Warburton Golf Club members (from left) Dick Leith, Joan Spencer, Ron Neilsen, Jaqui Hall and Reverend David Waters, pay tribute at the Tree of Remembrance.By Kath Gannaway
A GIANT sequoia at Warburton Golf Club will stand as a tribute to passed members of the club.
Club members gathered on Wednesday, 28 January for the dedication of a Tree of Remembrance, before taking to the greens for a nostalgic round.
Founding member Dick Leith gave a brief history of the club and paid tribute to those who had the vision to purchase the land some 40 years ago.
He said it was first offered for sale in 1965 when plans were made to turn it from a nine-hole course into an 18-hole course.
The club had no money at that stage and it was purchased privately. In 1972 it was leased to the Warburton Golf Club and six years later the club was again offered the chance to buy the course.
Mr Leith said the asking price was $228,000. “We had hell’s own job buying this,” he said. “But I reckon it was well worth it.”
In 1993 the original clubhouse burnt down, but club members turned a disaster into a triumph with the opening two years later of a modern, spacious new clubhouse. Club president Ron Neilsen said names which were so familiar to the town – Mayer, Walker, Martyr, Singer, Proctor, Bartlett and many others, were among those to whom the Tree of Remembrance was dedicated.
He said they drove the campaign to buy the course.
“As a result we are the inheritors and the custodians of a club purchased by the members, owned by the members and for the members,” he said.
He said the Tree of Remembrance honoured those who had the foresight to look ahead.
“These people took up the fight, not for any reward or glory, nor for vain recognition, but simply doing what they thought was right for their community.”
Mr Neilson said because there were too many members to name, the club made the decision to honour those who had gone before.
“This 100-year-old sequoia is a fitting tribute,” he said.
Reverend David Waters, a club member, dedicated and blessed the tree and the remembrance board was unveiled by club presidents Jaqui Hall and Ron Neilsen.
