Bill Horn (right, blue sweater) raises the flag to kick off Portsea Golf Club’s centenary celebrations.
IT says a lot about the eclectic nature of the 1300 strong membership at Portsea Club that it chose a 99-year-old member, Bill Horn, to begin its centenary celebrations.
The club could have selected any one of its big-wig members – and there are plenty of them – to kick off the year’s celebrations.
But it was Horn, a former typewriter salesman, given the honour of raising the club’s freshly minted centenary flag now proudly fluttering on a newly erected flagpole for the world to see.
“We have people from all walks of life who are members here. Some have lived on the peninsula all their lives; some are retired and others have holiday homes here. Anyone can apply for membership,” Portsea President Steve Blunt said.
And while it may be a very varied demographic it is all about, “having members who enjoy playing golf on a great golf course and then enjoying a coffee, beer or a wine together afterwards.” There is always a real buzz around the place and members enjoy each other’s company.
As for Bill Horn – who’ll be 100 in May – he considers the place his second home. He still plays twice a week with his social group – The Niners – manages to get around without any help and finishes with a very respectable scorecard.
“It was fitting he raised the flag on New Year’s day – to start our centenary year,” Blunt said. “The day could not have gone better with live music on the deck and 200 members enjoying themselves.”
The club decided to do the launch three days before the well-known Celebrity Pro-am which began in 1975 and has been played for all but a few years since.
“We were aware after talking to other clubs that you can overdo your centenary celebrations. We have been warned against black-tie functions. But we are planning a 1920’s themed members’ cocktail party. But it will be optional for members to come dressed in 1920’s clothes. Smart casual will otherwise be fine.”
At 99 years of age, Bill Horn still manages to take on the Portsea course a couple of times each week.
There will be a number of other functions and golf events during the year, but none will be over the top.
The club has released centenary merchandise and commissioned journalist Peter Hanlon to update the club’s rich 100-year history which will be serialised on its website.
“We’ll release that gradually as the year goes on. We decided to do this instead of a book,” Blunt said.
Arthur Relph, Captain of Riversdale in Melbourne in the 1920’s, founded the Portsea Club on the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula. “He was on a walk down here where he had a holiday house and next to Delgany House (a former home deaf children run by an order of Catholic nuns). He came across land which he thought would be ideal for s golf course,” Blunt said.
The story goes that Relph was quickly chased off the land by a raging bull. But over the next few years he raised the capital to buy the land from publican sisters Mabel and Kathleen Cain and built the first nine-hole course.
Club historian, Syd Thomson, a 52-year member who spoke at the centenary launch said records show that for most of its history the club struggled financially because of the small local population and competition for members from other clubs in the area.
During World War II, membership fell to just 40 and three members paid for the greens to be mowed by a solitary green keeper. Soldiers based at the adjacent Point Nepean set up trenches and barbed wire and did drills on the fairways.
The Portsea Pro Am has been a regular event on the Victorian golfing schedule since 1975.
In 2004, the club was $600,000 in debt and had a membership of 900 when the committee decided to sell 21 block of land that had been used as a practice fairway near Port Phillip Bay.
It helped turn around the club’s fortunes, dramatically bringing in much-needed revenue. Since then, a new two storey clubhouse with 24 hotel room was built and opened in 2013. It has a pro shop, dining room and conference facilities.
“The club is now in great shape financially and the course is highly regarded around the world and in the best condition it’s ever been,” says the proud president.
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