The latest news and views about the Trentham Golf Club.
Graeme Smith wins Arthur Moloney Trophy
Graeme Smith was the winner of the 2024 Arthur Moloney trophy, played as a Stableford round on March 23.
Graeme scored an outstanding 43 points, to win by a single point from Trevor McKeon on 42 points. Graeme Wright was third in the trophy with 40 points.
Vale Jim McCormack
Trentham's much loved Life Member Jim McCormack died in hospital on Thursday March 21 at the age of 86. Jim was an absolute institution at Trentham after joining the club over 60 years ago. He was the longest-serving Trentham member.
Jim had many years as a committee member, and served on a number of occasions as President and Captain. He was the club handicapper in the days before GolfLink, diligently changing numbers on the handicap board after every event. He was the membership officer at the same time.
He will always be remembered for his gentlemanly nature, friendliness and his tireless work for the club. He was very generous, supporting many club projects and sponsoring events and trophies, especially for women.
Jim was still playing golf every Thursday and Saturday until this year, and even up to three weeks ago occupied what seemed like a permanent chair in the clubhouse ... helping on the finishing and starting desks for our competitions. We will miss his copperplate script on the trophy vouchers.
In 2022 Jim achieved his second hole-in-one (pictured), over 45 years after his first!
Jim was also a life member and former Captain of the Spring Hill CFA, for whom he served in a tireless capacity for many years. He sold his large property at Spring Hill, around the shores of the Coliban Reservoir, a few years ago, and while he moved to live in Kyneton he still travelled to Trentham for golf. He was also the last student to attend Spring Hill Primary School No.1906 before it closed in 1951.
His funeral was held on Wednesday April 3 at 1:30 pm in the Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, Kyneton, followed by burial at the Kyneton Cemetery. CFA members and Trentham Golf Club members formed a guard of honour outside the church.
Men's Singles Knockout final
The 2024 Trentham Men's Singles Knockout matchplay final was completed in very warm conditions on Saturday March 9th.
Playing off a handicap of 15, Kevin Sheedy (right) was the 3 and 2 winner against Liam Murray (8). This is the second time Kevin has won the championship.
Congratulations to both players for making the final.
Trentham Mixed Matchplay trophy presented
Life member Neil Rothe (left) returned to the club on Saturday January 13th to present the Rothe Mixed Matchplay trophy to the winners, Alison Borchers and Simon Ovenden. The final was played in December, where Alison and Simon defeated Julie Hanson and Colin Wilson 1 up.
The trophy was initiated by life members Judy and Neil Rothe to add a mixed matchplay event to the trophy cabinet. The fine trophy is made by renowned silversmiths Flynn's of Kyneton. Judy Rothe, a long time stalwart of the club, passed away in 2022.
Bob Dobinson presented with life membership
Trentham's former greenkeeper for 34 years, Bob Dobinson (right), received his life membership medallion from President Keith Webster at a presentation after the competition on Saturday January 13th. Bob was elected to life membership of the Club at the Annual General Meeting on December 9th.
A win for Linda
Saturday November 4 was the final day of the women's 54-hole Club Championships.
The women's club champion for 2023 is Linda Marchesi (left) with scores of 81, 88, 82 for a total of 251. She was followed closely by Terri O'Callaghan on 255.
The winner of B Grade was Caroline Johnston on 278, with Veronica Maher runner-up on 299. Anthea Leary won C Grade on 309.
Veronica Maher won the veterans championship and Carolyn Garvey won the net score for the championship with 218
Robin Wilson wins Men's Club Championship
After 72 holes, Robin Wilson (74, 76, 75, 72= 297) is the 2023 Trentham Men's Club Champion. This is the third time Robin (right) has won the championship. David Thiele was the runner-up with 308. Simon Ovenden, who was the leader after the third round by one stroke, had to withdraw due to work commitments.
Paul Kenton-Barnes won B Grade with 344, and in C Grade the winner was Rob Ellis with 369.
In the Handicap section, John Bell won A Grade with a nett score of 285. Bob Penrose won B Grade with 286, and Trevor McKeon won C Grade on 286.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Jason Lock wins Men's 36-hole Open
The field of 73 golfers exchanged shorts and sun hats for wet weather gear in the Men's 36-hole Open, the ultimate event in the Trentham Annual Tournament. The warm sunshine from the previous day in the tournament changed overnight to persistent drizzly showers and cold southerly winds, relieved by some fine blue-sky breaks.
