These photos have kindly been made available by Bill Cooney and Robin Bray.
The picturesque course is flat and well drained and irrigated with grass greens and soft sandy bunkers and is well maintained by the Club staff. It boasts delightful scenery including artificial lakes with fountains, colourful gardens and marvellous plantations of native eucalypts along the broad and challenging fairways. Driving off an island at the 17th tee over a fountain is a unique and memorable experience. A few of us left a ball or two in the water!
The weather was very mild and pleasant enabling us to easily play rounds of 18 holes without weather interrupting play. Peter Dolinsky, our golfing group co-ordinator and organiser for this event rotated the playing list daily, which allowed us to play with different members each round, making it a truly social occasion.
'Happy Hour' was enjoyed at the end of the day in the garden of the motel before dining at the Country Club Bistro and a session on the 'pokies'.
John Bridgland celebrated his 62nd birthday with the Group at dinner, with a delicious birthday cake adorned with candles. The eldest player joining us on this occasion was Bill Cooney from the Sandown Probus Club. Bill is 80 years old and plays a great game regularly with our golfing group on Wednesday mornings at Tirhatuan Lakes. At dinner one evening when Bill went to collect his order after his ticket number (86) was called the waitress asked him if he was 86. He said in his laconic way 'No, he'd just had a bad day!'
Our Vice President Lorna Bridgland, on behalf of the Golfing Group, officially thanked Peter and Elena Dolinsky and John Aumuller at dinner on the final evening, with presentations of bottles of wine for their organisation of this great week away at Howlong. Thankyou all for a job well done and a great time away.