the associate’s locker room and the associates lounge area were met out of associates funds. Two new toilets were installed, and the toilet area tiled in 1980. During this period, it was queried whether associates’ funds should be used for repairs and replacements in the clubhouse. The answer was that funds should be used to make circumstances more comfortable for the associates in any way possible.
In 1996 the refurbishment of the ladies locker room began. The lounge area at the front of the locker room was created with the refurbishment completed the following year at a cost to the club of $35,640. In 2006 the associates locker room was made even more inviting after a hot round of golf by the installation of air-conditioning.
During 2004/5 the members locker room was refurbished. Members were able to use the ladies locker room on Wednesdays and Saturdays They thought our room was luxury compared to their old locker room. When the refurbishment was completed, the associates committee was invited by the men’s committee to see their new room. The associates were impressed and even talked of swapping until they realised the showers did not have doors!
MEMBERSHIP
When ladies were first admitted to the club as members in 1897 their membership fee was five shillings per annum. Within one year the membership was doubled to ten shillings per annum. If two ladies from the same family wished to become members, the subscription was seven shillings and sixpence.
In 1919 an entrance fee of one guinea (one pound one shilling) was imposed and the annual subscription was raised to two guineas (two pounds two shillings). In 1924 associate membership was limited to 200 with the entrance fee and subscription being three guineas. During 1930 the Tuesday fields averaged 78 with the highest number of players being 98.
The 1931 associate membership consisted of one life member, 194 ordinary associates, 33 country members and one junior with junior membership becoming a category in 1931.
During the war years, many associates resigned to undertake patriotic work. It was decided that these associates who wished to re-join the club after the war may do so without payment of an entrance fee. On the conclusion of the war in 1945 associate membership almost doubled from 75 to 141 and by 1947, associate membership was in such demand that membership was closed except in exceptional circumstances. The importance of junior membership was realised, and junior membership was increased to 50. By 1964 the Tuesday field was packed to the limit. It was recommended that nominations for membership be restricted to the wives and daughters of members. In 1968 the associates protested to the club president that a proposal to increase associates’ fees had been put to an extraordinary general meeting of members without the associates first being consulted. It was argued that associates should be taken more into the confidence of the members committee than appeared to be the case.
In 1968 associate membership was capped at 270′ As of 2021 lady membership is 336. This consists of 61 seven day members, 180 six day members, 24 juniors and 71 others.
PLAYING PRIVILIGES
During the second decade of the 1900’s Associates were gradually given more privileges at the Club. In 1910, the Associates requested to play on Saturdays and public holidays after 3.00pm. The members at their annual meeting rejected this proposal by a large majority. It was not until June 1918 that the associates were accorded the privilege of playing on Saturdays and public holidays, and then certain restrictions applied.
- play must not commence before 3.00pm
- the order of the course must be strictly followed.
- the concession is revocable at the discretion of the members committee
In 1918 associates had Tuesday reserved for their playing day.
A notice was posted by the members committee stating that: –
“Tuesday is reserved for associate competitions and that every courtesy be shown and every
effort be made to avoid interference with their play.”
At the associates general meeting in 1920, three decisions were taken and sent to the members committee for consideration.
- that the ladies tees be given better attention.
- the greens should receive more attention before the associates competition days.
- the caddies be provided with bathing costumes to retrieve the associates balls from the waterways. (See notes on caddies).
Associates were also allowed to use half of the front verandah near the clock on Tuesdays only, and on wet Tuesdays a concession was made to allow them into the dining room. The members committee also agreed not to water the greens on Tuesdays during playing hours of competition. Additional privileges were forthcoming in 1941 when associates were allowed to play Saturdays from the tenth tee up to 1.15pm, and Sundays from the first tee from 10.00am till noon. In 1975 the associates asked the members committee for full clubhouse rights on Thursdays as
as Tuesdays. The motion was lost 33 votes to 23 votes. However, one year later the associates request was granted. Minutes from the members committee meeting in 1980 reaffirms that associates were still not allowed in the members lounge on Wednesdays and Saturdays. In April 1960 two members took their wives into the members’ lounge on Easter Monday. They were smartly told “ladies permitted in members’ lounge only on Tuesdays, mixed events and club socials.”
Finally, in 1976 associates use of the members lounge was allowed on Thursdays.
By the end of 1979 associates were playing 18 holes on the main course on Saturday mornings, hitting off from the tenth tee.
LADIES GOLF UNION
A letter was received in March 1918 from the Victorian Ladies Golf Union stating that the Brisbane Golf Club would be admitted as a registered club upon payment of ten shillings and sixpence registration fee, with a list of members with their best scores. After payment had been received by the VLGU a letter was received stating that only one card was necessary.
In May 1921 a letter from the New South Wales Ladies Golf Union was received notifying that an Australian Ladies Golf Union was being formed and asked if Brisbane and other Queensland clubs would be prepared to do their part in the formation of the Union. The Brisbane Golf Club readily agreed with this request.
In the following year a meeting was held after the Brisbane Golf Club Associates AGM with 43 ladies present to discuss forming a QLGU similar to Victoria and New South Wales. A president, vice president, secretary / handicap manager, treasurer and five council members were elected – two council members each from the Brisbane Golf Club and Royal Queensland Golf Club. In 1963 Brisbane Golf Club associate, Mrs Nellie Hatton was elected president of the QLGU.
HANDICAPS
Prior to 1922, the Brisbane Golf Club associates committee determined a player’s handicap for local competitions. After a good deal of discussion, it was decided that union handicaps should be used in all club competitions. Club handicaps were to be done away with and the rule of returning two cards per month for handicap purposes be strictly enforced.