The 36-hole Open winners were Jason Lock (Gisborne, right), who won the scratch with 72-71=143, and George Theoharis (Trentham, left) who won the handicap trophy off 5 with 73-69=142.
Thanks to arxada wood protection Trentham for their continuing long-term sponsorship of the day and their sponsorship of the nearest-the-pin on the 2nd hole. Thanks to the other nearest-the-pin sponsors throughout the tournament: Trentham and District Community Bank, Wombat Hill House and Concrete Collaborative, and to Drummond Golf Niddrie for sponsoring the (unclaimed) hole-in-one prize of $250.
Thanks also to our greens staff for course preparation, the Karen and the Birdie Kitchen for the wonderful food all week, and all the volunteers who helped during the whole tournament with starting fields, compiling results and helping in the bar.
We are already looking forward to and planning next year's tournament from October 21 to 27, 2024.
Record fields in teams events
Teams and pairs events feature strongly in Trentham's Annual Tournament. This year excellent fields of 120 players or more participated in the Fourball Stableford, 4-person Ambrose and the American Foursomes.
Terri scoops the pool in Women's Open
Trentham's Terri O'Callaghan scooped the pool in the 2023 Trentham Women's Open, held as part of tournament week on Thursday October 19. Terri scored 80-14=66 and won both A Grade and the Harry Barton perpetual trophy for the best handicap score of the day.
Kaylene Cruise from Lancefield Golf Club was the winner of B Grade with 95-25=70 net. The winner of C Grade was Helen Beattie from Hamilton Golf Club with 97-30=67.
Nearest the pins were 2nd Andrea Ray (Thirteenth Beach), 5th Tania Cullinane (Hamilton), 13th Anne Robinson (Lancefield) and 15th Wendy Godson (Romsey).
The Women's Open has been sponsored by Tradeswool Kyneton for many years and we thank them for their ongoing support.
2023 Trentham Senior Amateur finishes on a high
Men's scratch winner Chris Tatt (left) and women's scratch winner Maria Clarke (right), with Community Bank Trentham and District manager Edyta Wyatt.
Trentham's Senior Amateur, a Golf Australia Senior Order of Merit event, was completed today with 58 golfers playing the second round. The fine and sunny conditions were much better than the first round, played yesterday in showers and a cold wind.
In the Men's Scratch, Chris Tatt from Buninyong Golf Club was the winner with 73-71=144, from Greg Welsh (Colac Golf Club) on 148, and Ian McCleary (Kooringal Golf Club) and Neville Brady (Murray Downs Golf Club), both on 151.
The Men's Handicap was won by Greg Welsh (Colac) on 136, from Gary House (Sanctuary Lakes) and John Wilson (Yarrawonga), both on 143.
The Women's Scratch Stableford went to Maria Clarke (Huntingdale Golf Club) with 47 points, on a countback from Lisa Caines (Trentham Golf Club) with the same score. Terri O'Callaghan (Trentham Golf Club) was close on 45 points.
The Women's Stableford was a very close all-local affair decided by countback. Trentham's Carolyn Garvey (73 points) won on a 4-way countback from Lisa Caines, Terri O'Callaghan and Jenny Cutter.
Thanks to our wonderful local Community Bank Trentham and District for their valuable sponsorship, providing prize vouchers to be spent at local Trentham businesses.
Price rises effective October 1
The Trentham Golf Club has always tried to provide an affordable, quality golfing experience and we haven't raised our green fees for several years.
However, in the last few years there have been huge inflationary rises in the cost of everything, from wages, fuel and power through to equipment maintenance and servicing, insurance, fertilisers, tree maintenance, Golf Australia affiliation fees and council rates. The club has no option but to increase green fees and other charges. We regret any price rises, but we are simply not able to hold our current prices any longer.
From October 1, the following price rises will apply:
Green fees | New price |
Adult 18 holes | $45 |
Adult 9 holes | $30 |
Junior 18 holes | $15 |
Junior 9 holes | $10 |
7-day green fee pass | $475 |
5-day green fe pass | $350 |
Access membership | $150 |
Singles Matchplay Championships decided
The Trentham men's and women's Singles Matchplay Championships have been completed for 2023.
In the women's final, Caroline Johnston outlasted Jenny Clarke in a tight match to win 3 and 2 on the 16th. The men's final went down to the wire, with Shane Robinson hitting a great recovery from over the back of the 18th green to par the hole and defeat Colin Wilson 1 up.
