Goulburn Weekends There are many things that
make Long Reef Golf Club unique. Where else would you find the Hudson Shield or the Annis Soutar Foursomes Cup? They are
both named after two long-serving Long Reef Presidents. There have been many long-term
and annual events that fit into the programme. As examples the Golf Club has
had Friday Club since 1933 and an in-house Bridge Club since 1975 which is
about to celebrate 50 years. The local derby of Long Reef versus Cromer started
in 1973 for men and 1974 for women and was a programme item every October time
until a few years ago. Many a good time has been held away from the
club as a social group of Long Reef players. The women’s visits to the Orange
week of golf commenced in 1961 and is still attended. The Goulburn relationship
began in 1953 after two Long Reef members Tim Payne and Peter Crofts formed a
friendship with Sports store owner Reg Mayo. A casual game of golf led to a
regular date! So much fun was had it was decided that it was worth doing twice
every year, opening it to all players – at home and away! Some of the regular attendees,
Mark Pitt, Peter Verrills and Neville Cleary have been asked to share the
background and stories about the Goulburn weekends with Mick Snell. Like
everything else things have changed over the years, but the camaraderie and chosen
competitions remain the same. For many the Goulburn weekend
became a long weekend. At the beginning it was a much longer journey with no
motorways and many small towns and villages to pass through. Some members would
leave early on a Thursday morning and head for Moss Vale where a warm up game
would be held before continuing on to Goulburn. Friday would be an excursion to
Canberra to play Yowani or Gold Creek, often in a mini-bus made available by
one of the Goulburn members. Saturday and Sundays were spent at Goulburn golfing
and socialising before returning on Monday. In a similar way on the
return visits Goulburn players would arrive early on Friday to play golf locally
at Mona Vale or Bayview, and go on to play snooker at the club in the evening,
before the competitions would begin. Visiting players always paid
member’s rates for the Saturday game. On Sundays until the 80s the home players paid for the visitor’s
green fees and also shouted them dinner. After a bill for 250 pounds in 1983
this act of generosity was discontinued. For a while this had been a tradition
that was happily followed by both Clubs. Drinks were normally paid for out of
the side bets within each group! Participation seems to have peaked in the late 80s when 90 of our members attended. It dropped off steadily from there although there was a small peak in 2002 with 52. In 2020 28 Long Reef members visited. At one time over the course of the year a small amount (5 cents) was deducted from the men’s competition fee on Wednesday and Saturday. This money was kept in a fund used to pay for the morning breakfast for all players in the matches. For many years the Sunday event was a shot-gun start and the Presidents and Captains of both club played in the match and attended the dinner. In time an agreement was reached to also include former members of both clubs in the Sunday competitions. Prizes are awarded on the Sunday night dinner for both days. 
 | The competition has its own
set of trophies and as far as is known all of them are named after Goulburn
members. On a Saturday the Dave Cooper trophy is the only prize given. It is
awarded to the best individual score of the visiting club’s golfers. 
The Sunday is a better-bell
format – 2 Goulburn players versus two Long Reef players and the result is
decided by the number of matches won. The winning club receives the Dr. McCarthy
Shield (first donated and presented on the second time the clubs met) The loser gets appropriately the “loser”
trophy, a trophy that was made in Goulburn goal! 
The Ray Harvey Trophy goes to
the combined team with the highest combined better-ball score. This event
represents the camaraderie of the weekends. 
The Mick McGuigan is given
for the best 2-ball score of all players from either Club, the score of the
day. There is also a best 2-ball score prize for each club along with runner-up
prizes. Players are only eligible to win one trophy in the Sunday event There are many stories of frivolity
and fun!!The home club would organise some sort of novelty entertainment for
the Presentation dinner. Anything from musical acts to comedy routines to
Vaudeville was acceptable. There are 2 photo albums in the club’s archive
collection from the 80s showing how much effort went into make-up and
costuming! The concerts were vey popular in Goulburn – so much so it was
not unusual for many local ,residents to
arrive at the club on a Sunday night just to enjoy the concert entertainment.
These events were held until the mid 90s. There have been numerous
incidents over the years. One saw an aviator friend of one of the Goulburn
players who flew around the course flour-bombing the players. On another
occasion when a swimming and rowing event was arranged as part of Long Reef’s hosting
activities, the expert Life saver Dick Twigh was given quite a shock when he
thought a shark had grabbed his leg. Goulburn had planted a scuba diver! Sunday
mornings also saw a full range of activities here or there, including skeet
shooting, indoor cricket, billy cart racing, surfboard racing and bowls. It is now 72 years since this
all began and we have not touched the surface of all the stories that should be
told. But then that is probably not a bad thing! A favourite anecdote was told
some years ago. One particular Long Reef player became quite angry when the
taxi he had ordered to take him back to his Motel did not arrive. He had rung
Manly Cabs from Goulburn! The next Goulburn weekend
will be held at Long Reef over the last weekend in July. Mick Snell & Sandra Mellowes | Archives Committee |
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