The club was honoured to have its longest serving playing member Joe Thiele officially open the redesigned and remodelled 22nd hole.
Joe, 85, joined the club in 1955 and maintained his membership continuously, even when he headed west in the late 70s to the job of Chinchilla High School principal.
After a few words from General Manager Gavin Lawrence at the opening ceremony, and in front of a gallery of board members, as well as golfing mate John Willis, Joe shook off any nerves and smashed his drive straight down the middle of the lush new fairway.
He has been witness to the club’s substantial growth over the 67 years of his membership, to the emergence of champions like Peter Senior and John Senden, and to the design and development of the third nine, which he believes is “getting to be as good as the first nine”.
He said he was honoured to be chosen to christen the completed new hole, which is in top shape: “I was over the moon and a bit surprised to be asked because I didn’t know that I was the longest serving club member. It is not something you really think about.”
Since his retirement in 1992 Joe has been a familiar face on the fairways and greens. He plays socially these days “three of four times a week when we can”. His top score for the course is 70, although that was “way back when I was in my 20s”.
His love of golf was passed on to two sons and daughter and he’s proud to report that three of his six grandchildren are now swinging a club.
Filed under: Uncategorized