Congratulations to both Caroline and Shane for their wins in these prestigious board events.
Our picture shows Shane (left) and Colin (right) after their final.
Hepburn team wins Trentham Falls Plate
In breezy but fine conditions, an excellent field of 80 women played in the Trentham Falls Plate on Friday September 1. It was great to host so many women in the event and everyone really enjoyed the day.
The Trentham Falls Plate winners were Julie Azzopardi, Tarn Kruger and Sue Howard (right) from Hepburn Golf Club with 88 points. The Falls Plate runners-up were Juli Bestwick, Rebecca Humphryis and Linda Busbridge from Altona Lakes with 85 points.
Two years on
June 9th marked two years on from the intense storm that devastated our course and the surrounding Trentham area. Local members suffered damage to their homes. And few people who sheltered in their homes that night envisaged what was happening on the course. Seventy-five large trees were blown over, fences damaged and our practice nets destroyed. The course was closed for nearly two months before it was playable again.
Looking back and two years down the track, the efforts of our greens staff, club members, visiting green keepers and contractors have achieved a wonderful outcome. While a few signs are still visible around the course in the form of a few remaining fallen trees and timber piles in the rough, and mulch piles where trees once stood, the course is fully playable and back to its best.
It's an ill wind that doesn't blow some good, and the course has improved in some areas. As examples, the 2nd and 12th greens have more sunlight and better grass health with fewer tall trees shading them from the north. The 12th hole is much better without the two large gum trees overhanging the fairway on the left hand side of the approach. The 14th hole has been opened up with fewer trees down the left side and the removal of the large eucalypt near the 15th tee. Our new and much improved practice nets are currently under construction.
Two years down the track the club would like to thank everyone who has helped either by giving time, expertise or financial contributions. It demonstrates what can be achieved by community effort and good organisation, motivated by a love of the club and the course.
Become a volunteer
Trentham Golf Club has developed a new volunteer program to assist in course maintenance and improvement. The aim is to maintain and improve Trentham's reputation for course condition and playability, and to make the course even better for members and visitors. There are four work areas covered by the volunteer program: mowing, gardening, sand and bin run, and woodcutters.
Stay in credit!
Trentham introduced the competition credits system in 2020 as a response to Covid-19 lockdowns. Along with the usage of timesheets, it was designed to eliminate cash payments, and to allow players to compete in competitions even when the clubhouse was closed. In fact, because of the non-contact and social distancing nature of the system, the club was permitted by the Victorian Department of Health to conduct "virtual" competitions even when other sporting competitions were banned across Victoria.
The competition system has been so successful, popular and administratively useful that it will continue as a standard feature of club competition organisation.
The advantages of the credits system are:
- Members can book into competitions at a wide variety of start times from early morning until 12.30pm. The previous limits were removed.
- Members don't need to bring cash every week
- The need for someone volunteering on the starter's desk is removed.
- Cash deposits at the bank are eliminated.
- Administration of the system is easier, without difficult and time-consuming reconciliations.
Participating in the system is easy. Paypal or credit cards are used to buy credits online. Members pre-purchase credits for play, and every time they play in a competition one credit is deducted from their balance (three credits for Access members). When their balance reaches zero, they receive an automated reminder e-mail to buy more.
Please remember when using the "Buy credits" form, to enter your full 10-digit GolfLink number. Hit the "Tab" key after number entry and your name and current credits will appear in the next fields (see image). If you don't do this, your purchase may not work. Then you can go on to purchasing more credits to top up your balance.
Photo comparison 1946 to now: what a change!
Trentham Golf Club was first formed in 1937. The club commenced by leasing land for a 9-hole course on land owned by the Trentham Co-operative Society. In October 1949, the club purchased all the land owned by the Co-operative Society and over 60 years has developed the course we have today.
To compare what the course looked like in 1946 to what it looks like today, click the link below. The historic aerial photo from 1946 shows the Trentham Co-operative Society's yards and slaughterhouse just forward of the 4th tee among the large cypress trees, most of which still exist. The club's sand greens show as white dots, some in the same place as today's greens. Some trees existed in 1949, such as those around the 15th tee, the large Manna gum on the hill on the corner of the 16th, and some roadside trees. But nearly all trees on the course, native and exotic, have been planted since the land was purchased in 1949.