An interesting situation occurred with handicapping during the Club and Open championships in 1928. The two contenders vying for both championships – Miss Baynes and Miss Hood had handicaps of three and five respectively. Miss Hood defeated Miss Baynes in both championships. Miss Hood’s handicap was reduced by one, and Miss Baynes’ handicap was increased by one, so that both were then equal.
PENNANTS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
In November1925 a letter was received by the Brisbane Golf Club Associates from the secretary of the QLGU enquiring about pennant matches for 1926. Pennant matches were played at the Brisbane Golf Club commencing in July 1926.
Two members of the golf club complained bitterly after being asked to tee off from the third tee to allow the ladies pennant matches to begin from the first tee. Apparently, the ladies were playing pennant matches without the permission of the general committee, and therefore it was deemed that the lady pennant players had no special rights to the tee! Despite this ruling, the associates won all three pennant flags that year and in 1928 permission was given for associate pennant matches to be played on a Friday.
The Brisbane Golf Club associates won both the A and B grade pennants in 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938.
In 1936 it was deemed that the pennant players should wear ties in the club colours. By 1937 the club had so many A grade players that permission was sought from the QLGU to enter a second A grade pennant team. By 1938 the A grade pennant team had won every year since the inception of pennants, and the B grade team had won four successive pennants. Then in 1939 the Brisbane Golf Club associates won all three flags. What a golden era for our proud club!
Pennant matches and Club championship matches were abandoned in 1940 due to World War 2 and recommenced in 1947.
Weekend pennants were played for the first time in 1958 in one grade. At the AGM in 1962 weekend associates were given approval to use part of the opening day bring-and-buy stall proceeds to purchase balls for their pennant players. In view of this decision, it was approved that mid-week players also be given balls. When weekend pennants were cancelled the following year for a time, the practice of giving balls to pennant players was discontinued.
Brisbane Golf Club associates won A grade pennants again in 1963. In 1966 and 1967 Brisbane associates won the silver division pennants. In 1969 the practice of giving balls to pennant players was reinstated.
1951 proved a great year for the Brisbane Golf Club. The Club won A grade pennants. The Queensland State Championship was played between two Brisbane associates, Miss Joan Fletcher and Miss Judith Percy. The Brisbane Golf Club boasted four Brisbane associates in the State team which won the Gladys Hay Memorial Cup for the first time. The Brisbane associates won the A grade pennants again in 1952. In 1956 Queensland again won the Gladys Hay Memorial Cup. Joan Fletcher and Judith Percy were again part of the victorious team, with both players winning all their matches. Also, in 1956 Joan Fletcher won the Queensland State championship, and along with Miss M Masters won the Australian and New Zealand Foursomes championship. Joan was also selected to play in Tasman Cup matches and was chosen in the team to tour South Africa in 1957. She was also selected in the Australian team to tour England in 1959.
Judith Percy won the Australian championship for the third time in 1962.
The late 1960’s saw the wane of the Brisbane Golf Club’s dominance of pennant victories. There was not another pennant win in any grade until 1995 when the B grade team brought home the flag. The B Grade team brought home the pennant flag again in 1996. In 1997 the Division 3 team and weekend team were pennant winners. In 2001 Divisions 2 and 5 won pennant flags. In 2004 the Division 4 team and weekend team won pennant flags. The weekend team again won the flag in 2006. Brisbane is again bringing home pennant flags, with the Division 1 team and Junior team winning in 2010 and 2011.
One of the most successful associates during the first half of the 1900’s was Miss Dot Hood. She joined the club at age 19 in 1911. She sometimes played with some of the original associates who joined in 1898. Dot went on to blaze a trail of golfing successes outstanding in the annals of sporting achievement. Not only is her name recorded many times on the Honour Boards, but she was also State champion on ten occasions, last winning in 1938- and eleven-times club champion. After years as an A grade pennant player, at the age of 79, when a B grader, she decided to discard her spectacles which she believed hindered her game. She then returned scores which brought her back to A grade. Miss Dot Hood 1892-1987, associate member of the Brisbane Golf Club 1911-1987 and honorary life member.
1967 proved to be one of the wettest years on record. Numerous postponements were made, but eventually all honour board events were completed. It was reported at the AGM in that year that the Queensland championships being played at Brisbane were completed, even though mud and water were inches thick in spots – shades of the wet weather in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
In July 2006, one of our Brisbane associates, Miss Jennifer Maric was one of the players chosen to represent Australia at the World Deaf championships in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. Jennifer did us proud by gaining an individual fourth placing, and along with an Australian team member gained second place in the teams event.
In 2006, 2007 and 2008 Mrs Lynne Conroy was club champion.
CADDIES
Ladies day initially was Monday, but this was changed in 1910 to Tuesday. In these early days, ladies always played with caddies. The ladies complained that quite a number of these caddies were not up to scratch. If the boys did not measure up or were accused of misconduct, the caddy badge was to be returned.
In 1920, the associates requested that the caddies be provided with bathing costumes to retrieve balls from the waterways. It took the general committee eight years to approve the request. The caddies around this time enjoyed congregating at the creeks. This did not please the ladies at all as they felt the caddies should be at the clubhouse for their use and they sought to have the offending caddies debarred from the club. After the first request for bathing costumes for caddies, it was fifteen years later that bathing costumes were supplied.
TRANSPORT
In the early days the Club was served by a steam train running between South Brisbane and Corinda. As the clubhouse was some distance from the Yeerongpilly station, the railway kindly halted the train opposite the clubhouse to put down and pick up golfers. No platform was provided and climbing up and down from the carriage proved quite a feat, especially when burdened with a bag of clubs. It was always a source of great merriment. Later, a bus running from North Quay at thirty-minute intervals superseded the train.
