ONE of our long-standing committee members, Elsa Jones, has called time on her working role in the Hawks Nest Ladies Golf Club.

After more than 17 years serving in various roles on the Ladies committee, she is happy now to enjoy the fruits of her labours, and just enjoy playing the game she loves, golf.

Elsa is an energetic person whose can-do approach has seen her make the most of every opportunity.

Since her arrival in Australia as a “ten pound Pom”, Elsa’s hard work and determination have helped her live a full and busy life well into her 80s.

Her active life in Hawks Nest began in 1997 when she arrived as a retiree from Sydney.

“I didn’t know a single soul, so I just started joining everything I could to meet people,” she said.

“I became an inaugural member of the View Club and the Historical Society.

“I also became the secretary of the Clinic Bus committee as well as joining the Craft Club and of course the golf club, but as an absolute beginner with a handicap of 45!”

It wasn’t long before she made her mark by scoring a hole in one.

“It was pure luck, and every golfer’s dream, and never repeated in my heyday of playing off 21/22.

“Now that I’m 82 years old, my handicap is going back out again.”

Elsa volunteered to be on the HNGC Ladies Committee in 1998 to learn more about the game of golf, and hasn’t looked back.

She has brought her own interests and strengths to the fore, and is legendary for her beautiful decorations, costumes and entertainments.

“I love craft, so I’ve always made decorations to make the club festive and beautiful at Christmas, for tournaments like the Ladies Classic, presentation dinners and special events like the Olympic Games in 2000.”

Our players will also agree that Elsa injects a special spirit into our Charity Days for breast and ovarian cancer research with her unique team costumes and fundraising efforts.

“So many dress up days! Our ladies know how to have fun, but we do take our championships very seriously.”

Elsa is proud to have compiled a history of the club including an archive of photos and documents, containing hand written accounts by early directors such as Norm Walker and Clyde Hurl.

“I knew how important it was for future members to know not only how the club began but the hard work of volunteers over the years,” she said.

The process took over 18 months to complete and is kept at the club for members to browse.

Much has changed over the years, according to this energetic octogenarian.

“Technology plays such a big part in golf today, with computers calculating handicaps and scores now where we used to do it by hand. It was laborious and time consuming, but computers get things done much quicker.

“Also, it used to be an honour to be on the committee but it’s hard to get volunteers now, perhaps because people’s lives are so busy these days.”

Elsa said that her decision to step aside was an easy one.

“I’ve been finding that it’s more hard work and less pleasurable to keep up.

“I’m a bit old fashioned, so I think it’s time for the younger ones to step up with new ideas.”

She believes that working with a committee encourages us to acknowledge our similarities and differences in order to work together for a common cause.

“I can look back with many great memories of my committee days and the friends I made at golf.

“But enough is enough.

“Time to step aside, and just enjoy playing golf until I can’t play anymore.”

Thank you, Elsa, for your many years of hard work and dedication to ladies’ golf at Hawks Nest Golf Club.

Our sporting community deeply appreciates your commitment and contribution, and we wish you well for the future.
RESULTS for Saturday 20th January

27 Hardy ladies braved the heat and humidity to contest today’s Par Round. This is like Matchplay against the course, where every hole produces a result which is +(under par), 0 (par), or – (over par). The player who finishes with the most shots ‘up’ is the winner. It sounds a lot easier than it is!

A Grade Winners: 1st Maxine Mitchell on +2; 2nd Mandy Dickson +1; 3rd Antje Basson +1

B Grade Winners: 1st Robin Hall on -1; 2nd Tanya Sinclair -2 C/B; 3rd Marion Newton (Muree GC) -2 C/B

Place Getters: Di Davis, Karen Green, Angela Clipperton, Deb Gardner, Marcia Smith, Susan Muna and Sue Brownrigg.

NTP 10th Hole: Karen Green

Results for Tuesday 23rd January

Playing conditions eased a little with a welcome southerly and a few morning showers. 45 ladies contested today’s single Stableford event, and some excellent scores were recorded.

A Grade Winners: 1st Jo Buttrey with 39 points; 2nd Kathy Griffiths 35; 3rd Ann Syme 32 C/B

B Grade Winners: 1st Shaz Carter 35; 2nd Carol Wiggins 34 C/B; 3rd Dale McClure 34.

C Grade Winners: 1st Tanya Sinclair on 41 points (best score of the day); 2nd Marlene Stokes

34 C/B; 3rd June Martin 34.

Place Getters: Jo Collins, Sue Pritchard, Carolyn Affleck, Deb Gardner, Fran Henderson, Karen Serhan, Marguerite Miller, Liz Ross, Annie Benton, Trish Collins, Di Smith and Julie Williams

NTP 5th Hole: Jo Buttrey

Chip Ins: Quite a few players today chipped in from off the greens, including Heather McGuinn on the 8th and Sue Campton on the 1st. Each week we record these memorable shots, with a prize awarded at the end of the year to the player who scores the most.

Congratulations to all our winners this week.

The heatwave conditions we’ve been experiencing can make playing sport difficult, and even potentially dangerous for players who get caught out. So it’s timely to remind ourselves to be sun safe: slip, slop. slap. seek and slide.

· Wear protective clothing, sunscreen, wide brimmed hat and sunglasses, seek shade
· Tee Times – where possible, select a tee slot which avoids the hottest times of the day
· Hydration – drink water, refill water bottles before, during and after your game
· Snacks – keep up energy levels by snacking during your game with fruit, energy bars etc
· Know when to call it a day – monitor your health, be vigilant for symptoms like dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat or excessive sweating. If you or your partners experience these signs, seek shade, drink water and rest before considering whether to play on

By Dianne BOWES