Mr Yoshio Oro from Trinity College Dublin is in Australia to study “older people participating in club based sports” He is conducting interviews in Australia, Japan and Ireland.

Melbourne Veterans co-operated in the study and Riversdale Members Len Symons, David Teasdale and Ian Hughes together with Malcolm Macpherson met with Yoshio at Riversdale Golf Club and were interviewed by Yoshio.

Below left: Mr Yoshio Oro. Below right: Malcolm, David, Len, Yoshio and Ian enjoy lunch afterwards.

Melbourne District conducted their Championship and Handicap Bowl on their final event for 2009 at Kew. 127 keen veteran golfers participated and they voted it a most successful day and season.

Many trophies were presented and the major recipients are listed below.

Southern members dominated the teams event on their home course winning the day with a great 128 points.Julian Land (14) Bruce Graham (21) Dale Burrows (18) from Southern were joined by Bruce Farmer Kew (19).

Tom Stotten holed his 5 iron on the 6th for a grear ace.

Below left: Tom Stotten.
Below right: (from left) Julian Land, Bruce Graham, Bruce Farmer and Dale Burrows.

Melbourne District conducted their annual event at Keysborough and 40 stableford points got home Graham Monkhouse (10) Box Hill in A grade and Geoffrey Boully (20) from Riversdale.

Right: Geoffrey Boully (left) and Graham Monkhouse (right) at Keysborough.

Murray Staddon from Riversdale after 45 years playing golf at last had his first hole in one  on the Kingston Heath temporary 19th hole.  Playing in the Veterans traditional day at the Heath, this is a fine hole of 146 metres and with a great 8 iron Murray achieved what all golfers hope for. Well done.

Melbourne traditionally mount the ball and in addition Murray will receive a sleeve of balls and a twelve months subscription to the Hacker Magazine courtesy of Garry Kennedy.

Melbourne District conducted their annual fixture at Kingston Heath with an AM field of 64 and PM field of 96. The 160 veterans thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent course and club house facilities.

The morning winners were Paul Campbell Settlers Run off 14 with 36 points and B grade by Peter Bottrall 18 from SpringValley with 35 points.

The afternoon winners were A grade Tom Stotten 12 from Gisborne and B grade by Gary Richards 21 from Gisborne with 39 points.

Below Peter Bottrall, Paul Campbell Tom Stotton and right Gary Richards

The late Bill Edgar (right) former Commonwealth Victorian and Australian champion was one of the founders of Veteran Golf in Victoria. The current veterans play for a memorial trophy in his honour each year and the event has become so popular that there a two trophies played for in successive weeks at The Commonwealth Golf Club.

The first event was played on June 29 and was won by Ken Pearson (18) from Eastern Golf Club with the magnificent score of 42 stableford points.

A grade was won by George Hamilton from Sanctuary Lakes (9) with 40 points and local player Graeme Robertson with 39 won B grade off his 17 handicap. 121 players enjoyed a well manicured course in cold but good weather.

Below from left George Hamilton Graeme Robrtson and Ken Pearson

Dennis Treacy below from  Heritage won the Day 2 Bill Edgar trophy with 40 stableford points.

This completed two great days at Commonwealth.

In 2002 entrepreneurial Woodland golf manager Sam Hartrigg now with the PGA challenged the Secretary of Melbourne Malcolm Macpherson to increase the number of Veterans attending the Woodlands fixture to guarantee an attendance of over 100 players  to ensure the event was a viable proposition.

For his club to provide incentive for veterans to participate Woodland Golf Club generously created a perpetual trophy named the Woodland Cup with the winners name engraved each year. Now in its 5th year the number of players have exceeded expectations every year and the event has become one of the most popular event s in the Melbourne calendar.

The 2009 event saw some great golf with Graeme Monkhouse from Box Hill shooting a great stableford score of 41 points off his 7 Handicap to win the cup. Another 7 marker Jim Cordery from Southern had an amazing 4 birdies in his first 5 holes to win A grade with 40 points and the evergreen Veteran Ewart Robbins from Rossdale off 21 won B grade with 37 points.

The usual BBQ lunch was very well received and appreciated by the players. Well done Sam.

Below left Jim Cordery right Ewart Robbins and bottom Graeme Monkhouse with Perpetual trophy

97 keen Melbourne District Veteran golfers played for the Hacker Cup at Rosanna Golf Club on April 20th. The annual day sponsored by Hacker is very popular with the Veterans and they are keen to support Garry Kennedy Editor and Publisher of the Magazine which donates space to Veteran news each issue free of charge.

With an outstanding score of 46 Stableford points Rob MacDonald (13) from Heritage won the Hacker Tanckard. David Teasdale from Riverside  with 39 points from his 13 handicap won the A grade trophy and Russell Howard from The National (20) won B grade with 40 points.

The course was very well presented and the players enjoyed the day which was favoured by magnificent weather. 

Below David Teasdale Rob MacDonald and Russell Howard