Cammeray Golf Club’s 100-year-old golfer still chipping away at his favourite sport
PROOF that age is just a number, Les Dance turned 100 and promptly headed out to enjoy his weekly game of golf. He’s legally blind but a couple of novel tricks ensure he can keep teeing off.
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LES Dance has proven that age is just a number, enjoying his regular Saturday golf game after he turned 100 last week.
Cammeray Golf Club hosted a presentation for its oldest playing member to celebrate his centenary milestone.
Mr Dance has been playing at Cammeray for more than 50 years.
He is legally blind, plays with a fluoro yellow ball and uses a homemade tee on a cord with a pompom to ensure it never flies far.
The golfer has even competed in the club’s masters events which tour regional NSW.
Derek Halliday-Brown said his father-in-law was one of the longest serving members at Cammeray.
“Les enjoys playing with his mates and likes to keep on his feet,” he said.
“He’s a very slim, fit gentleman, albeit he’s 100 years old.
“He has played golf for many years and won lots of cups and trophies. In his day he was very good.
“But he still beats quite a lot of people; he’s very competitive. The club’s players travel and twice a year they go and play golf for a week.”
Mr Halliday-Brown said Mr Dance never played golf without his special tee.
“He’s manufactured his own tee because he can’t see his tee when he hits the ball,” he said.
“So to stop it going flying and losing it, he glued to it a piece of elastic about a foot and a half long.
“On the end of the elastic he’s attached a woollen red pompom. The pompom holds on to the tee and he can see the red colour.
“If the tee flies, it only goes a couple of feet because it’s got this appendage — it’s very novel.”
Mr Halliday-Brown said his father-in-law also kept fit at home in Greenwich. “There are 100 steps down to the boatshed from the house,” he said. “Les exercises by walking up and down those steps.
“He has a tinny in there and fishes out to Lane Cove River for blackfish, flathead and the like. He’s a keen fisherman and used to play a lot of tennis as well.”
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