Sam Howse, whose love of golf started on the sand greens of the St George Golf Club when he was just nine years old, returned in glory for the club’s recent 70th Anniversary celebrations.
Tagged the ‘Dragon Country Sand Green Championships’, the event incorporated the anniversary as well as the club’s annual Open Championship. Events were held over three days with a record 300 entries received.
Howse, who now plays at The Brisbane Golf Club but still maintains his membership at St George, shot two-under 68 to win the Open. He started on the tenth hole, burned up the back nine with six under card, but allowed four shots to slip coming home.
However, that wasn’t the end of the celebrations on his trip ‘back home’. He and his grandmother, Mary Dowling, teamed to win the two-person Ambrose event which opened the weekend of celebrations and Sam went within 18 centimetres of winning a $20,000 hole-in-one sponsored by local business, O’Brien Toyota.
“I hit a seven-iron and it never left the pin,” said Sam
“The ball landed just short of the hole and from the tee it looked as though it was going in.”
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The talented 22-year-old university student who plays off three and is also a Premier Grade Brisbane cricketer, said he looks forward to returning to St George at every opportunity and challenging his game on the sand greens.
“I grew up playing on sand greens and love them,” he said.
“The weekend of the championships was terrific and created a great atmosphere. As someone who started my golf there as a kid I felt really proud of what the club organised to celebrate a memorable occasion such as the 70th anniversary.”
St George Golf Club president Ross Brimblecombe said members had been blown away by the support the club received, with visiting golfers from as far away as Perth, Townsville, Mackay, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
"For our opening event on the Friday afternoon we anticipated about 40 would play, but we had double that number. The atmosphere in the club was fantastic that night, and it just grew over the weekend,” he said.
“The result for the club was incredible, and a just reward for the planning and hard work by our committee members. And, as an added bonus, we were able to put a few dollars in the bank too.”
Champions in six divisions were decided, which each winning a unique trophy – a specially carved emu egg, created by renowned local artist Steve Margaritis and donated by Balonne Shire Council. Winners were Sam Howse (Men’s A Grade), Cody Speed (B Grade), Chris Goodwin (C Grade), Kym Webster (Associates’ A Grade), Helen Turvey (B Grade) and Lyn McCosker (C Grade).
Friday’s event was a ‘welcoming’ nine-hole two-person Ambrose which attracted 80 players, and on the Saturday 96 competed in the Fourball Best Ball Stableford. The major event, the 18-hole championship, was contested by 125 players, one of the biggest fields at the club in recent memory.