RENOWNED golf coach Charlie Earp and his beloved wife Margaret will celebrate something special this month – their 60th wedding anniversary.
Yes, the happy couple tied the knot on October 4 way back in 1962 when Greg Norman, the man Charlie
guided to world number one, was still in short pants and attending primary school.
And in the year Charlie and Margaret said “I do”, Gary Player won the second of his seven Australian Open titles when he edged out Kel Nagle by two shots at Royal Adelaide and Billy Dunk won the Australian PGA Championship at Rossdale Golf Club in Melbourne when he beat Eric Cremin 8&7. The PGA Championship became a stroke play event in 1964.
I congratulated Charlie on his and Margaret’s six decades of marriage, but he was quick to say: “Don’t congratulate me, congratulate Margaret. She is the one who had to put up with a lot.”
Charlie said Margaret deserved the accolades because she took on much of the responsibilities of raising their three children – Kayley, David and Stephen – due to his work at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
Still, like all busy, happy couples they made it work.

“In the early days Charlie worked particularly long hours and was at the golf club from daylight until dark,” Margaret explained.
“Mostly he worked with one trainee and me in the shop when I could get there and I always did the bookwork at home.
“But I’ve enjoyed the journey – it’s been very rewarding,” Margaret added.
“We had some lovely overseas holidays – some related to golf and others not.
“We went to America a few times so Charlie could keep up his association with Greg (Norman) when he was playing the majors.
We would try to add on another two weeks to tour around and one year we went to New York and to Niagara Falls to have a look around.” These days the Earps enjoy a much quieter life.
“Things have quietened down and it’s a lot more relaxing now,” Margaret said. “Charlie has his garden and I play Mahjong once a week and I also belong to the local historical society.
“And soon we’ll be going to Tasmania to visit our granddaughter who has presented us with our first great grandchild.”
FOOTNOTE: Charlie is an avid orchid grower and his flowers are on display at Royal Queensland.