On 18th October 1904, the Traralgon Young People’s Society took the significant decision of forming a golf and tennis club for daytime recreational activities. The chosen location for these activities was a part of Traralgon Park, courtesy of Mr James Campbell. This was the venue for golf games until 1907. Like many other golf courses of that era, it was customary to fence the greens to keep cattle at bay, with golf sessions being mainly a winter event.
The most influential member in the first century of Traralgon Golf Club was Mr W.M. Bruce, a local solicitor. He joined the club’s committee in 1906 and served his first term as President in 1907, a role he would hold for nine terms. Also, he wore the captain’s armband at least fifteen times. Bruce was an excellent administrator, and he made history by becoming the first President of the Gippsland Golf Association.
Due to the increasing need for fencing at Traralgon Park, the club decided to relocate south of the railway line in 1908. The new course was a 9-hole one situated on the private properties of at least five landowners. One such property was “Dalkeith,” the home of W.M. Bruce, which even provided its verandah for afternoon tea during tournaments. The second course was prepared for play within five weeks of the decision to relocate, reflecting the quality of early courses.
By 1914, despite initial issues, the course was in good condition. However, World War 1 caused membership to fall drastically to nineteen, which led to a severe deterioration of the course. In response, the club decided to lease land surrounding the railway reservoir from the Railways, allowing a move to this location in 1921. Thanks to the permission granted by surrounding landowners, the first 18-hole golf course in Gippsland was established in 1923.
The Reservoir Course’s condition varied widely, leading to strong criticism and, at times, acclaim as the best in Gippsland. These polarizing reviews resulted in a total redesign of the course in the 1930s. By 1935-36, the club was able to maintain the nine holes in the Reservoir area during the summer, marking the first time that golf was available year-round.
In 1939, a dispute arose between Traralgon Golf Club and the East Gippsland Golf Association over the course’s condition. This criticism possibly triggered the decision by the Traralgon Golf Club to buy their own land instead of leasing. The club was fortunate to buy land from a Traralgon South farmer, Jim Holden, at the generous price of $32 per acre. He also donated Chester Park to the Traralgon Shire for recreational use.
Vern Morcom, who worked alongside renowned course designer Alastair MacKenzie on several Australian courses, was commissioned to design the course. The course was opened in 1940 and has largely kept the same layout, apart from the 34 bunkers that Morcom included in his design. A persistent problem was course drainage, with the course frequently being unplayable. However, after a particularly wet winter in 1989, extensive drainage work was conducted on all fairways, and the course has rarely been unplayable since then.
A significant recent change was the introduction of "bent" grass for the greens, which are now considered to be high quality. Currently, the grass on the fairways is being converted to Santa Anna couch, with this major project expected to complete by 2010. These changes should leave the course in its best condition yet.
As one of the early clubs in Gippsland, Traralgon Golf Club was a founding member of the Gippsland Golf Association and later affiliated with East Gippsland. In 1958, the Victorian Golf Association approved Traralgon's transfer to the West Gippsland Golf Association, where the club has remained since then.
This brief history of Traralgon Golf Club is compiled with gratitude to Bruce Lawn for his research and dedication.
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