Golf Historians report – Metropolitan Golf Club – Monday 8 August 2022
Metropolitan Golf Club was host to the second Golf Historians forum for the year
This forum was originally scheduled in 2020 but encountered several Covid 19 reschedules and postponements, and so it was with pleasure and relief to both the Committee and the speakers to finally go ahead on Monday 8TH August.
The well attended forum, held in the clubs Dining Room and with its wonderful views of the course members and guests, listened to a program featuring a series of presentations reflecting on Metropolitan’s significant achievements and activities across the past decade.
The 2018 ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf featured prominently, and in a nod to his success as Captain at the time of vying for World Cup Host Venue selection, Marcus Harty presented on a range of Club achievements including the construction and opening of the Clubhouse in 2013 and Golf Services Wing in 2016.
Marcus also spoke of a total irrigation system upgrade and to the numerous course and practice facility enhancements including the Grand Opening of the Brian Twite Coaching Pavilion, named in honour of Metropolitan Life Member and celebrated golf industry professional Brian Twite OAM.
Marcus touched on the challenges of strategic planning and the need for vigilant financial management, a Club’s pride in delivering on special projects and the pressures of hosting a tournament that attracts a global audience!
Second speaker on the program was Assistant Course Superintendent Andrew Anderson.
Andrew touched on the myriad of operations in the lead-up to and during the World Cup of Golf, and how the team of regular course staff and visiting staff worked in cooperation with the PGA Tour.
He us gave an insight into of the dramas of the rain-soaked days 2 and 3 and how the staff resurrected a flooded greenside bunker on Hole 12 even as play was beginning.
His talk was complimented with several images of the course and the team involved at tournament.
Former Metropolitan President and Captain Peter Lothian, Convenor of the Club’s Heritage & Historical Panel, provided an insight into the creation of unique history and memorabilia display and the Club’s archival activities. In his talk he made the reference to the importance of the clubs Foundation and significant funding it provided for the development of the much-admired history cabinet.
Peter included Moira Drew (Club Archivist) and Michael Bannenberg in this presentation as both were instrumental in the cabinet coming to life.
Michael’s creative genius is responsible for Metropolitan ‘s Australian Open Display, the main Heritage display cabinet, and the mural wall in the Brian Twite Coaching Pavilion, among other projects.
The final presenter on the program was Metropolitan member and Secretary Kim Hastie, speaking about her role as Co-Chair of the Volunteers at the World Cup of Golf in 2018, a role she shared with her sister Vicki Van der Venne also a Metropolitan member.
They had the responsibility of managing approximately 640 volunteers who came from across Australia, with approximately 200 hundred Metropolitan members volunteering across the four days.
Kim opened her talk with a brief timeline on how the club was selected for the World Cup of Golf and how they acquired the role to head up the volunteers.
She spoke about how leadership structure and team was developed and their leadup work which included multiple meetings and emails with Metropolitan club staff and PGA Tour staff.
Recalling some humorous stories, she touched on the many challenges the Volunteers with outdoor roles encountered due to the heavy rain, particularly on the Friday.
Kim provided a Power Point presentation with the many images she acquired during the tournament with some photos capturing the impact the weather had times
(The full slide show can be viewed below )
On display was a collection of items from the tournament, such as prints and flags signed by the winners Belgium and some items by all players, there was a collection of spectator and Volunteer ephemera and Cameron Smith’s caddy bib given to Kim and the club as a thank you from the PGA Tour.
Kim closed the forum thanking the presenters and the Metropolitan Golf Club for its generous hospitality ,making for an enjoyable couples of hours.
She also thanked the attendees, commenting how these forums provide a wonderful opportunity for members and guests to catch up and share history with likeminded friends and colleagues.
Kim Hastie Honorary Secretary
Kim Hastie spoke about her role as Co-Chair of Volunteers and to compliment her presentation a Power Point slide show was put together. Open below
