Steven Bann led the Australian Masters in 1988 with three holes to play but reckons it was the most “fortuitous choke” in golf.
“If I had won, I would have got a couple of starts in Europe and would not have been offered the state coaching job,” Bann, told a packed house at Southern Golf Club after being inducted to the Victorian Golf Hall of Fame at the industry awards dinner.
“It’s really great to be honoured at the not so pointy end of your career for something you have always loved doing.”
He told the audience he would never have played golf but for a chance visit by veteran pro Bruce Green to Ashwood High School, who presented Bann with his award at the dinner. “None of my family played golf and I had no connection with it. But that visit led to me starting as a caddie at Riversdale earning $1,25 a round.”
Steve Bann inducted into the Golf Victoria Hall of Fame, flanked by legendary Royal Melbourne Club Professional Bruce Green, the man who introduced him to the game.
Bann was the professional at the public Box Hill course for many years where he first met and began to coach a precocious young talent by the name of Robert Allenby.
Bann then became state coach and later Victorian Institute of Sport coach and mentored players like Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Richard Green, KJ Choi, Cameron Percy, and Danny Lee.
Bann has also given lessons to many notable golfers, including Ian Baker Finch, during his memorable 1991 Open Championship victory and other stars like Mark O’Meara, Greg Norman and Adam Scott. His analytical approach to coaching has earned him great respect in golf.
These days Bann is a co-director of Bann-Lynch-McDade, now in its 14th year operating at Yarra Bend Golf in Melbourne He has been a member of the PGA of Australia since 1983. His contribution to the game, both on and off the course, has made him a highly respected figure in the Victorian and broader golfing community.
These days the 64-year-old also coaches once a week at Yarra Bend and two days a week at Kingston Heath.
The rest of the time he spends on his property at Newhaven, near Phillip Island and where he loves nothing more than the visits from his three grandsons aged five, three and one.
A mentor to the likes of Stuart Appleby, Stave Bann has coached many to have gone on to forge successful professional careers.
THE OTHER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE was renowned golf course architect and greenkeeper, the late VERN MORCOM.
The legendary Morcom worked on several notable courses. In 1928, he became Head Greenkeeper at Kingston Heath Golf Club, where he excelled for nearly 40 years.
His collaboration with famous golf architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie, in the late 1920s further honed his skills in course design.
Morcom’s architectural career flourished during the post-war years, with designs and remodels across Australia, including significant contributions to Kingston Heath, Yarra Bend, and Kingswood courses. His design principles were underscored by natural aesthetics, strategic play and player experience.
Despite health challenges and personal losses in the late 1950s, there was high demand for his expertise, designing numerous courses across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania.
His influence marked a critical period in Australian golf architecture, bridging traditional styles and modern needs. His legacy includes a rich portfolio of courses that continue to shape the golfing landscape. Morcom died in 1976, leaving behind a significant legacy on golf course design across Australia.
Morcom’s grandchildren, Gail and Guy, jointly accepted the honour bestowed on their late grandfather on behalf of the family, with Guy making a moving and heartfelt acceptance speech.
