GOLF COURSES OF SUTHERLAND SHIRE

CRONULLA GOLF COURSE

Prior to the creation of Cronulla Golf Course golf had been played on the flat sandy lands from Cronulla Hotel, down and across Elouera Road then back along the beach side of Elouera Road. The Cronulla Hotel had became a handy 19th hole and unofficial clubhouse where early records were kept in a cupboard beneath the stairs and golfers could change their attire and leave their clubs. Mr and Mrs Thomas, host and hostess of the hotel, had become recent converts to the game.

In 1921 under the guidance of Mr Lance Giddings an influential group of 93 golfers and sportsmen negotiated for a valuable 170 acres of land adjoining Beach Park Estate with the aim of establishing a golf course and clubhouse.

Mr Fred Popplewell, member of the PGA and Mr. F. T. O’Brien, the green keeper, laid out the first nine (9) hole course which was duly built and completed by Arthur Rickard & Co. on forty five acres of land and was in play by December. A large cottage was then used as the clubhouse.

A Secretary, Mr W. Edwards, was appointed and wages were paid to the greenkeeper and a care-taking couple. In May1922 the course was fenced to deal with wandering cattle and the greens extended to conform with the metropolitan courses.

The official opening of Cronulla Golf Club took place on 15th December 1923. Sir William Vickers, a prominent businessman and manufacturer officiated and became the club's first Life Member. His donated cup, to be awarded annually was first won by Father Hawe, Cronulla's first Catholic priest. President of the club was Mr. Frederick L. Langdon, Captain T. Allen. The club now had a membership of 93.

Two years later Women’s golf commenced in 1925. The Associate President was A. Robinson and the Captain D. Beatty.

With the purchase of a further 50 acres of adjoining swamp land from Frank Cridland in the early 1940's and subsequent formation of Cronulla Golf Club Limited in1946 a further 9 holes was extended gradually with the help of many working bees and the 18th was finally completed in 1957.

From 1948 a full time Secretary and a Golf Professional (possibly Ron Spring) were appointed. A new clubhouse was completed in 1969.

The 1970 Endeavour Masters Tournament held over four days at Cronulla Golf Club was the largest private professional golf purse of $10,000 ever held by an Australian Club. Many Australian and overseas golfers played in the event which was won by Englishman Guy Wolstenholme (1931-1984)

In 1998 and 1999 The Toyota Southern Golf Classic, a Pro-am tournament, was played in conjunction with neighbouring Woolooware Golf Club. The first year final at Cronulla was won by Jarrod Moseley.

Golf Professionals

Edward “Ted” Barnes 1923, Harry Sinclair 1928, Ron Spring, Tom Gorman, Ian Brander, Clive Johnson and since about 1991, Col Arnold.  In 2021 husband and wife team Mark and Cheri (Byrnes) Alison have become the professionals."

WOOLOOWARE GOLF CLUB

The idea of a Municipal Golf Club was first mentioned to the Shire Clerk at Sutherland in a 1945 letter by the Auctioneer and Real Estate Agent C.J.Munro of Cronulla. In 1950 Sutherland Shire Council proceeded with the resumption of some 56 acres of land which included the site of a 36 acre dairy run by returned soldiers and a laundry which had been constructed by Mr D. R. Burrell.

During June 1946 Mr C. J. Munro had engaged and paid for a plan designed by Mr James Scott, Course Architect and Professional. It was largely these plans which were used for the various stages of the golf course construction.

In 1952 further areas were acquired to bring the total holdings to 100 acres for the formation of an 18 hole golf course.

Initially 9 holes were completed and in December 1954 Council issued a Public Notice that Council's Golf Course was now opened to the public. The official opening took place 2nd April 1955 and among the dignitaries was Mr. E. G. Whitlam (later Prime Minister). In April 1956 Caringbah Social Golf Club was selected by Council to conduct an 18 hole Jubilee Golf Tournament to celebrate the Sutherland Shire Silver Jubilee. Some of the top amateurs of the day participated.

