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Apr 17

VALE Richard (Dick) Kirby OAM

By 2026, News
Dear Members,
It is with sadness that I advise of the passing of longtime Golf Society member Richard (Dick) Kirby, aged 88 years.
He served as Treasurer of the Golf Society of Australia for 10 years, a committee member from 2000-2006, and elected as a life member in 2019.

Dick made a wonderful administrative and governance contribution within the Australian golf industry and to Victorian golf in particular, spanning over 50 years.First elected to the Victorian Golf Association (VGA) Council in 1982, Dick served for 25 years, ultimately being honoured with VGA life membership in 2007.

Within this involvement, he was Honorary Treasurer from 1989 – 1995 and again between 1999 – 2001, Vice President in 2001, President from 2002 – 2006. Dick served as Australian Golf Union Executive Committee delegate/Golf Australia Council member from 2000 – 2006.

Across the 25 years, Dick also served on multiple VGA Committees (including commissioning Garry Mansfield to author the Golf in Victoria history book when chair of the Journal, Media & Library Committee), chaired the Victorian Golf Foundation from 1999 -2013 and the Golf Employees Superannuation Trust from 1998 – 2012.

His connection to his beloved Spring Valley Golf Club commenced in the 1950’s and saw him ultimately serve on the Club Committee, including terms as Treasurer from 1970 -1975, Vice President in 1975 and then President from 1978. He was duly elected as a life member of Spring Valley for his service to the club.

For this outstanding contribution to golf, Dick received an Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2023 and was also inducted into the Victorian Golf Hall of Fame in the same year.

Dick was a friend to us all, a thorough gentleman with a passion for golf and will be sadly missed.

The Society sends its sincere condolences to Dick’s wife Janice, their son Andrew and the extended Kirby family.
                     A wake to celebrate Dick’s life will be held at Spring Valley Golf Club on Monday 27th April at 2pm   

Kim Hastie
President – Golf Society of Australia

Apr 17

VALE Dr Tim Gale

By News

Dear Society,

It is with sadness I advise the passing of Dr Tim Gale a long-time member the Golf Society and 65-year Peninsula Kingswood member

Tim served for many years as a VGA Councillor and a Golf Australia National Rules referee

Outside his contribution to golf, Tim was a much loved and highly respected Rotarian.

We send our sincere condolences to Tim’s wife Elaine and his extended family

Kim Hastie

President Golf Society of Australia

Mar 28

Victorian Hickory Shaft Championships – Sunday 19 May – Barwon Heads Golf CLub

By Events, News, 2024

The inaugural Victorian Hickory Shaft Championship has been run and won on the wonderful links of Barwon Heads Golf Club on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.

After a couple of successful events at Barwon Heads GC, in the past two years, we thought it appropriate to hold the 2024 Championship there.

John Trevorrow reports ..

A big field of 33 golfers turned the clock back a century competing in the Victorian Hickory Shaft Championship at historic Barwon Heads GC on May 19th.
This inaugural championship, organised by the GSA, brought together entrants from Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania to the historic coastal links laid out by J. Victor East in 1921.
The championship was contested in 18 holes of stroke play on a cool, windy Sunday with scudding clouds that delivered a brief shower.

Conditions were challenging for scoring and just three of the 33 players were able to beat 90 off the stick. The men’s 2024 champion is Harry Green from Kingston Heath with 86. Women’s 2024 champion is GSA president Kim Hastie from Metropolitan GC with 111. Runners-up were Bendigo GC’s Justin Ryan on 89 countback, and Truda Rail from Strathfield GC on 114.
Winners in the handicap division were Matthew Delahunty from Spring Valley with 74 nett, and Truda Rail 88 nett.
The inaugural championship was marked by a great spirit of camaraderie, new and renewed friendships and a shared enthusiasm for hickory golf.

We give thanks to Barwon Heads for their wonderful hospitality and wish the club all the best with the clubhouse redevelopment

More images from the event can be found in the Gallery page

Women’s & Men’s Victorian Hickory Shaft Champions Kim Hastie and Harry Green

Women’s Runner Up & Nett Winner Truda Rail with GSA President Kim Hastie

Matthew Delahunty Men’s Nett winner with Champion Harry Green

The previous day several players enjoyed the Par 3 course on a gorgeous Autumn afternoon some finishing as the sun was setting

Dec 20

VALE – David Kelso

By News

The Golf Society is sad to report the passing of member David Kelso on 14th December.
David held memberships at UK golf clubs Bryn Meadows and Celtic Manor from 1983 -2001 and in that time had a successful Pennant career as a Team Captain and Manager of several teams.
He was accomplished hickory player and a regular at the hickory days held at Frankston Golf Club where he was a member.

Our thoughts are with his wife Candida and family.

Nov 05

39th Annual General Meeting deferred to February 2021

By News

Dear Members,

We hope you are well and enjoying a little more freedom and a return to the fairways.

As regional Victoria and Metropolitan Melbourne begins to slowly open up, we have
begun some planning towards how best we can manage the remainder of the year.

The Society is reliant on access to golf courses and their clubhouses to run their
events.

The restrictions in place around competition golf, visitor access and indoor gathering
numbers affect our ability to run an event successfully if at all, and so it seems likely we will have to make some hard decisions re the postponed events.

Whilst still hopeful of some small golf days later in the year we have decided to defer
the

2020 AGM and Doug Bachli Trophy till mid-February 2021
(date to be confirmed)

As restrictions ease further in the next few weeks and it is clearer what we can do
then hopefully we may be able get some dates locked in.

President, Graeme Ryan
and Committee

October 2020

Aug 24

GSA President’s Message

By News

Dear Golf Society members,

I hope everyone is well and keeping busy during this difficult time.

As you are aware, Stage 4 has really affected our ability to run the many scheduled functions and events. Although disappointing, you will agree our situation is minor compared to the difficult times and sadness the pandemic has brought to many people.

If you have been touched by these terrible times, we are thinking of you.

Your committee is hopeful of running the postponed events, but as the year goes on, and clubs are finalising their own events, it will become more difficult. However, the clubs involved have indicated they will accommodate us as best can.

We will maintain communications with them, and when the situation becomes clearer in mid-September, we will keep you informed.

We value our members, appreciate your understanding, hope you enjoyed the recent newsletter and are following our Facebook page.

Stay safe everyone, and to our metropolitan Victorian members that cannot play golf, we certainly have plenty to watch on television.

Graeme Ryan

President.
August 2020