MACKSVILLE Country Club has completed extensive works to repair and improve three golf greens, two tee-offs and change the layout of one fairway which in the past had constantly flooded.

At an opening ceremony attended by Nambucca Valley Mayor Rhonda Hoban and State Member for Oxley Michael Kemp, the new course was declared open from Friday 17 November, 2023.

“In the past, whenever it rained, we had weeks or even months of certain holes being unplayable,” Brad Fortescue, Macksville Country Club Chairman, told News Of The Area.

“Now we should be able to play again even soon after flooding events,” he said.

Macksville Country Club was successful in applying for funding through the NSW Government’s Essential Community Sports Assets Program and received $273,000 to lift flood affected tees and greens.

“We are a small club and couldn’t have afforded to make these changes without the grant,” said Mr Fortescue.

The Club’s Vice Chairman, Matthew Baker, told NOTA it was “a much-improved course” after the works.

“Greens have been completely reshaped and enlarged.

The entire course has been brought up to a more modern co standard,” he said.

Consistent with the wet weather theme of the grants which enabled this work, it was a rainy, windy opening ceremony on Friday morning with the Mayor and other VIPs touring the newly improved lower half on the course in golf carts.

In a speech at the opening of the new greens, State MP Michael Kemp emphasised the health and social benefits of facilities such as Macksville Country Club’s golf course, especially when communities suffer setbacks such as severe weather events like the floods of 2022.

According to Nambucca Valley Mayor Rhonda Hoban, “Getting the course back up and running will keep the tourists coming as well, minimising disruptions to our local businesses when extreme weather events occur.”

Earthworks was carried out by local company, Fortade, and regrassing was completed with the assistance of the ShoreTrack organisation, a charity based in Macksville supporting young people by providing hands-on training in trades.
“We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all the volunteers, those from ShoreTrack as well as Club members who contributed to completing all this,” said Mr Fortescue.

“Their efforts were truly impressive.”

By Ned COWIE