Further upgrades and new works saw the course extended to 15 holes, an official opening conducted by President of Sutherland Shire Council, Mr J. A. Dwyer taking place on 27th September 1958. The John Dwyer Shield played between Woolooware and Cronulla Golf Clubs is still an annual event.

Golf Architect Mr Al Howard was retained by Council to assist when the final fairways were constructed and involved the filling in of the rubbish tip and the landscaping of a number of natural waterways. The now completed 18 holes course was opened by the Shire President Cr K. Bates on 8th May 1965.

Six local social clubs namely Caringbah Social Golf Club, Sutherland Social Golf Club, Jenola Social Golf Club, Sutherland RSL and Armco Social Club met with Council regarding the formation of an official Club to be known as Sutherland Shire Golf Club. 250 members of these clubs were given priority and a further 152 membership applications had been received before the meeting had dispersed. An interim committee was formed on 1st April 1957 with seven Founding Members from the Social Group Committee. These were Ron Elliott, Bob Lang, Keith Edgar, Bob Baynes, Merv Bruce, Alan Carver and I. McPherson. Competion golf began in July 1957. The first clubhouse was an old garage which was donated by Council. The name changed to Woolooware Golf Club on 31st May 1958.

In 1955 a meeting was held under a large tree near the first tee and The Sutherland Shire Associates Social Golf Club was formed. Thirteen ladies attended, Kath Law, Norma Pescud, Robbie Fletcher, Mabs Turner, Aileen Griffiths, Sylvia Ford, Kath Brown, Lila Graham, Marj Lewis, Nora Tighe, Dorothy Smith and Nancy Barlow. Kath Law was elected President, Kath Brown Captain, Lila Graham Secretary, Aileen Griffiths Treasurer and Committee members Messers Ford, Lewis, Tighe and Brown.

Following affiliation with the State governing body "The NSW Ladies Golf Union", the Sutherland Shire Associates Golf Club commenced in 1957 and the name Woolooware Golf Club was adopted in 1958.

It was due to the combined efforts of Woolooware Golf Pro Barry Bent and member Michael Bennett of Toyota to raise funds for worthy charities in the Sutherland Shire that the Southern Golf Classic evolved. Following the withdrawal of Cronulla GC in 2000, Woolooware GC continued on with the annual event and produced many winners, such as Scott Hend, and Marc Leishman.

Woolooware GC was one of the first to introduce women to the Board of Directors and it may be the only golf club in Australia to have women as concurrent President and Captain. Shirley Herbert has been President since 2012 and Leanne Nowak Captain 2017-2021.

Golf Professionals

Ron Spring Head Pro 1955-1962, Assistant Professionals Don Gray, Billy See Hoe and later Geoff Gough.

Geoff Gough worked part time during 1959 then became Head Pro in 1962 a post he held for 18 years until his retirement in 1980. His assistant Pro's were Charlie Gorman and Barry Bent

Barry Bent as a youngster made pocket money from finding golf balls in the Woolooware Golf Course creeks then as caddy for Don Gray before becoming an apprentice to him from 1960 to 1964 when Don became head pro at Liverpool Golf Course. Barry became a member of the PGA and from 1964 played the Australian New Zealand circuits. Barry was Assistant Pro to Geoff Gough 1970-1976 before taking up the post of Head Pro at Kareela Golf Club. He returned to Woolooware in 1980 following Geoff Gough's retirement. Barry's Assistant Pro's have included Brad Dawson, Steve Reed, Paul Habgood, Ian Jones, Neil Kerry, Jackson Chen and Christian Small.

Barry featured among Golf Australia's top 50 coaches and was named PGA teacher of the year in 1999.  His achievements include teaching some State and Australian PGA tour professionals such as Lucas Parsons, Mathew Giles, Aaron Price, Ewan Porter, Carrie Butler and Sarah Kemp. He was tournament Director of the Toyota Southern Golf Classic which became a Von Nida Tour event and heads the Woolooware Golf Academy which includes the Schweppes Junior Programme and the Endeavour Sports School Golf programme.

