The current Allora Golf Course will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year, with a golf day and BBQ planned for Sunday 2nd October. We say “current” because this golf course is actually the third one in Allora.
The first Allora Golf Club was formed in June 1927 and the course opened in August 1927. There were 28 members and 31 associates (lady members). The golf course was located between the base of Allora Mountain and the Dalrymple Creek, taking in part of Queens Park. It was a six-hole course on 10 acres with sand greens. The fairways were maintained by cattle and sheep which were moved off on competition days. For reasons unknown, the original Allora Golf Club folded in 1937.
The second golf club formed in October 1932, with 20 members and 10 associates, with the club being known as the Sunshine Golf Club. The reasons for the second club being formed are unknown but for a period of 5 years, Allora golfers had a choice of playing two courses. The Sunshine golf course was located at Hendon, on 60 acres which was leased from Mr A Masters. The course was advertised as being 3 miles from Allora and a few minutes’ walk from the Hendon Railway Station.
The Sunshine golf course was nine holes, with a total length of 2,537 yards. The clubhouse was built in 1937, in the same year that the Sunshine Golf Club changed its name to the Allora Golf Club, following the demise of the original Allora Golf Club.
There were several very good junior golfers playing at Hendon, including Tom Maher and Rita Rickert, after whom the new bridge on the current golf course is named.
Championships were last played on the second Allora Golf Course in 1942, with the members’ championship being won by Bert Nicholls and the Ladies’ by Rita Rickert.
The idea for the current golf course, of which we are all so proud, was conceived at a meeting of Allora Apex held at the Bowls Club in 1995, when Mark Henley looked out the window and exclaimed that the land over the creek would make a great golf course. The concept gained momentum and Mark took on the responsibility of making the dream become a reality. Without his passion and determination, it is unlikely that Allora would have a golf course today. The club was formed, and the course was ready for play in 1997 with Mark becoming the inaugural President and Pat O’Dea the inaugural Club Captain. Mark was also Club President in 1998.
The foundation members of the Golf Club were Keith Jensen, Neville Siebenhausen and Trevor Burstow. The original major sponsors were Jenco Feeds and Seeds, Neville Siebenhausen, T S Burstow Funerals, Peter Stewart Ford and the Allora Advertiser. The original major sponsor of the Allora Open Day was Denny’s Engineering.
The first club championships were played in 2000, with well known sporting identity Keith Jensen winning the “A” Grade, Lindsay “Moose” May the “B” Grade, A McKinlay the “C” Grade and Mark Haig the Matchplay.
The Golf Course was constructed mainly by local contractors and volunteers, all overseen by Mark Henley. Since its inception, the golf club has enjoyed fantastic support from the local business community and without this support the club would certainly have struggled to survive.
The club has also continued to be supported by hard working volunteers and we intend to honour a number of these incredibly generous people on the 2nd October.
This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 28 September 2022.
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