Churchill-Waverley Golf and Bowls Club has just celebrated its 100th birthday with two hugely successful functions in the clubhouse at Rowville it has occupied since 1962. It was founded in 1926 with the first course built on Blackburn Road, Glen Waverley.
For the last decade of its 100 years, the club has been waiting for state government approval to enable building a new golf course, driving range, mini golf, nine-hole short course and bowling greens.
Matthew Taylor has been at the club for 20 years – the last 13 as general manager- and is clearly a patient man.
“We’re waiting for state government approval so we can realise the full potential of the site,” he says.
The upside of the planned development, he adds, is that about half the land (approximately 25 hectares) the club occupies will become open public space if the new plans gain the government’s imprimatur. There is also a housing component to the upgrade.
After a merger of Churchill Park and Waverley, the Churchill-Waverley Golf and Bowls Club, has continued to operate two sites just two kilometres apart – at Endeavour Hills (Churchill Park) and Rowville planned home of the new development. Both were once predominantly members clubs but benefited significantly when they decided to open their doors to the public.
The Churchill-Waverley club is awaiting approval for a new development and renovation.
GM Taylor, who was a more than decent player in his youth, harboured visions of playing on the professional tour. “I played off three was really passionate about the game but eventually went down the administrative path when I realised I was not good enough to play professionally.”
He has loved every minute of it, especially the fact that the club has hosted the Victorian Junior Masters for 32 consecutive years.
He proudly points out past winners include some of the biggest names in Australian golf who have gone on to huge success on the world stage.
Among them are Open Championship winner, Cameron Smith, and US tour winners Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Aaron Baddeley.
Yuka Saso, from the Philippines is also on the Junior Masters honour roll. She went on to win the US Women’s Open five years ago.
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