At last, we have had a normal start to our year after the disruptions of the past. Our opening game was at RQGC on Friday 14th February. The course was in excellent condition after having recently hosted the Australian PGA. However, as it was February, the last few holes were played in the rain. This did not seem to bother the winners, Geoff Voller and Jerry Maycock, who came in with the excellent score of 45 points. The traditional Opening Day Challenge between the President's team and the Captain's team was won by the President's. The Captain has vowed revenge in 2023.

There have not been any home games since, as the Annual Tour to the Mornington Peninsular was held during March. 

The Captain has made a full report of the Tour but, in summary, the Tour started at Portsea GC on 14th March on a fine sunny day. The women's winners were Anne Yuille and Lisa Bruce with 41 pts and the men's winners were Jim Ross and Michael Harrison with 44 pts. 

Tuesday's game was at St Andrew's Beach. The scores did not reflect the changeable weather conditions. The men were led by Geoff Voller and Rick Fry with 47 pts and the women by Lisa Bruce and Diana Ross with 46 pts. 

Wednesday is the traditional long lunch, this year held at Max's Restaurant at the Red Hill Estate. It was here that Richard May was proudly presented with the Queensland Senior Golfers' Society Honorary Life Membership in recognition of his many years of service as Treasurer, and subsequently as President in 2021.

Another outcome from the Tour was that Julie Crombie (Nigel Smith's partner) will take over the role of Ladies Captain from Lindy Fraser. 

Thursday's game was at The Dunes with Trish Sandford and Julie Crombie winning the women's event while the men's event won by John Walthall and Bill Buckle with 48 pts.  

Friday's Ambrose event was played at Moonah Links Legends Course with the winners Trish Sandford, Nina Fry, Richard May and Kerry Prior.

At the farewell dinner on Friday night, the overall aggregate winners were presented with their prizes. The Women's winner receiving $100 voucher was Lisa Bruce and the Men's' winner, presented with the much-celebrated Society Bow Tie, was our newbie member Neville Sandford. 

At the dinner,  President, Fulvio Toniotti, congratulated the Tour Organisers, David McGregor and Don Fraser, for the quality of the Tour and highlighted the appreciation of the members, new and old, that attended. With this, the 2023 Tour was also announced to be Sydney, scheduled for the second half of the year (likely September), playing quality courses in and around the north shore. Further details will be shared as details are confirmed.

INTERNATIONAL TOURS

An outgoing Society tour to the USA for September with three SGSQ member allocations assigned. Given the keen interest, members needed to be decided via a ballot. Namely, Don and Lindy Fraser, Fred and Helen Hess and Peter Marshall and Cathy Clarke.

October 2022 sees an incoming Tour by the South African Seniors, starting off in Brisbane, followed by Melbourne and Sydney. The itinerary is close to being finalized, but currently games are scheduled at Royal Queensland, Brookwater, Indooroopilly and possibly Hope Island. Unfortunately, due to major greens work at Brisbane GC, no game can be played there. Final details of playing and social arrangements will be communicated as soon as they are available and we look forward to our society members involvement. 

Future tours were also shared by the President.

• Incoming USA Senior Tour planned for March 2023
  
• Ougoing UK Senior Tour planned for June/July 2023

MEMBERSHIP

Since the last Circular, we have welcomed as new Members, David Prince, Ned O'Connor and Rob Bischof from Brisbane GC, and Neville Sandford, Tony James and John Griffin from RQGC.

Currently we have 108 playing Members as well as seven Honorary Life Members and four non-playing Members.

SOME GOLF POETRY to FINISH

THE GOLFER'S DISCONTENT

The evils of the Golfer's state

Are shadows, not substantial things

That envious bunkers lie in wait

For all our cleanest longest swings;

The pitch that should have won the round

Is caught and killed in heavy ground.

And even if at last we do

That 80, coveted so long,

A melancholy strain breaks through

The cadence of our even-song 

A 7 (which was 'an easy 4')

Has spoilt our 77 score.

 

And thus with self-deception bland,

We mourn the fours that should have been,

Forgetting on the other hand,

The luck that helped us through the green;

Calmly accepting as our due 

The four-hole which we fluked in two.

 

And therefore, in a future state,

When we shall putt out in two,

When drives are all hole high and straight,

And every yarn we tell is true,

Golf will be wearisome and flat,

When there is naught to grumble at.

                                                                         Ibid.