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 President’s Trophy – Royal Melbourne Golf Club – 11 August 2025 

Our popular but quirky competition has been run and won

We give thanks to Mango Maguire who wrote the event report and captured our day to a tee.. enjoy!

The 2025 President’s Trophy was conducted in magnificent late-winter sunshine at Royal Melbourne GC, on August 11th. The breezes were light, the terrain firm, and the scents of wattle were drifting in the warm air.

23-players attended for a 3-tee tee-off on the West Course, with 9-holes of stroke being conducted in the 7-clubs-in-the-bag event. Various combinations of 7-clubs were chosen by the players, with a typical set-up comprising a driver, fairway wood or hybrid or long-iron, 4-irons including a wedge or two, and a putter.

Despite the ideal conditions, scores were rather modest. No doubt the Sunday pin-placements on 3 and 6, with challenging ones on 7, 8 and 9 had a hand in it.

Whilst lunch was being enjoyed in the clubhouse, scores were collated by the pro-shop team, with Nett scores then being announced; Bruce Sutherland lead the way with a 35 followed by Paul Bray with 39 on a countback from Justin Ryan and Doug Turek with 39.5 (on c/b) being the last one to qualify for the match-play section.

The proceedings now meant that Bruce would meet Doug, and Paul would meet Justin in sudden-death handicap match-play starting on the 1^st tee of the East course. Each match would continue until a winner was declared, and then the 2-semifinalist winners would meet in another sudden-death match, the final.

In the first match, Bruce and Doug halved the first hole, before Bruce prevailed on the second after Doug found tree trouble off the tee and had to chip out, whilst also giving a shot to Bruce on the hole.

In the second match, both Paul and Justin halved the first hole in fine 4s, before Justin prevailed with a solid regulation par, with Paul failing to get up-and-down from the front right of the green. Fine golf was demonstrated by both players to the gallery following this match.

Now a new match began, the final. Bruce teed off the 3^rd and hit a low runner down the hill down the left side, whilst Justin pushed a solid drive into the right rough. Bruce hit a wonderful second shot up in front of the greenside right bunker, whilst Justin had to hit a recovery shot back into play, leaving him a mid-range pitch shot. He proceeded to do so, with a shot hit a bit low on the grooves, yet, nevertheless managed to land it on the front and run it almost up to the pin at the back-left of the green. Unflummoxed by Justin’s recovery, Bruce stepped up and with his 9-iron hit his approach chip over the bunker, and then ran it up to the hole within gimme range. Now Justin had to make his deft putt to keep the match alive. Yet, as the greens at Royal Melbourne are known for throughout the golfing world, Justin underestimated the break, only to see his ball pass the hole on the low side.

With a sense of surprise, Bruce was warmly congratulated by the follower’s watching greenside, and Justin too was acknowledged for his fine play throughout his 2-matches.

Both players were a little disheartened that they were unable to play any more holes of the composite course, however that didn’t stop the course ‘tour’ as we all walked back to the clubhouse via the magical holes of 4 and 16 on the East. Again, admiring the pin-placements, this time on 4, and what may have been if the match had continued on.

Back in the clubhouse, presentations were succinctly given, with Bruce, as worthy winner representing the other Royal club of Melbourne, modestly stating that he had made his first pars on Royal Melbourne, as well as his first birdie! No doubt, finishing his campaign with another solid Par against Justin will bring him back next year as defending champion.

And make no mistake, if he plays anywhere near as well as what was witnessed on the majestic course of Royal Melbourne over his 12-holes, he will have his name inscribed again on the President Trophy. Unless a few kilos are put under his saddle!

To conclude: As my playing partner stated during our round, to come and play this premier course is worth the drive he made on the previous night, forgoing his game on another fine links, at Port Fairy. There are many reasons why Royal Melbourne has hosted the numerous championships that it has, and we as members of the GSA had the privilege to experience this first-hand in the lead-up to the Australian Open.

Well done to all who entered, and we look forward to a full booking-sheet next year to those wishing to savor the delights of this links, whilst playing this quirky event, attempting to hinder Bruce on his back-to-back.

The Golf Society gives thanks to the Royal Melbourne GC for their generous hospitality which ensured a successful and enjoyable day.

Mango Maguire

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 

Golf Society members and guests enjoyed a ‘double-header’ hickory day at the delightful Frankston Golf Club on Thursday 22nd May. Friendships and connections that hickory golf seems to foster so well were renewed and formed as 21 golfers enjoyed 18 holes of stableford play over the historic course. The course has changed little since its 9 holes were laid out in 1913 by Melbourne-born pioneer professional Richard Shaw (Dick) Banks, and so is a perfect venue for hickory play.

The day was the scene for two concurrent events. In the first, a team of 11 players was selected to represent Australia in the 2nd annual Hickory Golf Test Match, which pits Australia against our traditional sporting rivals England to compete for the ‘Hickory Ashes’. One day after our hickory day at Frankston, the England team played its event at Royal North Devon Golf Club, in the south-west of England.

England won the first Test in 2024, and this year the Australian team wrested back the trophy. The best 10 cards from each First XI were added to create the team scores. Australia scored a creditable 305 points at Frankston, bettering the England team’s total of 274 points at Royal North Devon.

Andrew Thomson was the standout player for the Australians. Andrew carded 44 stableford points, followed by Kim Hastie and Ian Weir both with 33 points.

RND is a course with even more history than Frankston. It is the oldest golf course in England (not Scotland, or course), and was laid out in 1864 by old Tom Morris. The course is on the Northam Burrows, a large area of common (or public) land near Westward Ho! on the northern coast of Devon. Being common land, the golfers share the links with walkers and ramblers, and sheep and ponies graze over the land with fences taped around the greens to keep off the livestock.

At Frankston, the other 12 golfers played a regular Hickory Heroes monthly event on a day of mild autumn weather. Two newcomers to hickory, Ancel Greenwood and Marcus Lancaster, were welcome additions to the field, and Ancel scored 35 points off a handicap of 9 in just his second-ever game with the antique clubs. All players enjoyed post-game drinks and snacks over conversation in the Frankston club room.

The Golf Society is very grateful to Frankston Golf Club president Ross Eddy and the committee for permission to play on their delightful course.

                        Commonwealth Golf Club – Guest speaker is member Andrew Thomson 

                                           ‘Professional Golf – Old, New, and From The Inside.’
                     A perspective from Peter’s son who is a student of professional golf’s history