Dads Army

DAD'S ARMY

Part 1:

The following story is for those members who remember and for those who do not know, and is a tribute to a band of men known as "Dad's Army", to their dedication and determination in getting the job done and for their unselfish contribution to the history of this club (The story was given to me by a member of Dad's Army and I have his permission to present it to the members), Regards Sonny Foley.

In the late 1960's, the Royal Park Golf Club was formed and played on a nine - hole course provided by the land developers Willmore and Randell. This club was affiliated with the Illawarra Golf Association in 1969, but after encountering difficulties the club was disbanded and affiliation terminated. In 1972 however, a small group of local enthusiasts had formed a social golf club and continued to use the course vacated by the former club.

Committee meetings were held in the Tomerong School House by courtesy of the Headmaster and the Secretary of the social club Mr. Ray Hopkins, and in 1972 the club sought and was granted affiliation with the Illawarra Golf Association under the name of the St. Georges Basin Bowling and Recreation Golf Section (the course was under the control of the Bowling Club). By 1976, the name of the Bowling Club was changed to the St Georges Basin Country Club and the Board of Directors purchased 104 acres, which was occupied by the golf course, at a cost of $80,000. The Club then became the Golf Section of the Country Club and was granted Autonomy by the Country Club

The new Club continued to improve the existing nine - hole golf course and green layout, and in 1980 decided to extend the course to eighteen holes. Practically the whole of this project was carried out by voluntary labour, which consisted of a group of Retired Gentlemen affectionately known as "Dad's Army" and the official opening was set down for 27th December 1982.

The Club has been fortunate in having the wonderful and far seeing support from Mr Sob Vickery, President of the Country Club and in Mr. Norm Benson the First Golf Club President, together with many hard working members. Of course there were the knockers, who were very destructive to the project, but Dad's Army battled on regardless, some times with great difficulty.

The course is in an ideal setting being in a Wild Life Sanctuary, and abounds with Birds, Kangaroos and Wild Ducks

The club was a foundation member of the Orchey Shield inter Club Competition, and competed for many years in the White Horse Cup.

All this information was obtained from the Illawarra Golf Association Manual and back copies of the Club News.

I will give readers some idea of how it all began in the following pages, I wilI tell you of the hard work, the many hours, the vision of the volunteers, and of their dedication to the project they had started and believed in.

As I go along I must mention the names of these quiet achievers, I have.

DAD'S ARMY:

Part 1B:

For the past 5 weeks volunteers have been clearing the new golf course fairways, and almost all the Country Club members have given their support except for a few knockers, (very few) The volunteers would be very happy if the couple of knockers would assist by either helping manually or please, shut up! It would be very nice to have 100% backing, but if the knockers do not assist it will not stop the volunteers from carrying on the good work.

DADS' ARMY, is made up of the following Country Club Members:

Max U'Brien (Non Golfer)
Ron Weiss (Non Golfer)
Tedie Steel (Non Golfer)
Axel Sparre (Bowler/Golfer)
Wal Smart (Bowler)
Arch Thompson (Bowler)
Ray Baker (Tractor driver)
Rocky Eagen (Fireman)
Jim Bell (7th Fainway Jim)
Keith Sharp
Tom Steel
Ernie Baker
Dick Ellis
George Hearn
Charlie Cooper
Brian Gandy
Norm Benson
Ted O'Keefe
Ernie Dunn
Eric Massey
Mick King
Jack Keighley
Syd Watt
Jeff Woodward
Alex Bradley
Ray Cox
Jack Kilduff
Ted Field
Don Brierley

Thanks must go to Theo Schutz and Vince Smith (loan of farming machinery), Len Penfold (typing work), Nowra CounciI (use of grader), the Board of the Country Club who are solidly behind us, the well known fire bug Rocky Eagen and not forgetting our tree felling expert Ross Martin.

(P.S more volunteers please).

Statement as at 30 th December 1980

Five fairways Cleared, number of man hours worked --"ASTRONOMICAL", Money spent $130.00.

A statement of conditions at that time, recorded by Mr. Len Penfold:

A lot of time and research has gone into the rest of the story, a story that I believe must be told of the vision and determination of Mr. Tommy Steel was accepted and considered the leader of the group, and of the group of men who stood beside him all the way. He was a man of great organizing gifts and courage, members have told me how you'd see Tommy wandering around the course at all hours looking, measuring and calculating all possibilities and traveling many hundreds of miles to buy things at better prices, such as drainage pipes etc

I am told that Tommy and Axel Sparre drove to Tumut N S.W. and bought 1,000 young trees from the Forestry Commission for $49.00, brought them back and Dads Army planted and watered them until they matured, the Lady Golfers also gave up their time on Tuesdays to water the young trees

The members tell me that turf was needed for the course and the club didn't have the money, so Tommy bought a block of land with his own money and, for six weeks the Army cut and rolled the turf, and using their cars and trailers transported it back and put the turf around the golf course.

