The second Victorian Hickory Shaft Championship has been successfully run and won and on day three we were able to play for the Al Howard Trophy — a long-standing challenge match between GSA and AGHS
2025 Victorian Hickory Shaft Championships report by John Trevorrow A field of 31 golfers gathered over three days at Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club beside the Murray River in late July for the 2025 Victorian Hickory Shaft Championships, hosted by the Golf Society of Australia. The venue on the Vic/NSW border was chosen so this year’s tournament could extend to include the Al Howard Trophy, a long-standing challenge event between teams from GSA in Victoria and the NSW-based Australian Golf Heritage Society.
Ten hickory enthusiasts from NSW made the journey to Yarrawonga and two travelled from South Australia to join the fun. Friendships were made or renewed, and several YMGC members joined the field with borrowed clubs to experience the mysteries and pleasure of hickory golf.
The event began with a buy/swap/sell Sunday afternoon and Historians Forum.
Many items were on display from the GA Collection, including old scorecards, magazines, years books, rules books and a Bussey club -holder dating from the 1890’s.
YMGC captain Stephen Buckley presented a history of the game in the area, which began in 1897 when Yarrawonga Golf Club began playing across leased land at the local racecourse. In 1927 the club bought land beside the state border and renamed itself Yarrawonga and Border Golf Club, with 18 holes on sand scrape greens. The club thrived and in 1957 architect Sam Berriman (Huntingdale designer) laid out a new course, which opened for play in 1959 with grass greens. A third nine was built in 1980. Business continued to grow and a championship second course, designed by Peter Thomson and Michael Wolveridge with a spectacular hole beside the river, opened in 1986.
Off-course activities included a history talk from SA’s Andrew Baker, president of Fleurieu Hickory Golfers, and two violin pieces played by GSA member and professional musician Mick Loftus-Hills.
Victorian Hickory Foursomes Championship
Monday morning saw 13 pairs play 18 holes of Canadian foursome’s stroke play on the Thomson/Wolveridge championship Murray Course. Couch fairway lies were excellent, but friendships were put to the test if shots went astray and hazards lurked.
Gross Foursomes champions: Todd Le-Grand & Jeff Mansfield (80) from runners-up Les Browne & John Neeson (85)
Nett winners: Suzanne Brown & Chris Nicolson (94/72). Runners-up Andrew Thomson & Andrew Baker (89/73) on countback from John Trevorrow & Mick Loftus-Hills (86/73
Victorian Hickory Championship – Singles
Tuesday morning dawned to ominous skies and strong breezes as 27 players gathered for the 18-hole championship singles round. The early starters had the best of the conditions, but the clouds opened mid-morning and tested the stamina of competitors as most played half their round or more through frequent heavy showers.
The men’s championship was decided in a thrilling shoot-out between Justin Ryan (Bendigo) and John Neeson (Batemans Bay, Catalina Club). Playing in the same group, John edged three shots ahead with a fine birdie on their 15th hole. Justin then charged home with par, birdie, birdie to win the men’s title, holing a testing 10-footer on the wet final green. The women’s champion was talented local legend Judy Kruger, Vice-Captain and Board member at Yarrawonga.
2025 Victorian champions:
Men’s Gross winner: Justin Ryan (73), runner-up John Neeson (74), third place Todd Le-Grand (77)
Women’s Gross winner: Judy Kruger (89), runner-up Kim Hastie (98), third Suzanne Brown (99)
Nett winner: Rod Hiscox (102/64). Justin Ryan was nett 62, but one prize only as singles champion. Best women’s Nett: Cheryle Nye (118/75) from Kim Hastie (98/77)
Al Howard Trophy – AGHS versus GSA
This challenge event has been played for more than 20 years between the NSW-based Australian Golf Heritage Society and the GSA in Victoria. The trophy itself is a magnificent silver inkstand won in 1921 by Tom Howard for the NSW Amateur Championship at Royal Sydney GC, where he dispatched Eric Apperley and then Ivo Whitton on his way to defeating Eric Pope in the final. His son Al Howard was a noted pro and course architect for more than 60 years, and his family donated the trophy to AGHS in 2003 for this interstate challenge.
Twenty players competed at Yarrawonga over 9 holes of aggregate Stableford on Wednesday morning in sunny, still conditions. Five pairs each from NSW and Victoria faced off, and each tee group was a match. The best aggregate Stableford score of each state pair won that match. The GSA team from Victoria prevailed 4 matches to 1, wresting the title from the AGHS.
The Golf Society thanks Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort for hosting and appreciates their welcoming hospitality
Sneak preview…
Some happy hickory players about to Tee off and GSA wins the Al Howard Trophy
