Next game: Woodford Sunday 05 June 2011.

Len Jones Memorial Trophy.

1940-2010

OH. BY THE WAY..JUST PUT ME DOWN FOR A ONE!!!

‘TWAS SEVENTY YEARS AGO TODAY
THAT CLARRIE’S DREAM BEGUN.
IT STARTED PRETTY SIMPLY, WHEN
HE GOT SOME HOLES – IN –ONE.

HE WAS JUST YER NORMAL GOLFING BLOKE,
SOMEONE LIKE YOU OR I,
WHO LOOKED FOR ANY OL’ EXCUSE,
TO GIVE A COURSE A TRY.

ASSEMBLED WITH HIM WERE SOME MATES,
TWENTY SEVEN SO THEY SAY,
WHO TEE’D UP AT THE SANDGATE COURSE,
ON THAT HISTORIC DAY.

IN SEVENTY YEARS THE GROUP’S GOT BIG,
AND GOLF’S BECOME A PASSION,
MANY HAVE MADE THAT EAGLE ONE,
WITH A SHOT THEY’D HAD TO FASHION.

NOW ANYONE WHO’S WORTH THEIR SALT,
HAS JOINED OUR MEMBERS’ ROLL,
THEY’LL TELL YOU ’BOUT THE SPECIAL DAY,
WHEN THEIR BALL WENT DOWN THE ‘OLE.

THEIR EYES LIGHTS UP, THEY GRITS THEIR TEETH,
THEY RELIVE THE MOMENT THROUGH,
THEY GRABS YER SLEEVE AS THEY TRACE THE SHOT,
THEY KNEW THEY’D STRUCK IT TRUE.

THEY’LL TELL YOU HOW THEY WATCHED IT GO
IT SEEMED A LITTLE TIGHT.
IT HIT THE GREEN, DROPPED IN THE HOLE
AND OUT OF BLOODY SIGHT.

NOW THERE’S WIVES AND HUSBANDS AS YA KNOW
WHO’LL SAY YER BLOODY MAD,
TO HIT A BLOODY LITTLE BALL
AROUND A BLOODY YARD!

TO CHASE IT ’ROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE,
YOU MUST BE JUST A FOOL.
TO HIT AND WALK, AND HIT AND WALK,
JUST TO PUT IT IN THE ’OLE!

FRUSTRATING AS THE GAME CAN BE
YOU CAN’T LEAVE IT ALONE,
‘SPECIALLY WHEN YOU’VE HIT THE BALL
AND HAD A HOLE –IN–ONE.

THIS QUEENSLAND CLUB, UNIQUE IN GOLF
TO OLD CLARRIE WE GIVE THANKS,
ALONG WITH OTHERS SO INSPIRED,
WHO’VE COME UP FROM OUR RANKS.

‘TIS TRADITION NOW WE FEEL
THAT’S BROUGHT US THROUGH THE YEARS,
THE HOLE-IN-ONE WE DREAMED ABOUT,
IS THE ENVY OF OUR PEERS.

THE WORST THING ABOUT THIS GAME,
JUST WHEN YOU’VE GOT IT LICKED,
IT JUMPS RIGHT UP AND BITES YOU BACK,
AND THEN YOU BLAME YER STICKS !

CLARRIE’S LEGACY TAUGHT US THAT
GOLF’S MORE THAN JUST A GAME,
IT’S ALSO MEETING MANY MATES,
ON COURSES TO BE TAMED.

WE’LL ALL RECALL THIS SPECIAL DAY,
OF FRIENDSHIP WHICH NEVER FAILS,
WHEN WE PLAYED HERE AS A FAMILY,
AT THIS GRAND OLD COURSE CALLED GAILES.

SEVENTY YEARS ? CAN THIS BE TRUE?
IT SURELY MAKES YOU THINK,
A PLATINUM ANNIVERSARY BASH
A HOLE-IN-ONE THE LINK!

AS THE YEARS ROLL ON, MORE
WILL JOIN OUR HALLOWED BAND,
AND KEEP THIS WONDEROUS CLUB OF OURS,
THE ENVY OF OUR LAND.

Thought up and written by John Tiplady 29th October 2000.
To celebrate The Hole-In-One Club of Queensland’s 60th birthday.
Updated and modified for our 70th Anniversary Year 27th March 2010.

The following ABC Radio broadcasts have just been added to our media section.

• ABC Radio Interview – Don Rule & John Tiplady – June 2007
• ABC Radio North Qld Interview – Nola Oultram – August 2009
• ABC Radio North Qld Interview – Charlie Earp – August 2009

Happy listening!

The sunny warm weekend of August 1 and 2, saw the arrival of Club President John Tiplady, together with two of the Club’s Committee Members, Steve Vardy and Ross McCloud.

The Townsville project was to help Townsville Golf Club to have a big weekend of golfing action, and to assist the North Queensland Junior Golfers in the pursuit of excellence in their skills.

Major Sponsor for the Events, was Marty Smith of The Sun Hotel, who also laid on a magnificent special dinner for everyone who attended, with large groups from Rowes Bay, and several other notable Golf Clubs in the Region. Bridgestone Golf also made a significant contribution to the weekend’s proceedings.

The Hole-In-One Club flew its Patron, the great Golf Coach Professional, Charlie Earp to Townsville for this important weekend.

Charlie had also arranged for former Queensland Golf Union CEO, Tony Rollins, and Greg Norman Foundation Executive PGA Professional, Angelo Bruniera, to assist in the Coaching Clinics for the more than 60 keen Juniors who arrived with their families from many miles around.

It goes without saying that everyone was in awe of the wonderful Coaching skills and advice which were conveyed to them by these VIP Visitors.

The programme of activities for this remarkable weekend, were organised by HIO Club Townsville Coordinator, Nola Oultram, and Townsville Golf Club Teaching Professional, Narelle Bundy Anderson.

ABC Radio broadcast interviews with Charlie Earp and Nola, and WIN TV and Ch.7 extensively filmed and broadcast News of this huge event.

After the Saturday Coaching Clinics, the Juniors had to compete in a 9Hole Shootout on the Sunday morning, the winner, Alex Keugler (9 hcp), to be flown down to play at the Australian PGA.

During Trophy Presentations, John Tiplady, presented a cheque from the Hole-In-One Club to Narelle Anderson, the Junior Golfers Organiser, to assist in the costs of getting young Alex down to the PGA at Coolum in December.

After the Juniors’ Event, 76 golfers with 15 HIOC Members among them, played in the Hole-In-One Club Competition of the day, with scores in the forties having the winning margins late in the day.

As if the weekend couldn’t get better, Shaun Moffs scored an Ace on the 167m, 8^th Hole, with an 8 Iron during the 18 Hole Competition!! This is his second Hole In One. Bravo.

Justin & John

John Tiplady met the Hole-In-One Club of Qld’s newest, and certainly youngest, Member, Justin Morley, aged 13.

He plays off a 21 Handicap, and is so keen on Golf, he practically lives and sleeps at the Course!

He scored his Ace whilst competing at the Junior Open Championship at Ingham on the 155m 10^th Hole, using a 4 Iron.

From what we all witnessed at Townsville, the standard of Junior Golf Players up North, has huge potential, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see many of their names on Leader Boards everywhere some day soon!!

Such was the success of the Townsville initiative, that we are set to do it again in 2010, which will be the Hole-In-One Club’s 70 th Birthday Year.

Two HIO Competitions left this year are Caboolture August 23^rd , and Gailes on November 8^th .

Related Media: ABC Radio North Qld interview – Nola Oultram – August 2009