By Ian Callen
Stowed away in the holds of ships arriving from the “Old Country” where the ancient implements needed to play the game of golf and thanks to the efforts of a few wealthy members of the Union Club in Sydney the Australian Golf Club was formed in March 1882 and the game grew.
Then on the 2nd of May 1891 the Melbourne Golf Club, now Royal Melbourne Golf Club, was formed. Two months later (July 4th 1891) the Captain of the Melbourne Golf Club attended the official opening of the Geelong course. Appearing resplendent in his official club uniform, Scarlet coat with guilt buttons knickerbockers and a Tam O’Shanter, the latter in recognition of the strong influence of Scottish golfers in the early years of the sport in Australia and it was with no sense of occasion during the Captain’s round, that a cow swallowed his ball.
The first recorded evidence of the game in Healesville came in the early 20th century. The Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian, referred to a golf links at Penlea Guest House on St. Leonards Road and later at Mrs Wilson‘s Airlie Road Guest House in 1910.
The local newspaper thought it was timely to write a few words on how the game is played and proceeded to go into great detail.
“As not everyone, in Healesville or Yarra Glen knows exactly what golf (this simplest of games) is”.
Some locals took up the challenge wishing to form a golf club more central to the township.
A meeting summoned by Mr Sydney Bradshaw was held in the Shire Hall in July 1910 to establish The Healesville Golf Club.
At this inaugural meeting, Miss Eliza McAuley, the owner of Wildwood Guest House was elected president. This was not because Miss McAuley was a golfer or even particularly interested in the sport but principally because she made available a 15 acre block of land she owned on the Farnham estate (in the present Farnham – Auburn roads area) for the use as part of the links… at a peppercorn (token) rent to supplement an area in the recreation reserve (now Queens Park) where the Healesville Golf Club would play.
Clearly a great deal of work needed to be done to make the available land suitable for a golf course, as the park itself was very rough in parts; the grass long and cattle grazed in some sections of it. McAuley’s block had been described as a “tussocky flat area” with a gradual rise at the rear. There were bushes, birks and braes, trees, ditches and all kinds of hazards could be found.
It was an understatement for the newspaper to suggest; “A little judicious clearing is necessary hereabout”.
In the meantime, anxious to get matters underway, while the grounds were being made ready and contrary to the long held local understanding; “The Opening Day” 11th of November 1910” was not held at recreation reserve but at Penlea Guest House. The local newspaper reporter lauded, “The beautiful grounds set under the blackwoods beside the Watts (river) and placed at the disposal of the committee of the golf club by Messrs Blackburn and Constantine and Miss Platt and Mrs Blackburn, the present tenants. ”
Nearly 2 months earlier on 7 September 1910 the Argus reported that the Golf Links have now been opened at Healesville and rates to be paid by the visitors are 1/- a day, 2/6 a week, 5/- a month and an annual subscription of a Guinea for men or 10/6 for Ladies.
This story will continue in a series, more to come in part two.
