Not too many golfers in their 80s can boast a resume quite as impressive as long time Spring Valley Golf Club member Neil Robbins.
Just a fortnight before his 86th birthday, Neil outshone his fellow Spring Valley members by winning the main men's competition at the Club on August 26 with an impressive stableford score of 39 points.
That achievement would rank pretty high for many of us, but for Neil it's not quite as impressive as his other sporting accomplishment that took place in the middle of last century.
Neil was lucky enough to represent Australia at the Olympic Games and was even luckier to have done so when the Games were held for the first and only time in Melbourne back in 1956.
As a spritely 27-year-old, Neil donned the green and gold in the 3000m steeplechase and did enough to finish fifth in his heat and qualify for the final of the event on the famous MCG.
The final was action packed – first over the line was disqualified after the event, before being reinstated as the winner the next day – but Neil produced a tremendous individual performance in front of his family and friends to notch a personal best time and finish in seventh place.
With his days on the track well and truly past, Neil now spends as much time as he can out on the golf course and can be found at Spring Valley every Wednesday morning taking on his peers in the men's competition.
While his golf hasn't always been as consistent as he would like, the friendships he has made at Spring Valley over the years have certainly made up for that.
Neil has been a member at Spring Valley since 1979 and has seen the Club prosper over five different decades, while maintaining its position as one of the best courses among the Sandbelt.
Spring Valley has been a big part of Neil's life for over 36 years and everyone at the Club hopes it will continue for many more to come.