HEELS AND LADIES ATTIRE
As early as 1913 the associates were asked to take into consideration the wearing of appropriate heels on the golf course. It was decreed by the members committee that ladies must play in broad-heeled boots or shoes to protect the greens. Heels must be more than two inches in breadth and not more than 7/8 of an inch high.
In 1923 and again in 1930 the members committee was still receiving complaints about the state of the associates’ heels being worn on the course. The following letter was written by the club honorary secretary, T B Hunter in 1923 to the associates committee.
“As the greens are now being top dressed, the committee have fears as to the damage likely to be done through high and sharp heels worn by some associate members. It is proposed to have a notice posted calling the associates attention to the necessity for low heels. An inspection of all shoes and boots should be made by your committee.”
Can you imagine ever trying to play golf in high heels? Perhaps fashion and appearance were more important than scores in those days.
Approval was given in November 1966 for associates to wear tailored slacks or tailored bermuda shorts with long or short socks on course, but not in the clubhouse (except between rounds for 36 hole events). Slacks and shorts were not permitted on visitor’s days and invitation mixed days. In 1970 the general committee approved the wearing of slacks suits by associates in the clubhouse.
As recently as 2005, members and associates were requested to change from golf attire to smart casual wear in the upstairs bar on Sundays after 5.00pm.
ASSOCIATES PRESIDENT
A rule change in 1953 provided for an associates’ president. The committee to consist of president, captain, secretary and 6 others who shall be elected for two years – one member to be a weekender.
Mrs S F McDonald became the first associates’ president. In 1966 a request by the associates for the constitution to provide for a vice president and vice captain was not approved by the general committee. It was not until the associates AGM in December 1972 that the rules were amended to provide for associates president, vice-president, captain, vice-captain, honorary secretary, honorary treasurer and three committee members, one of whom to be a weekender.
BOGEY (today’s par)
When considering the yardage and Bogey (today’s par), allowance needed to be made for the golfing implements and balls available.
It appears that handicaps did not come into existence until the mid 1800’s when each club (in Great Britain) tended to adopt as its scratch standard the performance of its best players, and that standard varied to an amazing degree from club to club. The Coventry Club in England conceived the idea of a competition in which each competitor would play a match, under handicap, against a hypothetical opponent playing perfect golf at every hole. The score that a scratch golfer would take, playing perfect golf, was, in effect an early method of course rating.
This form of course rating became well known and popular. A player remarked that the imaginary opponent was a real bogey man and very soon the new method of scoring became known as the “bogey score”.
In its original concept, Bogey was similar to Par as we know it today. As golf balls continued to travel further and the standard of play improved, bogey scores were not always revised to correspond to Par. Today, Par (which originated in the USA) has been adopted throughout the world, and Bogey is used to denote a score of one stroke more than Par.
OVERSEAS GOLF TEAMS
The British Ladies International Golf Team travelled to Australia in 1935 and played matches against a Queensland team at the Brisbane Golf Club. Both teams were then entertained at lunch at the Club, along with Queensland Ladies Golf Union officials and the presidents and captains of the Brisbane Golf Club and the Royal Queensland Golf Club. Two Brisbane associates, Miss Dot Hood and Mrs G H Turner were members of the Queensland team.
In 1953 the Brisbane Golf Club played host to two more overseas teams – the South African ladies team and the American Professional Golfers team.
LIBRARY
In 2004 the associates committee decided to incorporate a library in the associates locker room. Ladies were asked to donate books they no longer required, and associates could borrow them for a gold coin donation. The library proved so successful that it was retained as a permanent feature. The money raised from book borrowing goes to the chosen charity each charity year and for associate’s expenses in other years. Irene Raymond was the committee associate in charge of the locker room in 2004 and undertook to look after the library. She is still our “library lady” and keeps our library in excellent working order.
DRESS UP DAYS
Associates are very creative when it comes to dress up days – particularly Queensland Day and Irish Day. Queensland Day has seen the ladies dress for Cloudland, the Birdsville Races, Noosa “bling”, surf life savers, Broncos footballers and pumpkin scones. Irish Day is always a fun day with four leaf clovers, Guinness, paddy’s pigs, and green dominating over orange. The ladies also “dress up” their golf carts and buggies on these days. It is a pleasure to see so many ladies joining in the swing of things.
TRADITIONS
It has been a tradition on ladies’ main day, Tuesday, for the Associates president and captain to preside over announcements and presentations. Ladies assemble in the Tennyson Room to enjoy the fellowship of the golf club over lunch, and to listen to the addresses by the president and captain. In years past, many of our older associates would take this opportunity to gather to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and just to celebrate their friendship and company over lunch.
Opening Day each year is a special day for our ladies to come together at the beginning of our golfing year. It is wonderful to hear the chatter and laughter of friends catching up after the long summer break. There is also a bring and buy on this day.
For many years our end of year lunch was the traditional Christmas lunch with ham, turkey and plum pudding. In 2002, the committee decided that every second year we would have a themed lunch. 2002 was “The Year of the Outback” so associates were encouraged to dress in outback gear. Driza-bones and Akubra hats were the order of the day. The ladies embraced these themed lunches which have included Cruising, As Years Go By, a Television show, and a Turkish theme complete with belly dancers and turkish delight.
End of year lunches have again reverted to the traditional Christmas lunch.
