IT’S appropriate that Wollongong Golf Club should host the Alex Lowe Trophy, an event for players using hickory-shafted clubs.
That’s because this popular layout is among the oldest in the state and dates back as far as 1897.
The event is named after Alex Lowe, who was one of the early professionals moving from The Australian Golf Club to Wollongong in 1921.
He later employed an assistant, Hec McKay, who went on to be the professional for 64 years.
Obviously there have been many changes at the South Coast (NSW) club since that momentous day on Friday, December 17,1897 when Sydney Golf Club members Leonard Dobbin, E.D. Hoben and Irving Kent travelled from Sydney with the materials required to construct holes, flags and teeing grounds at Wollongong.
With the assistance of the founding committee, a nine-hole links course was completed and the following afternoon an exhibition round was played marking the arrival of golf in Wollongong. Today, a true links-style 18-hole course stands alongside the beach, largely on the same site.
This year’s Alex Lowe Trophy received great media coverage by ABC TV Illawarra.
Presenter Sarah Moss interviewed several of the players and followed groups to capture some interesting shots.
KEEN TEAM: Wollongong Golf Club hosted some enthusiastic hickory-shafted golfers for the annual Alex Lowe trophy. Photo: Sarah Moss, ABC Illawarra.
The field featured many Wollongong members, experiencing hickory golf for the first time as well as some keen hickory players from Sydney.
The competition was played over 18 holes (stableford) in breezy conditions on a shortened course to simulate the play on the early links in 1897.
The net women’s winner was local Patrica Wilson (41pts) while Manly’s Dave Saunders (38pts) followed up his Australian Hickory Championship to win the men’s event.
Runners-up were Art Thomsen (38pts) and Pat Ellis (37pts), who travelled by public transport all the way from Nelson Bay on the lower North Coast!
The scratch event went to Kathy Every Burns and Australian Hickory Joint Champion Tim Sayers.
The Australian Golf Heritage Society provided hickory sets for a number of first-time players, while given the tough conditions, everyone agreed they had enjoyed the experience.
Organisers gave a vote of thanks Greg Thomsen, Aaron Kevers and the golf operations team at Wollongong GC and Les Browne from the Australian Golf Heritage Society for their assistance in putting the day together.
