Eighty-one year old New Brighton Golf Club's Life Member Hughie Gilchrist was having a frustrating time with his game. The stars shifted on the first day of the Club Championships when he managed a Nett 66 off his 20 handicap, led the field then won his C Grade medal.
The next day playing off a reduced handicap of eighteen Hughie won the B Grade medal with nett 64. He couldn’t remember when he won a medal and now he had two in two days and was leading his division by nineteen strokes.
The following Saturday he reverted to usual form and was now leading by nine. On the final day he did well enough to win the championship by eleven strokes creating much hilarity among his fellow members.
He loves New Brighton and since his retirement has worked on the course as a voluntary member of the green staff rising at 5:00 a.m. each morning except for his golf day on Thursday.
He drives all the machines and does everything the same as the regular green staff. He does many minor repairs and odd jobs around the club. Sometimes at odd hours. Hughie’s been a Director for many years and thinks New Brighton is a great course.