Date: October 18, 2012
Author: Courtesy Tony Durkin

Liz wins 40th & shares it with friends


Most golfers would agree that winning a division one championship at 64 years of age is an extremely rare achievement. Winning a 40th is another feat altogether, and winning 40 division one golf championships is possibly something never before achieved and unlikely to be repeated. But when Griffith Golf Club champion Liz Graham reached the historic milestone during the recent club championships she was just as excited about the fact she could celebrate her win with two fellow club members who had joined her in yet another rare triumph. “All three division winners at Griffith this year were the same winners, in the same divisions, 30 years earlier”, Liz told The Golfer. “Now that is incredible. Just imagine us thinking back in 1982 and again this year with Joan Staines (division two) and Heather Eagleton (division three). And the trio went in to the final round of the championships with the pressure of the three-decade repeat squarely on each other&aposs shoulders. “Before the final round Heather produced the photo of the three of us with our trophies from back in 1982, and we all knew it would be a special achievement if we could do it again. But we all still had a job to do. “Going in to the final round Heather was leading by 14 shots, Joan was one behind and I was in front by five.” But it was the win by the ageless Liz that has sent golf historian searching through their record books. Since she won her first Griffith division one championship back in 1966, on a mere six occasions has her name not (italics) adorned the honour board. And in that time she has amassed a remarkable 148 various club titles. Even impending motherhood has not fazed Liz. When she won in 1976 she was three weeks away from giving birth to her son Steven. It was her mum, Anne Bowditch, who introduced a young Liz to golf when she was 13. She won her first title – division two – in 1964 at age 17, and that same year her mum won division one. The following year Liz stepped up to division one and collected the first of those 40 championships at her maiden attempt. However her joy was somewhat diminished by the fact that she had beaten her mother. Now playing off seven Liz continues to work on her game and vows to never become complacent. And, believing 64 &aposis not old&apos, she hopes to play for many years to come. “I play three times a week – more if I get the chance. I love the game, I love the competitiveness and I love the company,” she said. “I am also very fortunate to have the support of my husband Daryl who is also a golfer and encourages me to keep playing.” And her goals are not just for more Griffith Golf Club championships. She will be playing in the NSW Country Championships in Sydney in September, hoping to go one better than her runner-up last year.