Golf Vic Vol 60 No 3 2019

Midlands Golf Club couldn’t have reached its centenary without having adapted to changing times. The club – now officially known as the Midlands Ballarat RSL Sports and Services Club after its merger with the Ballarat RSL two years ago – began with a different name in a different location in 1919, making the celebrations of the club’s 100th year held in April a triumph of forward-thinking and resilience. It’s the second-oldest golf club in Ballarat – formed after its first president, John Dearden, found the 16-kilometre journey to the Ballarat Golf Club too onerous on his bike. It turned out he wasn’t the only one. And so, just months after the end of the First World War, Ballarat North Golf Club was created. Within weeks, members had built a nine-hole sand scrape course without water, using unsuitable tools and with limited finance. It didn’t take long for that first dose of resilience to be needed. After a fire destroyed the first clubhouse, then-club president James Selkirk donated bricks for a two-storey replacement, opened in 1926 and built on land rented from the Selkirk brick company. With further expansion, gradually more holes were added, the sand scrapes were replaced by grass greens and the standard of the course improved. Fast forward 50 years –the club had been renamed to Midlands Golf Club after the nearby highway that connected Daylesford to Ballarat – and it was then that the club’s forward-thinking paid off. Selkirk Bricks wanted to extend its clay pit and wanted its land back. It was just as well that the club had already begun acquiring land elsewhere, and it moved in 1976 to a course on Invermay Park designed by Peter Thomson and Mike Wolveridge. The years since have seen the addition of a dam to help water the course during drier times, the decision to switch to Santa Ana couch fairways, and the merger with the local branch of the RSL, necessary to help counter growing financial problems. The troubled times meant reaching 100 years was never a sure thing, far from it. So there was much to celebrate having notched up that milestone. As part of a series of events to be held throughout the year, a dinner was held in April and the book From Small Acorns , detailing the club history, was launched. But even amid the celebrations, Midlands is making moves to ensure its future. The club has begun selling land – more than 100 lots – at Invermay Park to fund development, including clubhouse renovations and better facilities for both golf and bowls members. It’s perhaps the best tribute to the club that even after 100 years, Midlands is willing to adapt as necessary to ensure it will be around for 100 more. Samantha McIntosh, Mayoress of the City of Ballarat (centre). unveils a centenary plaque, watched by Robin Nicholls, who has an unbroken family connection back to foundation, and Midlands Chairman Darren Bandy. MIDLANDS HITS 100 FROM SMALL ACORNS 2020 VIC HEART OPEN The 2020 Vic Heart Open will be played at Victoria Golf Club on Wednesday February 19, not March as previously advised. fairway Golf Victoria 47