PELICAN RESCUE
In 2005 the water in the big dam was very low and it was reported by some associates to the ground staff that a sick, bedraggled, muddy pelican was unable to fly out of the dam. When the ladies enquired about the bird a week later, they were told that “Crikey”, one of the ground staff had gone into the dam but was unable to catch the pelican. We asked, “Who is Crikey?’. “He used to work at Australia Zoo with Steve Irwin” was the reply. “He picks up deadly snakes around the course and wrestles with a python in the machinery shed”. Apparently Crikey phoned the Australia Zoo which sent two men who caught the sick bird and took it back with them to Beerwah where they nursed it back to health. They painted B2 on its wing and released it back into the wild at Caloundra. There have not been any sightings reported to the Brisbane Golf Club at the time of writing.
SWANS, GEESE AND DUCKS AND THE LAKE
Perhaps the most dramatic change to the golf course in the last thirty years was the creation of the dam alongside the fifth fairway, The area used to be known as the horse paddock and was used as the resting paddock for the horses that pulled the course maintenance equipment. Before the lake area was about to be filled with water, the then professional along with some members drove golf balls from the fifth tee to see where they landed so they could map out the dimensions of the lake so that the hazard would not swallow every golf ball hit in that direction.
Today, the dam or lake, to give it a more fitting or picturesque name is bursting with wildlife. There have been a host of visitors in addition to the resident birds.
The Brisbane Golf Club is a flora and fauna reserve.
POSSUM UNDER 3RD FAIRWAY BRIDGE
Many associates will remember the bridge on the third fairway close to the green. It was in a state of disrepair and never used. There was a possum that lived under the bridge, where it had a hole and many associates used to feed it. It was only there for a couple of years. The story evolved that it probably died from overfeeding.
COLOURED FLAGS
1999 saw the introduction of coloured flags to indicate the pin position on greens – yellow front, white middle and blue back. This system of coloured flags proved very popular with the associates. In 2012 the members committee deemed that coloured flags were no longer required, and the white flags were returned.
THE COMPUTER AGE
It was a great boost when the Brisbane Golf Club embraced the computer age and associates were able to book their golf games on-line. The Golf Club launched a new web site in 2000. The electronic time sheets were introduced in January 2001 and golf bookings were made using your golf link card.
BRIDGE AND MAHJONG
In the 1980’s sixteen associates participated playing bridge. They drank cask wine while playing, and it became quite noisy. They played in the bar area, but the rule was that they had to vacate the area by 4.00pm. Starting in 2020 ladies are once again playing bridge and mahjong at the club after golf on a Thursday. These activities have proved extremely popular. Groups of ladies also enjoy bridge and mahjong at different times during the week.
HONOUR BOARD EVENTS AND ANNUAL TROPHIES
THE MACARTNEY TROPHY – 1923
This trophy was to be given for the greatest reduction in handicap. It is the only mention in the early minutes of this trophy.
THE MACARTNEY CUP – 1930 to present day
This competition was originally known as the President’s Cup from 1912 to 1929. The President’s Cup is still in the club but has not been used since 1929. The currently used cup, the Macartney Cup, along with the President’s Cup were both donated by Sir Edward Macartney for a foursomes competition.
The conditions of play since 1947 are as follows:-
- foursomes qualifying round – half the combined handicap,
- 16 pairs to qualify for match play. Each player must have a handicap of 25 or under,
- Division 2. 26 – 45 handicap. 16 pairs to qualify for match play,
- all matches to be played on current handicaps,
- match play – three-eighths the difference of the aggregate handicap. If the match is all square after ..18 holes. Extra holes are to be played until a decision is reached,
- all matches are to be played on the day and time specified.
TRUDE CUP – 1930 to 1939
Phyllis Trude was a committee member and became captain from 1928-1930. The conditions of play for the cup were never recorded but it appears to have been a qualifying single stroke event.
ANNUAL CLUB TROPHY – 1940-1956
This competition was established to replace the Trude Cup. It was played in four grades. The competition continued in 1957 under the new name of the Violet Midson Memorial Trophy.
VIOLET MIDSON MEMORIAL TROPHY – 1957 to present day
The Violet Midson Memorial Trophy replaced the annual Club Trophy. Miss Mabel Misdon donated 100 pounds for a trophy fund in memory of her sister Violet, who served on the committee as honorary secretary for nine years. Violet and Mabel Midson joined the Club in 1913. Violet was elected to the committee in 1924. She was secretary from 1925 to 1928. She returned to the committee in 1931 when a new committee was elected following the mass resignation of the previous committee at the end of 1930 and continued in office until the end of 1935. Although Violet was recommended for honorary life membership by the associates AGM in 1935, she was never accorded this honour. The associates however presented her with a crystal dressing table set, a gold and pearl brooch and a golf bag in appreciation of her services to them.
THE OPEN CUP – known as the TANNER CUP – 1931 to present day
This cup was donated by Mrs Tanner when she was captain as a trophy for an open day competition. It was suggested at the 1931 AGM that the cup be called the Tanner Cup, but the donor did not wish her name to appear on the cup. She preferred it to be known as the Yeerongpilly Open Cup. The inscription reads “Associates Open Cup”. The competition was generally referred to as the Open Cup until 1966 and since then has been known as the Tanner Cup.
Mrs Tanner was on committee for the years 1917-1919 and 1922-1926 before becoming associates captain from 1926 -1928. After the mass resignation of the associates committee in 1930, Mrs Tanner agreed to take the position of captain again on the new committee elected in 1931. She remained in office until the end of 1932.
The competition is played on a Tuesday with the cup going to the player with the best nett stroke score in A grade.
