Love is in the air at Oakleigh GC

By Michael Davis

OAKLEIGH Golf Club secretary Tim Anderson clearly has a sense of humour.

He describes the recent successful merger of the men’s and women’s clubs “as always destined to be a marriage made in heaven”.

Although he hastens to add it has probably been “four decades” in the making.

Anderson’s matrimonial metaphors continue in his recent proud missive to Inside Golf. But the underlying message proves overwhelmingly that men and women playing separately is a thing of the past – thank goodness.

Anderson says the Oakleigh “courtship” began a long time ago with the “engagement” announced and the “wedding bands” issued in 2021.

After the reasonable amount of time had passed and no objections were raised, the “marriage’’ took place late last year in the Oakleigh Golf Club reception rooms, in Melbourne’s south-east.

So now Oakleigh (Men’s) Golf Club and Oakleigh Ladies

Golf Club “has become the Oakleigh Golf Club”.

Anderson added: “Be reassured this is no ‘marriage of convenience’ either. There is genuine ‘love’ on the fairways – with the men and women teeing off regularly on Saturday mornings in their respective competitions.

“The ladies and gents have often combined for mixed events and each Saturday rejoiced in the exploits and adventures – and mishits – of each other’s members as the results were read out,” he said.

Oakleigh is a unique golf club in that, with such a small membership, almost all players – men and women – stay around in the intimate rooms for lunch, a few drinks, the obligatory raffles/fund-raisers and the competition results.

And unlike so many other clubs whose competitions are mostly stableford, Oakleigh branches into stroke, par, accumulator and Canadian foursomes, among others. 

They also added a charity day to the rota which has successfully raised over $1000 each year for the Royal Childrens Hospital.

Like many golf clubs out there, the merger was needed because of factors such as declining participation numbers, financial pressures, increasingly complex compliance requirements and a lack of volunteers – afflictions affecting so many other not-for-profit, community-based sporting clubs. “These challenges mean that clubs have to modify traditional operations and be more flexible and adapt to the community to ensure on-going operations,” Anderson said.

Following acceptance by the members of both individual golf clubs, a steering committee was set up to drive the amalgamation process and sort out legal, operational and financial implications. Monash Council provided support with a consultant and access to club training webinars.

A new constitution, which specifically required equal gender representation on the committee and at the executive level, was initiated.

The club prides itself on creating a social atmosphere for its members. 

It is now in the process of updating its clubrooms. 

Oakleigh’s story of survival is a wonderful example of a golf club – any club for that matter – thinking outside the square and going the extra yard to ensure its continued existence.

Further good news is that the club is always looking for new members.

www.oakleighgolfclub.com.au

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