Almanac Golf : Thank you Peter Floyd

 

 

I have a few mates who are members at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. I recently played the sublime West course with Michael Jenkins and Peter Rickard. It was a beautiful, crisp, still winter afternoon. As I putted out on the 18th after a lacklustre day’s golf but one of great companionship, I thought to myself “This is a long way from Eaglehawk.”

In early 1972, I was 13 and Mum decided that a high-level costly swimming program and injuries caused by playing footy made poor companions.

Mum suggested I try golf. So, I began to ride my brothers old red pushbike with the high riser handlebars out to the local golf course at Neanger Park, carting an ancient skinny bag of clubs over my back. Those clubs put the “r” in rudimentary – a cane shafted driver, hickory shafted 2 iron (which I never managed to hit in the air), East Brothers 3 and 5 irons, an old 7 iron niblick and a hickory shafted putter.

I happily hacked away for a couple of weeks (I think it was May school holidays) at $0.50 for 18 holes green fees.

Late one afternoon I was putting out on the final hole sand scrape (not grass green in those days.)  A solidly built 6 ft tall, blonde-headed, well-dressed man (at least by Eaglehawk standards as he wasn’t in work boots and a singlet), walked across from the clubhouse and introduced himself. This was Peter Floyd. I subsequently learnt Peter was a local builder and had been an outstanding country footballer in the 1950s, selected as centre half back in the now defunct Kennington Football Club’s team of the century and that he was a pretty competent golfer, playing off around 10 handicap.

Peter said that he had noticed me around a bit and asked if I was interested in joining the golf club. After consent from my parents, I paid the $7.00 annual membership fee and I was away. I played a couple of times with Peter who taught me the basic etiquette as I scrambled around in 120 odd and achieved a handicap of 36.

Peter’s kindness had introduced me to a sporting pursuit to last a lifetime and I have played golf with varying degrees of regularity since, dependent on other sporting commitments, work, children etc. Indirectly, Peter also introduced my brother and my father to golf as I soon roped them in too.

I am a competent golfer without ever achieving any great heights – I played off around 12 most of the time, but nowadays am trending north to the mid-teens. It’s not so much the lack of good shots now, it’s how atrocious the bad ones are! I cannot blame the golf course at Neanger Park for my lack of success. Former Australian amateur champion Andrew Martin and also U.S.P.G.A tour player Lucas Herbert learnt the game there, among many other proficient golfers.

It was not common in those days for kids to get a lot of encouragement about sport from other adults. There was nowhere near the focus that there is on kids sport today. For Peter to take the time to involve me in the club was a little unusual. It wasn’t a lot of time, but it had a momentous effect on my life, and that of our family, and I am forever grateful to him for that.

Perhaps I peer through the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, but I have never experienced camaraderie at any other golf club of the level that we experienced at the little country course at Neanger Park. There were other members there who encouraged my brother Chris and I:

 

  • John Singh, one of my school teachers, and his low drawing trajectory shots.
  • Bill Chapman, a shearing contractor, whose gnarled and battered hands paid testament to a lifetime of hard yakka. Bill was a great friend of our dad and I spent some time with his shearing crew as a roustabout.
  • Don Enever, a tall gently spoken man with a beautifully fluid swing.
  • Stan Hall, a baker who after his 3 am starts in the bakery played golf attired in fluorescent yellow golf pants foreshadowing John Daly.
  • Bob Thomas, life member, long-time club office bearer and grandfather of Andrew Martin mentioned above.
  • Gerry Gelly a chain-smoking bachelor with a somewhat gruff manner and his low drawing irons. (We lost a pennant final one time at Bendigo when team captain Gerry’s 8 iron to the 17th par 3 flew with about a 4-metre trajectory into trouble over the back of the green. Sorry Gerry, it was never going to stick the green).
  • Les Hicks times 2 – builder Les Hicks and his own sons (one of whom hit the biggest slice I have ever seen off the 15th tee, just forward of point and onto the clubhouse roof) and little Les who liked everything in order and always had the best clubs and a new car.

These men introduced me, in a good way, to the world of adult men outside my direct family. I believe they are all deceased now but I have not forgotten them.

I may never have been exposed to any of this but for Peter Floyd’s kindness. My lesson – given the opportunity to take some time and help a child with a pursuit, sporting or otherwise, do it –  they may learn to love it and your small effort may produce a life altering outcome.

Thank you, Peter.

 

 

View back down the tricky 15th hole par 4 at Neanger Park

 

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE

 

Comments

  1. John Harms says

    So good, Mark.

  2. I think I caddied for dad (bloody left hander) for a couple of years from 13 at Yorketown SA (winter grass preferred lies; oiled slag scrapes; salt lakes). Knocked around a 3 iron for a year before getting 5 club new set (plastic head driver). Around 15 started playing club golf on similar course in Kadina. Greatest experience was going to Adelaide at 17 for Shell Country Junior golf week – playing Kooyonga and Royal Adelaide and getting group coaching from Alan Murray and Murray Crafter. First time on grass greens, sand bunkers & lofted wedges.
    Been a member at various SA, ACT and WA clubs over the years. The difference now is kids largely play with their mates. Can hit the ball but no education on etiquette & subtleties of the game. I like to slot in sometimes and subtly suggest divots, plug marks, rakes, rules and pace of play issues. My playing advice is “get 6 lessons from a PGA pro – wish I had 40 years ago.”
    Like you Mark I played with men from 15. 50 years later I play off 15 – never been lower than 14 – hardly played between 30 and 55 – but making up for it now. Learned a lot about life – not a lot about how to play good golf.
    I reckon it’s one of the big advantages of growing up in the country – footy, cricket, tennis are all part of one club across all grades and ages. City kids play in junior leagues where they learn the game but not the life lessons.
    Loved your story. Hope to have a hit together one day in WA or Vic.

  3. Terrific story Mark. Great message.

  4. Andrew Fithall says

    Thank-you Mark for a lovely read. I have enjoyed a few rounds with you over recent years (although I am not sure I can ever really use the word enoy when referring to my golf). Maybe our trip next year should be over to the West and have a round or two with Peter Balderstone. Or maybe you and Peter can play golf and I will go and find somewhere to play lawn bowls.

  5. Daryl Schramm says

    I first played golf as a pre teenager at Winkie Golf Club. 3 corner jacks galore, rough as guts but a great experience nevertheless. Currently in my forth reincarnation as a ‘golfer’. It’s a love/hate relationship. I don’t remember anyone encouraging me much. There may be reasons for that!

  6. Croweaters v Vics sounds a great golf foursomes comp. Hope we get to play together one day. I am a member at Sea View – a 9 hole links course on the Indian Ocean at Cottesloe. Best views in Australian golf. Any Knacker heading west can give us a shout out for a hit. Or maybe we can have a hit at Tanunda Pines closer to Daryl’s home some day.
    Gather Round next year for the Almanac Open?

Leave a Comment

*