KERRY CUP – 1947 to present day
This trophy is in the form of a silver tankard. It was donated by Mrs H L Kent as a continuous golfing trophy. It is probably unique by being named after an animal. Kitty Kent lived at Graceville and rode her horse, Kerry to and from golf during and after the second World War, initially to overcome petrol rationing. Kerry the horse was well known at the club. In 1965 when Kerry died it was recorded in the associates minutes and a letter of sympathy was sent to Mrs Kent. Mrs Kitty Kent was a member of the golf club for 56 years and was granted honorary life membership in 1981. She died in 1989.
WAAAF CUP – 1948 to present day
Miss Muriel Just was the instigator of this event which began with donations from ex WAAAF personnel. Although the Honour Board refers to a cup, there has never been a perpetual trophy. The format is the best nett aggregate thirty-six holes stroke played over two Saturdays. Miss Muriel Just’s sister Miss Madge Just won the trophy three times, in 1948, 1955 and 1974.
NAT GREEN TROPHY – 1950 to present day
Nat Green donated an Honour Board for a foursomes competition to be played on Saturdays. It is played as a handicap qualifying round over 18 holes, with eight pairs to play off match play.
EDEN CUP – 1954 to present day
In 1908 the State Governor, club patron and member Lord Chelmsford gave a silver cup as the trophy for the State championship. This was won by Mrs Julia Myrtle Eden. She donated the trophy to the club shortly before her death in 1954. The committee of the time created an Honour Board event in her honour to acknowledge the outstanding contribution she made to ladies golf. The competition records the best competitive gross score played on the course each year.
Julia Myrtle Eden was associates secretary 1899-1900 and then captain for fourteen years from 1902-1910 and 1911-1917. She won the club championship ten times between 1902 and 1913, and then won again when the event was revived after World War 1 in 1919.
BRISBANE CUP – 1970 to present day
This open event was introduced at the urging of Joan Fletcher for a Sunday event for A grade players. The associates president at the time, Mrs Johnnie Boyle and Joan Fletcher donated the perpetual trophy. The Cup is inscribed “Brisbane Cup Open Event”. The handicap limit is eighteen. It is an eighteen hole nett stroke play competition. Joan Fletcher won the competition in 1985. The Brisbane Cup is regarded as a major event in the Queensland ladies golfing calendar.
BRISBANE SALVER – 1974 to present day
This is a permanent trophy donated by Joan Fletcher for the best gross score played in conjunction with the Brisbane Cup.
THE FOB CUP – 1979 to present day
The FOB Cup was named after Margaret Fleming and Maureen O’Brien. The cup was originally bought by Maureen’s husband to placate her when she won the C grade championship and only received a money order. Years later, the cup did not sell at a garage sale, so Maureen decided to give it to her friend Margaret. They then decided to donate the cup to the golf club as the associates trophy for “The Vets versus The Rest”. This is a competition played on a Thursday as a single stableford. It is an annual teams match with the twelve best scores from each team aggregated to determine the winning side.
20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TROPHY – 1985 to present day
The associates president of the day, Mrs Pat McLean commenced this trophy for competition among ordinary associates with 20 or more years of continuous membership. It is a single stableford competition. Mrs McLean attended the club presenting the trophy to the winner of the competition each year until 2006.
NELLIE HATTON MBE FOUR BALL – 1986 to present day
This knockout match play event was begun by Mrs Nellie Hatton when she was associates captain in 1954. It was renamed the Nellie Hatton four ball in 1986 in honour of one of the longest serving members of the associates committee. The event has no qualifying round and anyone can enter. The competition is played in four grades according to handicap over 18 holes stroke play, with eight qualifiers in each grade to play off match play for the right to play off against the winners of the other grades.
Nellie Hatton joined the club in 1946 and for the next thirty years devoted her considerable talents to women’s golf at all levels.
HEATHER TIMMS MEMORIAL TROPHY – 1988 to present day
This is a weekend trophy played on Saturdays with the best aggregate gross stroke score over two rounds of eighteen holes.
Heather Timms was a member of the golf club who died at a very young age and the trophy was given in her memory.
THE 2000 CUP – 2000 to present day
This trophy is presented to the associate with the best nett score at the Brisbane Golf Club during any stroke round played from the start to the end of the golfing season in any particular year. Only Brisbane associates who hold a current handicap are eligible to win.
The trophy was originated by Mrs Jan Kildey, president in the year 2000 to recognise the start of a new millennium. Originally the trophy was given to multiple winners with the best nett score, but at the present time countbacks apply so there is only one winner.
MONTHLY MEDAL
Keen interest was displayed for associates to play for a monthly medal. The first monthly medal competition was played on November 12, 1929. The medals were ordered from Wallace Bishop’s at a cost of seven shillings and sixpence each. For some years from 1970, winners were able to select from a badge, pewter, badge spoon, engraved golf spoon or crystal glass. Monthly medals next came in the form of a brooch. Today winners receive a ball marker and towel
INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY JIM CUMING WITH BRISBANE GOLF CLUB ASSOCIATES
Julie Cockburn
There used to be a dairy on the site where the Mitre 10 now stands beside the fifth fairway. With my husband Keith we were playing the hole when I noticed that one of the cows appeared to be in some difficulty. Keith asked me if it was dead, and I said I didn’t think so as its legs were not up in the air. Along came an Italian woman who did not appear to speak any English. She was shouting out to us. Keith went over to where the woman was and realised the cow was calving. He immediately took hold of the cow’s legs while the woman was still gabbling away. However, because of the after birth he could not get a grip on the legs, so the woman pulled out armfuls of grass and gave them to Keith to enable him to get a grip on the legs. He duly delivered the calf, which was a little different from his usual task as an obstetrician.