I am told that Tommy and one of the other blokes went to Sydney to see the "Monier Pipe Company' to buy pipes for the dam. The cost was $1,500.00, and before Tommy left he got the firm to sell them as seconds for $200.00 and Mr Eric Massey (Past President), in his Presidents Report of December 1983 said and I quote:

"Mr. Tom Steel came to see me last week to give me the prices of the new nine - hole golf course that had just been completed, well it was a surprise to me, so I think I should tell the members about it.

Tom came to me in December 1980 and asked what was going to be done with the land we owned up the back of the course, l told him that in time it would be part of a new - nine hole golf course, he replied, "well I think I can get it done quicker than you think, if I can have a go", he was given permission to go ahead.

Now after two years and $14,379 84 we have a new nine - hole course, giving us an eighteen - hole golf course. During this time, $2,000.00 was also spent on improvements to the old nine - holes. So members, it makes me very proud of a man who had the determination to start and finish a project with the help of a dedicated band of men we call "DAD S ARMY"

The following is an extract from the Illawarra Mercury, dated December 1982

"After two years of hard slogging work, a 28 strong platoon of Dad's Army Volunteers, have finished constructing the final nine - holes of the St Georges Basin Country Club Golf Course The group, all retired men between the ages of 60 and late 70s, hacked away scrub, groomed fairways, tees and greens and, to cap off a fine effort put in all the irrigation equipment as well".

It was an outstanding effort from the group in this Illawarra club, which boasts of only 145 members, many of whom came from Sydney

The reward for their labours will come on Saturday Week, when the course will be played on for the first time. The official opening is set for December 1982. This year we lost member Jimmy Bell, this dedicated man spent part of every day of the week laying the grass over the 7th and 12th fairways, l am told he begged grass cuttings from everyone and lovingly laid them, nurtured them, and often brought water from his house to make sure the cuttings lived, he started this on his own, using his own tools and wheel barrow and, what is most incredible, he finished the job then joined the other men in their efforts. In fact, all these men used their own equipment, cars, trailers and lawn mowers for the benefit of getting this course started.

Ray Baker and Mick King drove the tractor throughout the whole exercise besides doing other work around the course.

There are some interesting stories about the (big red) tractor. Mick King arrived one morning at 6am, it was his turn to drive the tractor, he found it in the gardeners shed and carefully backed it out, Mick jumped off to close the shed door then noticed there were only three wheels on the tractor, it was obviously being repaired, so very carefully he put it back where he found it, from then on the Board in their wisdom, decided Mick was not to drive the big red tractor again.

(I thought the story was worth repeating).

DAD'S ARMY

Part 2:

The tractor was only allowed to be used one day a week, and was drag out dead trees and shrubs, then Dad's Army would gather all the shrub and sticks. Betty Penfold tells me that the women would also help in gathering the sticks and Rocky (Fireman) Eagen would start the fires (he often burned the handles off the rakes, but he got rid of the rubbish).

Benny U'Brien, they called the maintenance man, he could fix anything often providing the means to fix things from his own pocket.

It was nothing to see George Heath, Axel Sparre, Dick Ellis, Brian Gandy and Ted Field sitting for days weeding the greens

It was decided that they would have to have a second dam to main course, and as the Board at that time didn't have the money to pay for it, Tommy Steel decided to invest $2,000.00 into the Club for the building a dam, and Dad's Army had to build it

A great deal of effort went into this project and these men worked like trojan horses.

The dam was completed in late 1982 and that second dam still stands today. Eric Massey (Past President) in a Report stated,

"I read that the engineers in Dad's Army have now staged a new project to raise the level of the big dam by one metre, new overflow pipes have been laid and this will give us a tremendous lot of water".

He also announced around this time (December 1982) that the golf club was anxious to build a pro shop of brick, and that consideration for this was being given.

This project was started in December 1982, and great thanks must go to Aldo Franco for laying the concrete slab, and to Alan Chessell for laying the bricks.

The (Corporal) Axel Sparre, reported in December 1982 that the pro shop was well under way, and the project was being completely funded by the golfers and that there was no shortage of helpers at any stage.

Axel Sparre also reported earlier in the year (around December 1982) that eighteen holes is now a reality after nearly two years of dedication al work combined with two years of the driest weather experienced on the South Coast.

A group of men despite not having proper machinery and money carved out of virgin bushland, a nine - hole golf course. The comradeship and friendship that grew up between the men was tremendous, some of the nicknames were "The Arsonist" Rocky Eagen, Ray Baker was named "Whiskers", Tommy Steel became "Captain Manwering", Axel Sparre of course is the "Corporal", and many other names, other than their own.

After this month the growing season will be finished and if some topsoil is obtained from the proposed dam, work wilI proceed to cover the bare patches where needed. 1,000 Pine Trees wilI be planted out by June, these we hope will help to beautify the course and fairways

The first game on the new course was played on Friday 12th December 1982, and twenty seven very keen Dad's Army workers turned out for the game.