Adam Short has been Assistant Professional since about 2013. Prior to that he had been Pro at the Kurnell golf driving range

Bradley Ulph has been associated with Woolooware for about 15 years and is currently (2020) Director of Golf at Woolooware Golf Club

KAREELA GOLF CLUB

Kareela Golf Club had its origins as Salisbury Golf Course in the early 1960’s on the site of reclaimed Crown land near the Georges River. A meeting between the club and Sutherland Shire Council in 1969 saw approval given for Salisbury Golf Club to construct and manage the course and by mid 1970 nine holes were in play. The original club house and pro shop was operated out of a tin shed. An official opening by Councillor A. T. Gietzelt took place in September 1970.  A further nine holes were ready to play in December 1970 and an official opening was undertaken on 4 July 1971 by the then Minister for Lands the Hon. T. L. Lewis.  The clubhouse was opened in 1974 by Mr E. G. Whitlam. Unfortunately by 1976 financial difficulties had been experienced and the club went in to receivership. Sutherland Shire Council had been paying the Receiver for the proshop rent but declined buying the clubhouse building. Fortunes turned and by 1977 the club traded itself out of receivership to become Kareela Golf Club in 1978.

Unfortunately the honour boards for Salisbury Golf Club have been lost but Kareela Club President for 1977-1981 was H. McDonald, Captain R. Larnach1977-1978, Associate President D. King 1977-1978 and Captain J. Bugden 1977-1980.

Golf professionals at Salisbury/Kareela were Charlie Gorman then Barry Bent from 1976 to December 1979 followed by Richard Beer from 1980. Aaron Davis, Shaun O’Toole and Glen Dick followed. Professional golfers Aaron Price and Matt Jones came through Kareela GC in their junior days.

In December 2017 Moorebank Sports Club and Kareela Golf and social Club amalgamated to form Sporties @ Kareela Golf and in January 2020 The Cronulla Sharks League Club purchased the golf club and its surrounding land totalling over 12000 square metres. As of July 2020 it is known as Sharkies at Kareela Golf Club.

CAPTAIN COOK PAR 3, SYLVANIA

In the 1950’s the land belonged to Mr. J. Stevens who, in the 1960’s made application to extend his second hand spare parts business at the rear of his property. This was denied and the land was subsequently zoned to become green belt and Country Road development. Developed from 1979 into the 1980’s on 15 acres (6.07ha) of what became the Department of Main Road F3 corridor the course was initially the brain child of Sutherland Shire residents Don Huxley and Ross Unicombe. The nine hole course was initially named Pitch & Putt Golf Course then Captain Cook Golf Course. Shortly after opening it suffered immense damage from a flood and the lease was then taken up by golf professional Wayne Riley when it was known as Wayne Riley’s Par Three Golf Course.  At one stage the only short course golf school in NSW was conducted there.  About 2004 Brad Smith took over the lease from Riley. This picturesque course at Sylvania is now named Sylvania Par 3 Golf and Soccer.

THE RIDGE GOLF COURSE

The Ridge, as it has become known, forms part of the Sutherland Shire Council’s sporting facility at Barden Ridge on what was once 104 hectares of Waste Services land. The land had previously belonged to Alfred Barden, a Bangor pioneer during the 1850’s.

Work commenced on the James Wilcher design at the Ridge in 2000 with the first nine being completed in 2009 and the eighteen by 2013. It was officially opened 27 May 2013 by the then Premier of NSW the Hon. Barry O’Farrell.

A number of teaching professionals have assisted in the course development and in 2018 Gary Booby was named PGA (Professional Golf Association) management professional of the year for his work as general manager at The Ridge Golf Course and Driving Range.

Currently (2020) Dan Goodes, Member of the PGA Canada is head teaching professional assisted by Simon Gough, Glen Dick, Wayne Spruce, Shane Puckett, Warwick Dews and Tammy Wong

It is now enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors and claims 52,000 rounds of golf played in its first year.

Kate Anderson, Member BBFHS