Some weeks later, while playing the fifth hole again, Keith hooked his ball over the fence into the dairy farm, hitting a cow This caused the ball to richochet back over the fence onto the fairway. Keith remarked that this was the cow’s way of saying “thank you”.
Julie Cockburn, Bonney Bell, Anne Summereville
In the late 1960’s the golfer Jan Stephenson on holiday from the USA where she was based, visited the Brisbane Golf Club and wore shorts. This was the first time shorts were ever worn on an Australian golf course affiliated with the Australian Ladies Golf Union. The union then banned affiliated clubs from the wearing of shorts. The progressive associates at the Brisbane golf club asked that the QLGU be approached to sanction the wearing of shorts by associates. The request was eventually acceded to.
Bev Deane and Bev Souwer
The two Bevs joined the club in 1979. In the first year both their handicaps dropped from 36 to 29 and both were asked to play pennants. It was Jill Hughes as captain who threw both into the pennant team. Bev Deane’s first pennant game was at Wynnum. She was so nervous that as she was backing out of her driveway, she promptly backed into the car that was parked on the other side of the road. At Wynnum Bev played against a woman who had been playing pennants for years and was beaten 10 and 8. She said it was a wonder she ever played pennants again. She has never been beaten to that extent since. Nobody told Bev she could concede a hole. On one particular hole her opponent was on the green for three shots while Bev was in the bunker “whacking” away and not being able to get the ball out!
On a nominated day, Bev Souwer had shot 65 nett, Bev Deane had shot 67 nett and another Brisbane associate Ruth Cook had shot 68 nett. It had never happened at the Brisbane Golf Club before or has never happened since that three associates from the club were chosen as the Queensland team to play a tournament in Canberra. Bev said, “We did not know anything about the competition when we paid our money – $2.00 for the team event.”
Lorna Parish, who won the C grade championship at that time commented that she won a $5.00 voucher whereas the other women, after fluke rounds managed a trip to Canberra. The three ladies played at Royal Canberra for the three day tournament. They all agreed they were raw rookies at the time and did not appreciate the significance of the tournament. Bev Souwer’s suitcase went to Melbourne instead of Canberra, so for the first day of the tournament she had to wear borrowed clothes.
Bev Deane told us when she first joined the club in 1979, she sometimes came to practise on a Wednesday afternoon when her husband Don was playing. On one Wednesday after golf Bev joined Don in the bar area. She was promptly told by the steward, “Excuse me, Mrs Deane, but you are not allowed in this area.” This rule remained until the mid 1980’s. The ladies were served from a little bar around the corner in the Tennyson room. It was a strict rule that that on men’s days – Wednesdays and Saturdays, women were never allowed into the bar area.
Ellie Humphery
Ellie was one of our favourite associates who sadly passed away in 2007. Ellie told many a rollicking yarn and I know she would be pleased to have some of them told. When Ellie moved from Woolongong she joined the Brisbane Golf Club. One of her first competitions at the club was to compete in the Queensland Senior Silver Jug. The captain at the time, Clare Kirkwood encouraged the associates to participate in the competition as it was being played at the Brisbane Golf Club. Six Brisbane players competed, with Ellie winning the competition. She was very proud to be known as the “Queensland Senior Jug”and have her name appear in the Year Book. For her wonderful efforts in winning the competition she received a “sloppy joe” and a calendar.
Ellie became part of a group of eight ladies from the Brisbane Golf Club who went away twice a year on golfing trips. They were known as “the social sippers”. They found a shield at a second hand shop which they had engraved, and played for the honour of winning it. One trip each year was a visit to the Southport Golf Club to play in the Southport Open. For this event the ladies always wore their Brisbane Golf Club uniform and the Southport ladies always enjoyed their company. The other yearly trip was to a resort course where they would live it up – hence the name “social sippers”. They were never short of champagne at the start of the day, and after the golf game the champagne corks popped again. (Ellie never did divulge the names of the other seven players. We think some of these “social sippers” may still be enjoying their golf at Brisbane).
Jill Fallon
Jill was a much-loved associate who passed away in 2009. She was associates president from 1994-1996. During her playing days she had two holes-in-one. When Jill joined the club there were no fences around the car park. One day, an associate known only as Dawn and known to be very vague
left the handbrake off and her car rolled onto Tennyson Memorial Avenue. All traffic then had to drive around the car until it was retrieved after the golf round had finished.
Jill recalls that many years ago, two Brisbane associates were closely involved with the then Wintergarten Theatre in Queen Street Brisbane. Ms Jones oversaw the flowers and her floral arrangements were admired and enjoyed by all who attended the theatre. Ellie Williams played the organ during intermission.
Cherry Cribb was on the committee for many years. She did all the hard work. When the associates went on bus trips Cherry would cook biscuits to eat on the journey. When she died, she left money for an associates competition. The Cherry Cribb LVA Cup is played as a 4BBB stableford competition between six day members and seven day members, and is a free day. Cherry Cribb was a business lady who played Saturdays, and then joined the midweekers when she retired. The weekenders always perform strongly in these competition – the result being that the word WEEKENDERS appears many time on the trophy.