DAD'S ARMY

Part 2B - Golf Pro Shop:

The cost to build the Golf Pro Shop was $8,250.00 paid for by the golfers We must add thanks to Kevin Bishop, a local builder who offered his services free of charge to put the roof on, and we must also thank the ladies for the good job they are doing every Tuesday, gathering sticks and stones and watering the young trees

I would like to say that 1982 was a very good year, our eighteen - hole golf course was completed and opened, a brand new pro, golf shop was built, together with thousands of dollars spent on the fairways, and new water lines were laid.

Work listed for the future is the 5th tee to be moved back 20 or 30 metres, the 7th green to be raised up at the back, and a new path to be constructed around the back of the sewerage works to the 6th tee

I have quoted these things to show the members what incredible men this Dad's Army were.

Archy Thompson (Past Golf Club Secretary and Director) said in December 1983:

"'Despite the rain we must give credit to the Greens Staff and Dad's Army (of whom our President is one), and of course to the lady golfers who, all through the dry weather have toiled so diligently to preserve what has been achieved over the past two years - a really good golf course. The girls have on occasions brought their own water to keep the 1,000 trees alive, and their efforts have been such, that we have not lost one tree"

DAD'S ARMY

Part 3 - the final chapter - Raising Money For The Project:

Five (Friendship 100 Clubs) were organised, the first one went to the Golf Club and because Dads Army had received so much help from the Bowlers, the next four were equally divided between the Golfers and the Bowlers. The money raised from the Friendship Club 100 amounted to $3,750 00 and all of it went into the Golf Course

It is felt by many that we may at some time in the future, have to limit or cut off membership

This year after lengthy deliberations, we at last obtained the services of a course ranger in Barry Jones in December 1985 and he has maintained a continual patrol of the course, and as a matter of interest the number of paying players on the course this year was 3,300 compared to 2,400 last year.

Course improvements continued during the year, with the major effort being the completion of the underground drain across the first fairway. This was a joint project between the Greens Staff, Shoalhaven Council and Dads Army, with particular mention of Tommy Steel who obtained about $1,500 worth of concrete pipes for $250.

Two fences were also constructed, one to protect property on the 10th tee, and one on the 2nd tee, to protect golfers.

The drain between the 11th and 18th fairways was improved and Dads Army assisted Jim Bell to complete the left hand side of the 12th fairway.

Water was connected between the 13th green and the 15th tee, thus completing water reticulation completely around the course and enabling the 14th and 16th to receive water.

This account was taken from the last Annual Report handed down by Keith Sharp, Past President, on 25th December 1985.

I realise I'm moving backwards and forwards over the 1980's, but people keep bringing me information, which must be recorded.

This next item was brought to me by one of the Dads Army group of men, and is worth reporting, it was taken from the Club news of December 1981 "DAD'S ARMY NEWS

This month all the new greens will have had the topsoil laid prior to seeding, over 200 tonnes was spread in one day.

The water cart we had made up last year is now proving it's worth; it is being used every day to put water on the existing greens (all done voluntarily), we even had two visitors that were so impressed with the work being carried out that they worked for 4 hours each, spreading soil on 4 tees and the existing 7th green.

Also in the March Report of 1981 the President reported the death of Mr Len Penfold, Len was a Director of our Club for a number of years, and a valued member of Dads Army. Even before coming onto the Board of Directors, Len was always ready and willing to help the Club in any way. He will be sadly missed: we all share the loss of a wonderful and dedicated man.

On Monday 18th December 1981 a cold and rainy day, Dads Army decided to have a day off (must be an army of sissies) because I noticed working on the course was President Eric Massey Diving his Rotary Hoe around the approaches to the greens behind Meghaven Hire, also Board Member Clarrie Blair and Ken Baker planting trees and shrubs on the side of the 3rd fairway, Co-operation like this makes the future of the Club look good.

June was a really wet month, and the boys have been busy planting Kikuyu runners, already the runners on the 8th fairway are starting to shoot

This last two weeks have shown what combined help and enthusiasm can do, with a full gang of "Dads Army", work was carried out on the left of the 3rd green

The 3rd tee was also made twice the size to accommodate the extra traffic it will get with the old back tee being obsolete.

All the soil and seaweed has been spread on the 8th fairway and already the grass is starting to show through, by spring it will be playable, work will then start on the right side.

In December 1981, it was reported that at last some much needed rain arrived putting water in our dam and watering the parched fairways

A lot of work was carried out on the rock hard fairway behind the 1st green, all the topsoil was taken from our own land and we saved hundreds of dollars by carting it ourselves.

A pick-up sticks day is planned for the near fixture, and new flagsticks and cups are to be purchased

This concludes the story of "DAD'S ARMY' I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have in presenting it to you, I'm sure, for some, it will have brought back many fond memories and for others, some knowledge of this clubs history

On behalf of the Board of Directors and Management
Regards,
Sonny Foley