One of Corowa Golf Club’s favourite sons, Marcus Fraser was instrumental in helping earn the club a reprieve after it was threatened with closure. – Photo: Corowa Free Press
AN 11th hour bid led by Australian Olympian and professional golfer, Marcus Fraser, appears to have saved the 118-year-old Corowa Golf Club from the gallows.
Hometown hero, Fraser, who grew up playing at the club, set about helping save Corowa after learning that it was under financial stress and facing administration.
Board member David Harrison said Fraser called a public meeting to save the club. It was attended by 350 members and locals.
“Marcus is born and bred here and grew up playing here. Once he learned about the plight of the club he’s been right in the middle of it.
“He’s already organised a big day at Peninsula Kingwood hosted by Ricky Ponting and a number of other initiatives.”
Fraser told the packed meeting: “I’ve made a living standing over a golf ball, not behind a microphone.”
The meeting has been a game changer for Corowa when it was on the cusp of closing its doors on Feb 22 rather than run the risk of trading while insolvent. It will still have to go through the administration process but the future is far from bleak.
The Corowa course, at least for now, has been saved.
Fraser said it was paramount that the course, nestled in river gums alongside the mighty Murray River survive.
As a result of the meeting Club Corowa, the local RSL, stepped up with $350,000 and local businesses have pledged $500,000 to help ease the club’s debt.
It has meant the club has been able to retain all its ground staff and pro shop employees – and even open its famous sports bar for short periods.
“If you had told me two weeks ago this would have been possible I would have said you’re dreaming,” Harrison said.
Local farmers, whose sons discovered golf during Covid, have also stepped up to help, offering water, labor and machinery to save the course.
“They have seen how their sons have become really good players and have thrived playing golf.
“The course now looks fantastic and is in beautiful condition thanks to recent rain,” Harrison added.
The NSW course has always been ranked in the top 100 among public golf venues in Australia.
Fraser told the local paper, Corowa Free Press, “This is a huge step forward and we’re very excited that our members and guests will be able to continue playing golf.
“While we’re frustrated and angry, now is the time for all of us to unite and fight to save our club. This is not an end game scenario; we want to rebuild this place so that it is fully operational as soon as possible and successful once again. We need to consider new options and not revert back to our past models to come up with a new model going forward.”
Support from across the country has also come from Golf NSW and other golf clubs across Australia to help where they can.
A number of factors have contributed to the famous Murray River club’s financial decline.
First and foremost, was Victoria getting poker machines. “Even though it happened 20 years ago, we went from 10 busloads of visitors from Victoria arriving every day with their pockets full of 20 cent pieces to no buses coming.”
Then, with the model already drastically altering, COVID hit. This was followed by a major flood which breached the club’s old levy bank, flooding 18 holes – nine of which are still not restored.
“We’re mowing it and hope to get it back. Nine of the holes were under water for months. We’ve been mowing it but the kangaroos are the only ones enjoying it at the moment.”
Should everything go to plan, the club will not be too far from all of its 27 holes again being open for play.
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