Joyce Marjason – one sunny golfing day
During a fourball competition in a Tuesday game in 1996, Joyce and her partner, Margaret Maher were playing Jan Kildey and her partner. At the old twelfth hole (now the twentieth) Jan hit her ball from the right hand side of the rough into the lateral water hazard. As Joyce’s ball was on the left hand side of the fairway, she proceeded to the water to look for it. The water was very murky, but she could see the ball. With her putter in hand she tried to retrieve it. However, the ground completely collapsed under her and she lost her footing. She went head over heels into the water losing her hat and putter. When she bobbed up, she was unable to get a grip on the growth at the edge of the pond as the ground continued to give way. The other three players were on the right hand side of the fairway approaching the green, completely unaware of her predicament. She yelled “HELP! HELP!” and eventually they heard her cries and pulled her out. She was a sight to behold – covered in muck and green growth. She was told she was actually “see-through” as she was wearing a light coloured shirt. After her rescue she ran to the green only to discover her putter was still in the water. She used a three iron to putt out and then hurried to the scene of the crime to rescue her putter. She figured she was already drenched and didn’t want to get into her car in that state, so she and Margaret finished the game – Joyce drying out in the process. She and Margaret had a reasonable score. The ladies at the QLGU would not have appreciated Joyce’s look but Jan did, and the next week after announcements she presented Joyce with water wings and a cup complete with the rescued ball. The inscription read – “Joyce Marjason, Brisbane’s keenest golfer 1996”. We don’t know if it was Jan’s expertise with the mike, but she became president a few years later. It really was a golfing day to remember.
Betty Stockwell
Betty joined the club in 1979 with other business girls. They played Saturday mornings – 18 holes on the main course. They were not allowed in the upstairs bar area, but instead they had a small bar area in the Tennyson room where they had to ring a bell for service and wait for someone to attend to their needs. There were usually enough spots on the time sheet on Saturdays for the ladies, but there were some problems with slow play and people forgetting that it was forbidden to go up the clubhouse steps with spikes on. Long time professional, Mick Stafford always took the weekend associates aside on opening day to explain the rules and etiquette to them which was appreciative and informative.
Helen Gargett – 1974 floods
Helen’s husband Geoff was president at the time of the 1974 floods. Geoff was phoned to be told by the secretary / manager that the flood water was coming up machinery hill and approaching the machinery shed, and that a grain truck had been washed from the railway line on to the sixteenth fairway. (Geoff asked him if he had been drinking). In addition, a house had been washed on to the associates sixteenth tee and was christened “the ladies’ clubhouse” by the members. There was also a log across the machinery shed roof for many months after, showing how high the floodwaters came. Helen’s daughter Susan remembers collecting a tortoise on the putting green. Speedboats were also seen speeding across the eighth fairway. The course was unplayable for six weeks after the floods.
Mona Lavery – 1974 floods
Memories of the effects of the 1974 floods have left an indelible impression on the associates who witnessed the devastation. Mona Lavery was one with vivid recollections.
The Fairfield Road end of the old seventh fairway was awash.
The only parts of the course not affected were the pro shop and the tenth green. There was a cubby house up a tree on the fifth fairway.
Mona was an associate for 38 years until 1990. She was a business lady playing at weekends for much of that time. She tells of a magpie family that nested in a tree on the right side of the second fairway. The magpies were very aggressive at times and attacked golfers on frequent occasions. The solution arrived at by the committee of the time was to chop the tree down – problem solved! Another tree closer to the green on the same fairway was causing disruption to golfers as its siting was conducive to being hit by players approaching the pin. It suffered a similar fate to the magpie nesting gum.
June Callaghan
June’s first memories of the golf club were when she was four years old. Her grandmother was the cook and her grandfather worked on the greens. June remembers being in the kitchen with her grandmother, peeping through a keyhole to watch the outside activities.
The President’s At Home. Margaret Maher & Pat McKeon
The President’s At Home was a very social occasion – black tie – and everyone dressed up to the nines. The president and his wife, along with the captain and his wife greeted the guests at the top of the stairs upon arrival. Someone’s photograph always appeared in the social pages of The Courier Mail. It was a very happy event. In recent years the President’s At Home has changed from being a lavish sit down dinner to a cocktail party. In 2010 the President’s At Home was incorporated with a very successful art show. Since then, the President’s at home has disappeared from the golf calendar.
Buggy Sheds. Margaret Maher, Pat McKeon, June Callaghan
There was the “buggy crowd”, the first people to own golf carts at the club. The first carts were brought to the club around 1980. The first buggy shed was just a lean-to. When the carts were first introduced into the club it was suggested that they be used at the end of the field. This suggestion was recommended at an associates AGM, but the suggestion went down like a lead balloon. When the first buggy shed was built, there was a draw for occupancy. There were only three private sheds, and the rest had to share. There were fourteen people in the draw. The first person to get a private shed was Brian O’Hare. Others to receive a private shed were Ray Lambert and Bob and Pat McKeon. Some members thought that those with a private shed should pay more than those who shared, but the committee did not agree. Margaret Maher shared her shed with the Christian Brothers – and five sets of clubs!
Jill Hughes
Jill joined the Brisbane Golf Club in 1973. During that time, she held many positions at the club, and also with the Brisbane and District Ladies Golf Association and the QLGU. She was captain at Brisbane from 1979 – 1982, 1984 – 1985 and 1990 – 1993. She was club champion in 1981,1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988. She played pennants for 25 years and captained the silver team for 20 years. She was a member of the Meg Nunn team in 1995, 1996 and 1997, also captaining the team in 1996 and 1997.
Jill is an honorary life member of the Brisbane Golf Club for her services to the club and Queensland golf. The following stories are some of Jill’s memories of the Brisbane Golf Club.
