Golf Club

This plaque is located at 21 Neylon St.

A golf club was formed at a meeting in the National Bank residence in April 1908. Rules were soon adopted and the relevant trustees gave permission for the reserve near the Presbyterian manse to be used for golf.

F T Dyring of Melbourne Cash Stores in Curdie St was the first president with school head teacher, J A Heggie, secretary/treasurer.

The first formal AGM was held twelve months later when F J Hoare became president. According to Jack Fletcher (The Infiltrators), no more was heard of golf until 1914 when Mr Heggie convened a meeting to ‘start’ a club. Dr Drew took on the presidency and membership was 2/6 (25 cents).

During the Great War (1914-18), the club functioned without formal competitions. The 1919 AGM saw A E George elected president. Golf continued during World War II (1939-45) with funds going to the war effort. Trenches were dug and the clubhouse was used as a spotter station for aircraft.

Cobden GC celebrated its centenary in 2008 with the opening of three new holes. In 2009, the club opened two further holes taking the course to 14 holes.

Cobden’s Week of Golf celebrated its 30th year in 2021. Attracting 700 entries, it is the club’s major event.

• Legendary Peter Thomson visited in 1956. Organised by Neville Vagg and Norm Clarke, the club was given a great boost with membership numbers increasing significantly. Thomson played a four-ball with Cobden’s Alan Blake, Jack Spinks (Lismore) and George Stuart (Colac).
• The clubhouse was originally on the Neylon St/Rix Ave corner. Golfers hit over the old stock route. When Neylon St was constructed in the late-1960s, a new clubhouse was built, with the old one being moved over the road to become a machinery shed.
• Until the mid-1960s, golf seasons began in April and finished in August, September or October – it all depended on the weather!
• Water was welcomed in the 1960s. A set of Ransome fairway mowers was bought too.
• Employed and voluntary part-time staff included Judd Rasmussen, Leo Finlow, Ron andClarrieMurfitt,KenKing,RussellBrown, Max King, Stan Leek, Don Anderson and Jack Keighery.
• Pennant began in 1935 against Camperdown (at Manifolds, Talindert), Terang (at Blacks, Mt Noorat) and Lismore. On one occasion, a few years later, Barry English won his matches 9/8 and 8/7 and was dropped the next week! Frank Hodgson once had 30 minutes of sleep before being dragged out by Dr Bill Barrett to play in Lismore’s snow!
• “Dr Bill” often left the course to deliver a baby or attend an emergency.
• With the greens fenced off, local butchers rented the course in the off-season to run sheep. The course was often burnt to remove any long grass and, apparently, one fire threatened Cobden.
• Top aces: Roger Barlow has scored three holes-in-one while Sam Bamford, Thomas Rix and Ulbe Twynstra have two – 55 aces have been recorded, 35 on the fourth hole.
• The men’s record for the old course, 66, was shared by Frazer Brown (Clifton Springs) and M Kingston (Warrnambool). The women’s record of 67 for the old course was held by Debbie Rix.
• Matt Hinkley’s 65 is the best score on the new course (2012). Debbie Rix has a personal best of 73.
• Life members: Samuel Kerr, Alan Blake, Reg Rix, Frank Northeast, Frank Hodgson, Bill Barrett, Geoff Steele, Gwen Spall, Alison Rix, Glad Condie, Dulcie Roberts, Dorothy Ibbs, Miss Joyce Roberts (all deceased), Graem Rix and Ewart Mounsey.
• Debbie Rix: Outstanding golfer and club ambassador. Has won the women’s championship eleven times, represented

Victoria at junior and senior level, won the Commonwealth Golf Club championship, won Victorian and South Australian state titles and played in Australian championships. In the early 1980s, Debbie played a foursomes event at Cobden with Jane Lock, Sue Smith and Di Pavich.

• Most club championships at 2023: Gary Rix (15), Fred Errey (10), Glad Condie (13), Debbie Rix (11) and Fay Rundle (10).
• Club’s most successful pennant season occurred in 2005 when three men’s and two women’s teams reached finals – three teams won!
• A E George was president for 21 years from 1919 and Ewart Mounsey was treasurer for 17 years from 1981.
• The TAB agency was transferred from Thommo’s Hotel to the golf club in 2016.
• Club purchased two more blocks of land in Bond St for future development.
• September 2019: Clubhouse was severely damaged when robbers drove a ute into the building, wrapped a chain around an old safe and dragged it out. The club still opened that day.
• 2019: Machinery shed for equipment was constructed and two practice nets were built in 2021.