Celebrating 40 Years of social golf Myall Coast Sport Property/Sports/Opinion - popup ad Sport by News Of The Area - Modern Media - October 1, 2024 Upwards of 50 members and guests came to celebrate 40 years of social fishing, darts and golfing. FORTY years of family-oriented fun were celebrated by the Hawks Nest Golf Club Social Club members and their guests on their home ground on Sunday, 29 September. While the weather was capricious outside, inside the Green Room it was warm and light-hearted for the milestone celebration of one of the oldest social groups in town. “In 40 years a lot has changed,” explained Jim “Morton” McDonald,a Lifetime Member, and past and second-longest serving president. “When it was started as a fishing club, half the members worked at Mineral Deposits, which ran a fishing competition on Thursday afternoons in daylight savings time. “After MDL shut down, the fishing, darts and golf soon came together into the HNGC Social Club, and June and Bunny started up the darts to fill the gap on Thursday nights at the club.” “Without people taking on the committee roles, we could not have a club, congratulations and thanks to all the members for the past 40 years.” The HNGC Social Club had up to 141 members in the 2000s, but like many such groups, it took a big hit during COVID. Things are picking up. “We want to make it more family-oriented, get parents and kids involved in the fishing,” current President Phil Jones told NOTA. “We are aiming to do tenpin bowling and barefoot bowls days later this year, and regular BBQs including on the beach, which will be a welcome return for many.” Other groups were also invited to the celebration, some local and some from far off, all of which have ongoing relationships and competitions with HNGCSC. There was the Tea Gardens Country Club Fishing Club, which runs the regular “Gibber to Gibber” competition with HNGCSC and Bulahdelah counterparts, as well as Narrabeen Fisho’s, who started coming to the area back in 2003, somewhat by chance, and now have an annual fishing competition with HNGCSC. Everyone enjoyed a big BBQ put on by Golf Club catering, and the ever cut throat putting competition, during which the room held their collective breath as some hit the schooner rim, while only a few actually made it in.. By Thomas O’KEEFE Current HNGCSC President Phil Jones aces the putting contest. A big blue cake for the 40th. Presidents past and present: Darby, Phil and Morty. Lifetime Members Morty McDonald and June West. Forty years of family fun, and to another 40 more.