While playing golf one day we came to the third tee and saw two ladies sitting on the seat having a rest. The two ladies were sisters and we stopped and said hello and a little chat. It turned out that one lady was getting her card in to get her handicap back. We played through them and kept going. Much to our surprise, when we reached the thirteenth hole the same two ladies were sitting on the seat having a rest. Again, we stopped and said hello and again played through them. We could not understand how they came to be in front of us. On finishing our game we went into the clubhouse and had lunch. At the time I was captain and my handicapper came to me and showed me a card that had been returned to the handicap box. Surprise! Surprise! An eighteen hole card had been returned by one of the sisters to regain her handicap. We pondered over this and concluded that the sisters had played three holes, then walked over to the thirteenth. We surmised that they then played in from the thirteenth. The lady in question was not playing competition golf and probably would never play competition golf again and it was a matter of pride that she should have a handicap. The card was accepted.
During my years as captain the professional at the club was Errol Hartvigsen. He came to me and requested that I advise the associates that his practice balls were being picked up on the ninth fairway and were being used by the ladies to play their round of golf. I agreed to make an announcement over the microphone at presentations. So, not giving it a lot of thought I stood at the podium and made my request. “Ladies, Mr Hartvigsen has requested me to ask the ladies not to play with his balls”. The titter that went around the Tennyson Room made me realise what I had said. I continued to try and explain myself. “Ladies, Mr Hartvigsen has new balls – the old ones were yellow with a red stripe and the new ones are white with a black stripe. He has asked that the ladies not pick them up from the ninth fairway and play with them.”
By this time the whole room was in uproar. I finally said, “Ladies, Mr Hartvigsen has new practice balls and you are not to play with them!”
Jan Battersby
Jan joined the club in 1956 aged 20 along with her sister Dianna who was 17. They were both juniors, and each Saturday morning they set out from their home in Ashgrove by tram and then bus to Tennyson. They had to begin their golf round before the men, so they played the back nine and then the short course, finishing about lunch time. They were not allowed in the bar area. They experienced a hard time from some of the aggressive older associates, but they didn’t take it too seriously as it taught them about the rules and etiquette. Jan was quite taken aback when she realised that one of her former very strict teachers from Somerville House was an associate at the golf club. Jan and her sister enjoyed the many social activities, particularly the sing songs and dancing after golf.
Mary Robertson
Many years ago some associates would travel to and from golf by train, as at that time there were few cars. Mrs Beryl McCauley rode her bicycle while Mrs Kitty Kent had a horse as her mode of transport.
On Tuesdays the associates’ committee collected fees and sent off the field. Play was always in threes. If there were cancellations, then the third person from the following three would be moved up. Some associates liked playing with whom they had booked so they would disappear until they were due to hit off. The time sheets were put out at 9.00am on the first and third Tuesdays of the month and at 11.00am on the second and fourth Tuesdays. That was to prevent the same people getting the early times. Every Tuesday afternoon two of the committee ladies would write up the eclectic board.
Each Monday one of the house committee ladies would do the flowers. There were three large vases to be arranged which took a lot of flowers and a lot of time. Eventually some of the associates would lend a hand which was a great help.
Putting competitions were played on the putting green. There were two rounds, and the sixteen qualifiers would then play match play.
One dear old associate, Miss Underwood used to tie a string around her tee so she wouldn’t lose it. If her ball hit a hose lying across the fairway – which happened frequently – she would pick up the ball and take it forward saying “That is where it would have been if the hose had not been across the fairway”.Nobody objected to her doing that. Eventually she went into a nursing home and kept three golf clubs under her bed. Every day she would have a swing with them. Marvellous old lady. Whenever it rained, she would put plastic bags over her golf shoes to keep them dry.
Helen Hudson
Helen joined the Brisbane Golf Club in 1952. At the time there were quite a few young ladies joining the Club. They were encouraged by Joan Fletcher who gave them lessons on the roof-top of the Commonwealth Bank in Queen Street, where many of them worked. Mick Stafford was the professional at the time. He did not allow the ladies on the long course until they had completed twelve lessons and could play to a handicap of 36. Two of Mick’s popular sayings were “tum in, bum out chum” and “swing like a pendulum”. The young ladies could only play Saturdays and Sundays because of work commitments. They felt privileged because the Brisbane Golf Club was the only course that allowed women to play on Saturdays. Once a month on Sundays there was an intermediate mixed event with a draw for partners. This is how some of the young lady golfers met their husbands. The Brisbane Golf Club became known as the “Brisbane Matrimonial Club”.
The office of Associates president came into being in 1954. Prior to that there was only the Associates captain. Nellie Hatton was captain at the time. She was very friendly but a stickler for rules and etiquette.
There were no pull buggies but young boys who would caddy. Many men availed themselves of the caddies, but the young women carried their own clubs as they could not afford the caddies. Many ladies left their clubs in lockers in the Associates locker room as the lockers were large enough to house a bag of clubs. One associate, Gwenny Turner rode her bike to golf with her golf clubs on the back.
The room allocated for the associates is now the member’s bar. The men had the use of the Tennyson room. When the big glass window was put in the associate room facing the 18th green the men decided that was a much better view, so the rooms were swapped. A very small bar was put in the Tennyson room where the ladies had to press a buzzer for service.
The President’s At Home was an event not to be missed. Dinner suits, evening gowns and fur stoles were the order of the evening.
Helen Hudson was made an honorary life member in 2016.
CONCLUSION
The early Brisbane Golf Club lady members were trail blazers in the world of golf. They fought hard for many of the privileges we enjoy today – and for that, we salute them. It has been a most fascinating and rewarding experience writing these stories after reading through the associates minutes from 1898 when ladies first joined the club and listening to the many stories as told by some of the ladies who have been at the Brisbane Golf Club for many years. Stories which have been handed down through the ages. What a wonderfully rich history we have of the Brisbane Golf Club.
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